Still in rest mode after my 27 miles on Saturday. Speaking of those miles, in my last post, I forgot to mention that 27 miles is the farthest I've ever run. And, the nearly 6 hours of running is the most amount of time I've ever run. Two PRs in one day. Groovy.
As I anticipated, my knee feels completely fine. My calf also felt a lot better today. I've been heating, foam rolling and stretching it quite a bit. Plus, we had dinner with Nate & Shannon tonight, and she offered to work on my calf. It wasn't the most relaxing massage I've ever had as Finley was being a 17-month old and climbing on top of me during it. But, my calf does feel a lot better. I probably could have run today, but I figured it couldn't hurt to rest for another day. Back at it tomorrow.
And now for some social commentary...
Has anyone seen the latest Asics TV ad? The one with the dude running in a M.C. Escher drawing and the white bubbles? Does that ad make you want to run? It makes no sense. And, even a scrawny runner guy like me could beat up the "runner" in the ad. I groan every time I see it. Asics should call the ad agency who did the Adidas "Runners, Yeah We're Different" campaign. Those guys got it. Great ads.
As I type, VH1 is on the tube...but surprisingly it's not a reality show. Currently, it's "100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the '80's." Some of them are obvious, but I have to personally take exception with one: Midnight Oil. I guess "Beds are Burning" is their biggest hit:
But...they were a great band. Really great. I have all their albums (most on cassette), and I've seen them live twice. Awesome shows both times. Plus, the lead singer is a 7 foot bald guy! There's no way they're a one hit wonder. OK, no one cares about this but me. Here's some Midnight Oil:
Oh, and here's a true one hit wonder:
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Trail Monster Running IBMF10YAMWSDHA Fat Ass 50k
Only sick and crazy people would celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary by running 50k. Only really sick and really crazy people would run that 50k on trails in the toughest conditions ever seen: ice, snow, slush, mud, water and various evil combinations of those elements. That being said, those people must be pretty cool if so many people show up to run it with them. And, that was exactly the case on Saturday for the Trail Monster Running I've Been Married for 10 Years and My Wife Still Doesn't Have a Fat Ass 50k, or, more importantly, Ian and Emma's 10th Anniversary.
Despite a forecast of sun, the day started foggy and damp and got only moderately better for there. At least 20 of us showed up at Bradbury Mountain State Park to run the 4-mile loop Ian devised as many as 8 times. The loop itself is awesome. It's scenic. It's hilly. It's tough. It's fun. However, with the trail conditions on Saturday, it was really, really tough. I'm not sure I can describe how hard it actually was, not because I want to sound like a tough guy, but because really...it was that hard. At the end of each lap, I seriously questioned my sanity for running that, and then my sanity again for contemplating heading back out for another one.
Aside from survival, my goals for the day were to work on my fueling and hydrating strategies and to run at least 5 laps (20 miles) and hopefully 6. I was also trying Sustained Energy for the first time in hopes that it would help me keep my energy levels up, which I've had trouble with on any run over 2:30. In short, it worked great, and it didn't upset my stomach. I didn't even mind the taste. I also downed 3 Hammer Gels and a package of Clif Shot Bloks. And, each time through the "aid station," I grabbed some Pringles and Gatorade, along with a couple other random goodies. My energy never waned, so I successfully passed that test.
