November 2020 Newsletter

New Column: Hit the trail! Each month, Jennifer Hansen will profile one local or one not-so-local trail run. If you have a run you want her to profile, please send her a note at jennifer.carol.hansen@gmail.com

Trail surface:

Mostly pine needles, some prominent rocks and roots

Percentage runnable:

100%

Elevation change:

lots — a few steep sections;  much of it is more gentle

Distances:

officially 7 miles of trail; 1 extra mile available via unmarked trails

Finding your way around:

Well-marked trails in the system; a couple of well-trodden "herd-path" trails can add more distance

Parking:

5 trailheads provide easy access to the trails as well as at least ten different possible routes, for variety.

Website/Map:

https://lebanonnh.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Farnum-Hill-Reserve-26

Other users:

Mostly walkers, some with dogs. Lightly used. 

The Aspinwall Ridge Trail provides a lot of varied terrain with gradual and steeper hills and visual interest and is an excellent trail system for those newer to trail running. There are several viewpoints, most noticeably going under the power line where you can see Ascutney looking southwest  and downtown Lebanon looking northeast. There are several wooden map kiosks at trailheads and important junctions, and trails are well-marked with blue-and-white blazes.

Out-and-back along the Ridge Trail is a great route for starters, and then check out the side trails to create loops or add more out-and-back distance - Ron Bailey, Robert Leavitt, Old King's Highway, Foliage View, and Slayton Hill. Two additional loops are possible via unmarked trails:

1. Take the grassy, orchard access road uphill from the intersection of the Class VI "Old King's Highway" with the top Farnum Hill Rd. Just before you reach the orchard, turn right and follow the well-worn trail as it goes steeply uphill to its intersection with the Ridge Trail. 
2. Near the Marie's Way parking area, on the trail spur called "Slayton Hill," there is a hand painted sign for Marie's Way (photo). If you turn the back to the sign, you can see and easily follow another well-worn trail as it goes steeply uphill to its intersection with the Ridge Trail , less than 0.1 mi south of the northern intersection of the Ridge Trail and the Robert Leavitt Trail.

Name: Ravina Handa

Town: Lebanon, NH

Where are you from originally and what brought you to this area? 

I was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya.  I left for the UK when I was 16 to study and work. I spent 15 years in the UK and a year in Singapore before I made the big move to the USA in 2016 to join my husband who works at Dartmouth College. I fell under the Upper Valley’s spell when I came to visit him. It took a few years but I finally made it here. 

 What do you do professionally?

I am a Solicitor of England and Wales and an US licensed attorney. Currently, I am in-house counsel for a software company. I negotiate data privacy contracts and keep us compliant with international law.  I started my career in a shipping law firm in London and later took on offshore oil rig litigation. I absolutely loved it. 

 My first job in the US involved drafting contracts to purchase, sell and transport oil and gas around and out of US. It was so interesting but it was in Connecticut and the commute wore me down. There aren't many ships or much oil in New Hampshire so I gradually shifted my career to find a job locally. 

 How long have you been running? 

All my life. In Kenya, I ran for the joy of it. I ran before school with my dog and plenty at school. In the UK, I ran for the bus and the trains constantly to get to work on time. In New Hampshire, I run to keep my heart young and my body invigorated. 

 How long have you been running competitively?

 Running is not competitive for me. 

 Why do you run?

I run to feel invigorated. I love feeling myself propelled by my own power and momentum. Nowadays, I run at a slow and steady pace to keep injury at bay. I still sprint occasionally and when I do, I am always amazed at the energy and power my body can (still) generate. After a few sprints, I feel like all the rust on my joints has been shaken off and I am renewed. 

I run to keep my heart and mind healthy and with C25K, I run to see my friends. It’s a nice way to catch up on the week’s events. I am a chatty runner. 

Recent memorable moment while running?

I really enjoy crossing the finish line on any race with my running buddy, Erin. At the last race we ran, we had unicorn and rainbow tattoos on our faces which brightened our run. We crossed the finish line holding hands (pre-covid stuff). 

Best athletic accomplishment and why?

Every student had to run the annual cross country race at my school. The course went around the cricket field, through the forest, along a cemetery and back to the cricket field. In those days, running in warm sunshine at noon was normal. One year, I felt like sprinting the course.  I took great big strides as I do when I am sprinting and enjoyed the feeling of leaping rapidly along. I didn't intend to beat anyone but I was amazed to find out I came in third in the whole school.  I felt proud to have beaten all the boys in my class.

If you like to race, favorite race distance? Why? 

5ks are a comfortable distance for me, it allows me to chat and run at a leisurely pace. 

If you like to race, notable race moment? OR most memorable race?

I ran the Chad in 2018 with Janet and Sally. It felt good to run with friends and they encouraged me to run my C25k personal best. Janet and I crossed the finish line together hand in hand before I almost collapsed and she stuck an orange slice in my mouth. It’s a good memory!

Training partners?

 The C25K runners. 

Cross training activities? 

I hike often. I climbed Mt Kenya in December 2019. I can't say that hiking helped me run better but I think running made me persevere up that mountain.

Favorite local running route?

The rail trail.

 Favorite post run treat? 

I run so I can feel virtuous and deserving of my breakfast meal at Lucky’s coffee garage with friends. 

Strangest place ever run?

