PITTSFIELD - There are millions of running races, thousands of marathons, hundreds of triathlons and dozens of ultramarathons, but there is only one Death Race. Held annually since 2005 in the small town of Pittsfield, Vt., the 2014 Death Race is scheduled to begin on Friday, June 27. Only 300 elite endurance athletes were accepted…

Posted Sep 26, 2013 KILLINGTON - On Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 21-22, a crowd of 15,000 watched as Hobie Call, age 36 from Utah, and Amelia Boone, age 30 from Chicago were crowned the new Spartan World Champions at Killington. The winners emerged from the daunting 14 mile course which made up "The Spartan Beast"…

By Karen D. Lorentz updated Wed, Feb 22, 2012 11:44 AM The challenges are many: the recent economic downturn; climate change and erratic winters; an ever-more sedentary society; societal shifts with two-worker families which causes time poverty; school activities that limit the ability of families to travel in winter; more alternative leisure activities; and an…

By Cindy Phillips posted Aug 9, 2012 We all have a claim to fame at some point in our lives. Some refer to it as a "brush with greatness." It's that time when we come in contact with a movie star, sports giant, political figure or other person of perceived stature. It's catching a foul…

By Cindy Phillips posted May 30, 2012 As I write this column, I am preparing for a Memorial Day weekend trip to the beach. I am making a mental packing list that includes bathing suits, sundresses, shorts, tank tops and an array of polka-dotted flip-flops. I will be putting my toes in the sand, slathering…

By Cindy Phillips updated Wed, Apr 18, 2012 08:17 AM I can recall my parents, and their friends, using the expression "the only thing certain in life is paying taxes and dying." I thought this was not only a curious view on life, but certainly a maudlin one as well. I vowed never to become…

By Cindy Phillips updated Wed, Apr 4, 2012 09:19 AM I went shoe shopping today. Well, let me rephrase that. I attempted to go shoe shopping today. Similar to jeans shopping, I have a difficult time finding the right fit, and the right height, and the right style, and shall I go on? Much like…

By Cindy Phillips updated Wed, Jan 25, 2012 12:07 PM The first Super Bowl was played on January 15, 1967 in Los Angeles. Anyone remember who won? Anyone remember who played? Well Green Bay romped Kansas City in a 35-10 win. I was 12 years old. The Super Bowl has become not just another football…

By Cindy Phillips updated Wed, Dec 14, 2011 10:19 AM When I moved to Vermont several years ago, my affection for a good, hearty snowfall took on a new meaning. Snow was good for business. It meant skiers, riders and snowmobilers would come to town. I began the habit of turning on the weather channel…

by Cindy Phillips posted Oct 6, 2011 I am the proud mother of a dental hygienist. Getting my teeth cleaned is an entirely new experience now. My pride starts to swell the minute I step into the dentist's office. I love seeing my daughter in her colorful scrubs as she maneuvers around her "office." Her…

By Cindy Phillips updated Fri, Mar 21, 2014 11:59 AM We Boomers were a generation of revolutions - sexual, political and for this Boomer, the most prolific was the musical revolution. I spent many an hour watching the revolutions of my 45 RPM singles and 33 1/3 RPM albums on a turntable - reading the…

By Cindy Phillips updated Thu, Feb 20, 2014 09:50 PM As I write this column, the East is being hammered by a storm of epic proportions. Vermonters know well the effects of a classic Nor'easter. But those who live in the Southeast are simply not equipped to handle snow, sleet, ice and freezing rain. When…

Cindy Phillips posted Oct 4, 2013 I recently had lunch with a young female dentist who talked about the home her and her husband, also a dentist, were in the process of buying. The house sits in a very upscale neighborhood that is transitioning from successful retirees to young professionals. She lamented that although the…

Cindy Phillips posted Sep 19, 2013 Alice Cooper rocked us with "school's out for summer" back in 1972, the year I graduated high school. But right now kids all over the country are returning to school after what I am sure appears to have been an all-too-quick summer vacation. The start of the new school…

By Cindy Phillips updated Fri, Aug 23, 2013 10:07 AM So have you ever heard a Boomer say, "I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday, but I can remember something from 30 years ago like it was yesterday"? I say it all the time, only now I am saying "40 years ago." Scary. Memories…