OK, onto the run. Even though I thought everyone would be together for the first lap, the group soon was strung out along the trail. We regrouped at the summit, but from there it was a big ol' jumble. Which was great. I got to run with a bunch of different people and and have some great conversations along the way, including a complete review of all the VH1 reality shows for Mindy. The better part of the first three laps were uneventful. The laps were taking longer than I had planned or hoped, but I was really trying to hold back and not burn myself out. I started the fourth lap with Stephen and Jamie and ran most of it with them...until suddenly I wasn't. About halfway through that lap, I was not feeling good. Nothing specific, just bad. I slowed down a bit, ran alone and just tried to regroup. I finished the lap and took a slightly longer break than I had been taking. Plus, I need to refill by hydration pack, which took longer than I had hoped. My brain was telling me to stop, but I headed out on the fifth lap anyway. I ran for a minute or two with Blaine, but I was going much slower than him, so I was soon on my own. I kept plodding along alone, until suddenly, I felt great. I mean, I felt really great. Along the nastiest, slushiest, most horrible part of the Tote Road, I decided that I was going to run the whole thing. I think I might have even said it out loud. The best part about this little episode was that got to deal with a "bad patch." Another learning experience. And you know what? Once the bad patch is over, I felt better than I did when I thought I was feeling good. I could get used to that.
Jamie and I headed out on lap #6 together. He announced his plan to take it easy for this lap and that sounded like a good plan to me. He has waaayyyy more ultra experience than I do, so I was hoping I could learn a bit from him about my pacing. We chatted the whole way, and it was a lot of fun. I was still feeling great when finished the lap, so I decided to push through my original goal of 6 laps and stick with my new goal of running the whole thing. Off we went on lap #7. Shortly into the lap, I could feel a pain in my right knee: the ole impinged infrapatellar fat pad—An old injury that flares up from time to time. When I get the pain, it goes from none to sharp, stabbing pain fairly quickly. After a short, break at the summit, I decided it would be best for me to cut it short. I cut loop 7 down to 3 miles by descending the Terrrace Trail and called it a day at 27 miles.
I was disappointed that my knee flared up, but not totally surprised. All the lateral movement caused by the all the slipping and sliding and all the stride adjustments due to the ice and snow, put strain on and highlight some muscular imbalance. Of course, I can't be disappointed about pushing through that many miles in those conditions. Huge boost of confidence for me. Plus, I'm certain I could have finished without the knee flare up. So, aside from the knee thing, a very successful day for me. In short, I learned a lot.
Mad props to all the folks that ran all 50k, especially Ian & Emma who finished smiling, holding hands and making it look easy. In fact, mad props to anyone who completed even just one lap in that mess.
Here's my unofficial numbers break down:
Lap 1: 48:37
Lap 2: 51:54
Lap 3: 50:06
Lap 4: 51:43
Lap 5: 51:28
Lap 6: 59:56
Lap 7 (3 miles): 43:51
Total Run Time: 5:57:35; 13:14 per mile
Total Time: 6:31:45 (Breaks were between 3 and 10 minutes.)
Today, my knee feels about 92%. A little twingy, but I'm not worried about it. However, my left calf is a little squacky. I didn't feel anything at all during the run or even last night, but it was a different story when I woke up this morning. It's tight, lumpy and feeling a little calf strainy. I've been heating, massaging and stretching today. When I've strained it in the past (multiple times), it's always happened during the run and has felt like I've been stabbed. So, I'm hoping this is much less serious. Fingers crossed.
Despite a forecast of sun, the day started foggy and damp and got only moderately better for there. At least 20 of us showed up at Bradbury Mountain State Park to run the 4-mile loop Ian devised as many as 8 times. The loop itself is awesome. It's scenic. It's hilly. It's tough. It's fun. However, with the trail conditions on Saturday, it was really, really tough. I'm not sure I can describe how hard it actually was, not because I want to sound like a tough guy, but because really...it was that hard. At the end of each lap, I seriously questioned my sanity for running that, and then my sanity again for contemplating heading back out for another one.
Aside from survival, my goals for the day were to work on my fueling and hydrating strategies and to run at least 5 laps (20 miles) and hopefully 6. I was also trying Sustained Energy for the first time in hopes that it would help me keep my energy levels up, which I've had trouble with on any run over 2:30. In short, it worked great, and it didn't upset my stomach. I didn't even mind the taste. I also downed 3 Hammer Gels and a package of Clif Shot Bloks. And, each time through the "aid station," I grabbed some Pringles and Gatorade, along with a couple other random goodies. My energy never waned, so I successfully passed that test.
