Scoutin’ Routes: Mendon Ponds

This morning Jack, Gracie and I took a short roadie to Mendon Ponds Park in an effort to walk a short section of the course I will be running the Mendon 50k on next Saturday. Following the suggestions of those who responded to my query on the Rochester Running Page's community message board, I printed out a map of the park in advance, took some notes, and we set out to find the Blue Trail , called North Meadow Trail, just of off Canfield Road, where the race would move onto the trails following a half-mile road start.

As mentioned previously, I have been told that the course is essentially a combination of North Meadow Trail (Blue Trail), which will be the north part of course, and East Esker Trail (Green Trail), the south portion. The race will start by going up Canfield to pick up the BLUE where it jumps back into the woods to head south. With out goal this morning being to simply get a lay of the land, we enter using a trail head on Canfield Road.

Gracie was very excited to be out-and-about picking up many scents and smells as she snoops out the trail. Last time Jack and I were scouting routes, I taught him a little (which is all I know) about looking for and following trail flashes. Initially, I hope to follow the exact course of the race, which will begin on grassy "trails":


Once the course heads into the woods, the ground becomes a mix of leaves and dirt. In the case of Gracie's feet, LOTS of dirt!


As promised, rolling terrain is the order of the day, at least during this first, very early, part of the course.


After taking a moment to remove one of the many small burrs and sticks which end up in Gracie's coat, Jack snaps my picture. I think this one makes me look like a tuff-guy-hunter-type. Or at least as my son took the picture that's how he sees me? Cool.


After about an hour-and-a-half, we headed home. I was glad to get out and do a little field work in anticipation of next weeks race. While there we did see a number of other folks running the trail, likely for the same reason. There may be some "walking" for me next weekend, but the focus of the day will be the "running." It can't come soon enough.

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!