Part way through my first C25K, I travelled to Norway on vacation. One Saturday morning, I had Mary, our coach, in my mind and slipped out of our cabin for a run. I ran along a road heading to the horizon with high mountain peaks capped with snow on either side and fields of dandelions and grass between me and the mountains. The sky was blue, the air was clean. It felt heavenly. 

What made you start running?

I never stopped running, I was just hindered by shin splints.  Kristin and Paul Coats taught me a few exercises at C25K to help my ankles and calves loosen up. Their knowledge and willingness to share it has made all the difference between me struggling to run and me running consistently for 2.5 years. 

 Why did you join UVRC? 

Running had become a painful experience marred by shin splints and I wanted to overcome that problem so I could run free of injury. 

 Ever run in a costume? 

No but I have run with a unicorn face tattoo. 

The only running shoe for me is Oasics. 

Ever been injured? How did it happen?

No. I run slowly so I can avoid injury. 

 Hot or cold weather runner? 

Oh I love both. My favourite memories are of running in the dead of winter in 2018-2019, when the pavement was icy and the rail trail was filled with snow. The C25K group got out and ran every wintery Saturday morning. I always felt like such a stud muffin for running at 20-30F and extra deserving of those Lucky’s breakfast sandwiches. I hope we keep running through winter again this year. 

Morning or evening runner?

Morning, please. I have lots of energy and motivation for a hearty breakfast. 

What is your motivation?

I run therefore I am healthy. 

Favorite running book/film?

My favorite film is Forrest Gump. I adore how he got up and started running. He just kept on going because he felt like it. He saw the country, propelled on his own two feet. What a gorgeous idea. 

What does your daily workout consist of?

General strength training and regular walking.

How about favorite work out?

Swimming is my most enjoyable work out. 

What is your diet like?

A little bit of everything in moderation. 

 If you could run with anyone, who would be the person? 

Barack Obama, provided he could share all his top secret information with me on our run. I would have 101 questions for him on his experience of running this country and being a leader of the world. 

Aside from running, what are your hobbies?

I love to cook. I sit and plan meals constantly. I often analyze meals after and make notes on what I could do differently the next time. In these troubled times, I think we’re so fortunate to eat delicious and often elaborate meals at home. My husband remains well fed and content so I must be doing something right. 

We purchased our apartment this year. I am thoroughly enjoying refurbishing it through DIY projects. Currently I am deliberately between flamboyant wall paper choices for our cozy apartment. Neither of us grew up with any handy skills so youtube and all our friends with tools have been invaluable. 

I had been hoping for a good overlook along the trail and now, halfway around the loop as I peered over the edge of a 60-foot drop off to the rocky beach below, I got what I was looking for. Squinting into the stiff onshore breeze, I could see huge waves rumbling in and crashing on the jagged shoreline. The Cutler Coast Trail is 25 miles off US Rte 1 near Machias, Maine. The ten-mile trail takes you along the rugged coastline, then loops back inland through the woods. There are spliced log planks over muddy patches, rocks and roots jutting out of the ground everywhere and a few stretches along the rocky shoreline where you hop from boulder-point, to granite slab, to boulder-point. On top of that there is a thousand feet of elevation gain that adds to the workload. For Mookie, my super-size Labradoodle hiking companion, the trail is a playground. Strong, fit and agile, he bounds full bore on ahead of me scrambling up steep and daunting technical pitches to the tops of piles of boulders, then looks back down to see what is taking me so long. In a flash, as I peer over the edge of the cliff, it occurs to me that Mookie, in his tongue-dangling frenzy, might try to leap onto the tiny overlook with me, a landing pad of perhaps one square foot. Slightly dizzied by my eager climb up to the overlook and teetering on its edge, I think, “What if Mookie bumps me over the edge?”

The fog that had blanketed the Downeast coastline overnight was now, on this chilly October morning, slowly burning away and each view of the ocean from high up on the cliff or from down on the rocks below was more vivid and spectacular than the last. The combination of the powerful and relentless wind, the thundering surf and the bright rays of sunlight reflecting off the tops of the whitecaps was stunning. This out-of-the-way trail along the coast is very special indeed. Exhilarated, Mookie and I continued.

At Fairy Point the trail turns inland and, as we entered the forest, all became quiet. The roar of the siege upon the coast was replaced by the soft sweet smells of balsam fir bows and the rich aroma of decaying plant life. Irish-green mosses and blanched lichen trimmed the trail edge, highlighted by flecks of sunlight, while thick roots snaked their way over, under and around everything in their path. The tangles of roots unearthed by thousands of foot falls, and now draped over rocks and streaming down crumbling embankments, looked like a human body opened wide for autopsy – veins twisted around bones, organs and muscle tissue. Mookie slowed his pace and trailed behind me sniffing every leaf and stick on both sides of the path. We encountered a few groups of hikers during our five-hour trek, but, for the most part, we were happily alone in each other’s company. The solitude and silence provided by the forest, combined with our growing fatigue, conjured up an aura around us, at once warm and satisfying. We were both tired, “good” tired, and only a few more miles lay ahead. We were in no hurry and marched happily on.

Looking back on the many hikes Mookie and I have shared recently, the Cutler Coast Trail tops the list and we will never forget it. It was an awesome, and I really mean awesome, morning hike along the coast of Maine.