OK, onto the run. Even though I thought everyone would be together for the first lap, the group soon was strung out along the trail. We regrouped at the summit, but from there it was a big ol' jumble. Which was great. I got to run with a bunch of different people and and have some great conversations along the way, including a complete review of all the VH1 reality shows for Mindy. The better part of the first three laps were uneventful. The laps were taking longer than I had planned or hoped, but I was really trying to hold back and not burn myself out. I started the fourth lap with Stephen and Jamie and ran most of it with them...until suddenly I wasn't. About halfway through that lap, I was not feeling good. Nothing specific, just bad. I slowed down a bit, ran alone and just tried to regroup. I finished the lap and took a slightly longer break than I had been taking. Plus, I need to refill by hydration pack, which took longer than I had hoped. My brain was telling me to stop, but I headed out on the fifth lap anyway. I ran for a minute or two with Blaine, but I was going much slower than him, so I was soon on my own. I kept plodding along alone, until suddenly, I felt great. I mean, I felt really great. Along the nastiest, slushiest, most horrible part of the Tote Road, I decided that I was going to run the whole thing. I think I might have even said it out loud. The best part about this little episode was that got to deal with a "bad patch." Another learning experience. And you know what? Once the bad patch is over, I felt better than I did when I thought I was feeling good. I could get used to that.
Jamie and I headed out on lap #6 together. He announced his plan to take it easy for this lap and that sounded like a good plan to me. He has waaayyyy more ultra experience than I do, so I was hoping I could learn a bit from him about my pacing. We chatted the whole way, and it was a lot of fun. I was still feeling great when finished the lap, so I decided to push through my original goal of 6 laps and stick with my new goal of running the whole thing. Off we went on lap #7. Shortly into the lap, I could feel a pain in my right knee: the ole impinged infrapatellar fat pad—An old injury that flares up from time to time. When I get the pain, it goes from none to sharp, stabbing pain fairly quickly. After a short, break at the summit, I decided it would be best for me to cut it short. I cut loop 7 down to 3 miles by descending the Terrrace Trail and called it a day at 27 miles.
I was disappointed that my knee flared up, but not totally surprised. All the lateral movement caused by the all the slipping and sliding and all the stride adjustments due to the ice and snow, put strain on and highlight some muscular imbalance. Of course, I can't be disappointed about pushing through that many miles in those conditions. Huge boost of confidence for me. Plus, I'm certain I could have finished without the knee flare up. So, aside from the knee thing, a very successful day for me. In short, I learned a lot.
Mad props to all the folks that ran all 50k, especially Ian & Emma who finished smiling, holding hands and making it look easy. In fact, mad props to anyone who completed even just one lap in that mess.
Here's my unofficial numbers break down:
Lap 1: 48:37
Lap 2: 51:54
Lap 3: 50:06
Lap 4: 51:43
Lap 5: 51:28
Lap 6: 59:56
Lap 7 (3 miles): 43:51
Total Run Time: 5:57:35; 13:14 per mile
Total Time: 6:31:45 (Breaks were between 3 and 10 minutes.)
Today, my knee feels about 92%. A little twingy, but I'm not worried about it. However, my left calf is a little squacky. I didn't feel anything at all during the run or even last night, but it was a different story when I woke up this morning. It's tight, lumpy and feeling a little calf strainy. I've been heating, massaging and stretching today. When I've strained it in the past (multiple times), it's always happened during the run and has felt like I've been stabbed. So, I'm hoping this is much less serious. Fingers crossed.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Bear Notch Road
Shootin' at the walls of heartache. BANG BANG
I spent a long time in the car today, and when that happens, I tend to listen to a lot of radio. When I get tired of thinking and/or being upset or can't get a consistent signal, I switch from listening to NPR to channel surfing. It pretty much always leads to amazing, varied and embarrassing (if anyone else was around to hear me singing) results. Unfortunately, you sometimes end up with "The Warrior" in your head when you go for a run.
Today, I found myself traveling eastbound on the Kancamagus Highway heading from from the greater Lin-Wood metropolitan area. As I walked out of my meeting, it started to rain. So, I called D and told her that I had decided to scrap my plan of running on the Lincoln Woods Trail in hopes of making it further east ahead of the rain. I told her I would give her a call to let her know my plans. Of course, after I made a stop for gas and a Gatorade...er...G, the rain had stopped. Unfortunately, as soon as you leave the big city, cell service completely ceases. I stopped at the Greeley Ponds Trail thinking it would be groovy, but no cell service. So, I kept driving. Eventually, I arrived at the perfect running spot: Bear Notch Road. But, still no cell service. Ah, screw it. She needs a little excitement in her life. I figured that Bear Notch Road gets enough snowmobile traffic that someone would eventually find me.
Since this blog is ostensibly about running, I guess I should mention the actual run. It was great. The snow was slushy, but pretty solidly packed. I ended up running in for about half an hour. The snowmobile trail sign denoted that I had covered 3.1 miles from my parking space, but I sincerely doubt it was that far. If so, I managed to run 3 miles, mostly uphill, in loose slushy snow at 10-minute pace. I know I'm a stud, but it felt too easy for it to be that. (If anyone knows for sure, I ran from the gate to the second snowmobile trail junction/forest service road. Just past the great outlook to Mt. Chocorua.) It took me about 3 minutes less on the way back. I felt pretty solid the whole way albeit a bit under-stretched (from 2 days of meetings) and under-fueled (from...well, just not eating enough). Besides, how could I not have a great run? A closed road in the mountains, with each step I felt like I was traveling deeper and deeper into the woods. Good stuff.
Once in the car, it still took me a while before I had cell service. When I did, I called D. She yelled at me.
I spent a long time in the car today, and when that happens, I tend to listen to a lot of radio. When I get tired of thinking and/or being upset or can't get a consistent signal, I switch from listening to NPR to channel surfing. It pretty much always leads to amazing, varied and embarrassing (if anyone else was around to hear me singing) results. Unfortunately, you sometimes end up with "The Warrior" in your head when you go for a run.
Today, I found myself traveling eastbound on the Kancamagus Highway heading from from the greater Lin-Wood metropolitan area. As I walked out of my meeting, it started to rain. So, I called D and told her that I had decided to scrap my plan of running on the Lincoln Woods Trail in hopes of making it further east ahead of the rain. I told her I would give her a call to let her know my plans. Of course, after I made a stop for gas and a Gatorade...er...G, the rain had stopped. Unfortunately, as soon as you leave the big city, cell service completely ceases. I stopped at the Greeley Ponds Trail thinking it would be groovy, but no cell service. So, I kept driving. Eventually, I arrived at the perfect running spot: Bear Notch Road. But, still no cell service. Ah, screw it. She needs a little excitement in her life. I figured that Bear Notch Road gets enough snowmobile traffic that someone would eventually find me.
Since this blog is ostensibly about running, I guess I should mention the actual run. It was great. The snow was slushy, but pretty solidly packed. I ended up running in for about half an hour. The snowmobile trail sign denoted that I had covered 3.1 miles from my parking space, but I sincerely doubt it was that far. If so, I managed to run 3 miles, mostly uphill, in loose slushy snow at 10-minute pace. I know I'm a stud, but it felt too easy for it to be that. (If anyone knows for sure, I ran from the gate to the second snowmobile trail junction/forest service road. Just past the great outlook to Mt. Chocorua.) It took me about 3 minutes less on the way back. I felt pretty solid the whole way albeit a bit under-stretched (from 2 days of meetings) and under-fueled (from...well, just not eating enough). Besides, how could I not have a great run? A closed road in the mountains, with each step I felt like I was traveling deeper and deeper into the woods. Good stuff.
Once in the car, it still took me a while before I had cell service. When I did, I called D. She yelled at me.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Log It and Call It a Day
Did the traditional not quite 5-mile Highland Green loop today. I didn't feel all that frisky. The wind was ridiculous. And I was feeling a bit pressed for time to get it done. Not exactly the perfect combination for a good run. And, it was meh. I just kind of went through the motions, finished it up and logged it. That was that. Miles under the belt, and that's a good thing.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Last Run of the Winter
I've decided that today was my last run of the winter. I know it's technically spring, but it was 21 degrees when we left our house for Bradbury today. And windy. It's was winter. This was the last time I'm going to run in the winter. All runs from this point on will be spring runs. It's not going to be wintry anymore when I go out to run. It's spring.
That being said, I'm OK with snow on the ground, which is a good thing because there's still plenty. The only good thing about it being cold was that the trails were firm. We headed out on the Snowmobile Trail to the familiar crunch of winter trail running. Since I last ran at Bradbury, a lot of snow has melted. Or, rather, transformed. Much more ice on the trails. However, along the field at 4 miles I did find a bit of mud to frolic in. Upon returning to the parking lot, we decided to stick to the plan and run a loop of the Fat Ass course. Running a lot of laps is going to be hard. That's all I'm going to say about that. I might bring an ice axe.
"On the way home," we stopped at Big Top Deli for lunch. Big Top delivered when we were in college. The Philly Cheese Steak was a Sunday morning (read, afternoon) staple. Not sure why I was thinking about Big Top this weekend.
That being said, I'm OK with snow on the ground, which is a good thing because there's still plenty. The only good thing about it being cold was that the trails were firm. We headed out on the Snowmobile Trail to the familiar crunch of winter trail running. Since I last ran at Bradbury, a lot of snow has melted. Or, rather, transformed. Much more ice on the trails. However, along the field at 4 miles I did find a bit of mud to frolic in. Upon returning to the parking lot, we decided to stick to the plan and run a loop of the Fat Ass course. Running a lot of laps is going to be hard. That's all I'm going to say about that. I might bring an ice axe.
"On the way home," we stopped at Big Top Deli for lunch. Big Top delivered when we were in college. The Philly Cheese Steak was a Sunday morning (read, afternoon) staple. Not sure why I was thinking about Big Top this weekend.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Meadows, Mountains and Beaches
Two good runs the last couple days. On Friday, I ran the Meadow Cross Road loop from our house. I've developed a love/hate relationship with this route.
The Love:
- It's a good distance: 7.8 miles.
- It's hilly
- The back roads, for the most part, offer nice views
The Hate:
- It's road. (duh)
- It's always windy. Sometimes in each direction.
- The finish is along a major thoroughfare through the strip mall zone. Yuk.
In any event, I felt good on the run, even though I ran a little faster than I should have/planned.
We had a few friends come visit this weekend, and we decided a trip to Morse Mountain was in order on Saturday. I took advantage of the time to get in a short run up and over Morse Mountain and then along the beach. The road still had a surprising amount of snow and ice on it, which made it much trickier then I had anticipated. Because it was a beautiful day, there were a number of people with the same idea, and I got a number of funny looks and comments as I ran past. Running along the beach was great as the tide was low. I ended up running just about 4 miles and finished just as everyone was arriving at the beach. D was nice enough to carry some extra clothes for me, so I wouldn't freeze as we walked along the beach. All in all a great day.
I tried another lacing configuration with my new shoes, and they definitely felt better. I'm still not 100% convinced, but they seem like they'll work well for shortish runs. I just don't think they'll be the right shoe for me for long distances.
The short run at Morse Mountain put me at 41 miles for the week. (It's much easier to get to 40 when you run 20 miles in one day.) Big week for me, and while I was a touch tired on my run on Saturday, I think I'm headed in the right direction.
Today? Um...well, we had a good time last night. Not so much this morning...or afternoon.
The Love:
- It's a good distance: 7.8 miles.
- It's hilly
- The back roads, for the most part, offer nice views
The Hate:
- It's road. (duh)
- It's always windy. Sometimes in each direction.
- The finish is along a major thoroughfare through the strip mall zone. Yuk.
In any event, I felt good on the run, even though I ran a little faster than I should have/planned.
We had a few friends come visit this weekend, and we decided a trip to Morse Mountain was in order on Saturday. I took advantage of the time to get in a short run up and over Morse Mountain and then along the beach. The road still had a surprising amount of snow and ice on it, which made it much trickier then I had anticipated. Because it was a beautiful day, there were a number of people with the same idea, and I got a number of funny looks and comments as I ran past. Running along the beach was great as the tide was low. I ended up running just about 4 miles and finished just as everyone was arriving at the beach. D was nice enough to carry some extra clothes for me, so I wouldn't freeze as we walked along the beach. All in all a great day.
I tried another lacing configuration with my new shoes, and they definitely felt better. I'm still not 100% convinced, but they seem like they'll work well for shortish runs. I just don't think they'll be the right shoe for me for long distances.
The short run at Morse Mountain put me at 41 miles for the week. (It's much easier to get to 40 when you run 20 miles in one day.) Big week for me, and while I was a touch tired on my run on Saturday, I think I'm headed in the right direction.
Today? Um...well, we had a good time last night. Not so much this morning...or afternoon.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
New Shoe Test
In my never ending quest for the perfect shoes, I recently picked up a pair of LaSportiva Lynx. In short, the verdict is still out. I have huge problems due to small feet, specifically teeny-tiny, little, narrow heels. Thus, I need a shoe with a good heel cradle and a lot of stuff to keep the heel in place. Very few shoes are small enough. Currently, my trail shoes are the Merrell Cruise Control. For the most part, I really like them. Most importantly, they fit me. But, they're fairly heavy, and they're a big, beefy shoe. I'm looking for something a little lighter and more streamlined. Basically, my feet suck, and I'm picky.
That being said, the Lynx felt good when I tried them on. (Two days in a row.) And, I like everything about them while running. They're stable. They're comfortable. Great traction. I dig 'em. However, there was a little—just a touch—of slippage in my right heel. Somewhat troublesome. No blister over 5 miles today, but I know it's there. I tired a moderately funky lacing pattern that I thought would keep the heel snug. I'm going to try something less funky on my next run. Also, when I first put them on, they feel a touch short. They feel fine while I'm running though. It's probably jsut a smaller toebox than I'm used to. So, like I said the verdict is still out, but I'm hopeful.
As far as how the run felt, nothing but good news on that front. I took Tuesday off as a rest day and had planned to ski yesterday, but ended up with a 0 for a variety of reasons. My ankles weren't sore at all today, and I had a fair amount of spring in my step. Good signs.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Recovery Run
After a morning of errands and a delicious lunch at Duckfat (I highly recommend the Corned Beef Tongue Panini...and the fries...and the beignets...and the everything else...), we headed out for a short, easy run. I needed/wanted to take it easy after yesterday's long run. We decided to run the almost 5-mile loop around Highland Green.
Quote of the run: "I keep tasting pesto. I wish it was milkshake." (I'm not supposed to tell you who said that, but I will say that I didn't have either pesto or a milkshake today. Oh, and the person that said that is a girl.)
Overall, I felt pretty good on the run. My ankles and feet were sore, and I didn't exactly feel fresh. But, neither of those were a surprise. I spent a long time stretching and on the foam roller after the run, so I'm hoping to feel back to normal tomorrow.
Per usual, I've set up an NCAA basketball pool on Yahoo. I am perennially terrible at this, and finish last just about every year. If you'd like to join in taunting me, shoot me an email, and I'll send you the login.
Quote of the run: "I keep tasting pesto. I wish it was milkshake." (I'm not supposed to tell you who said that, but I will say that I didn't have either pesto or a milkshake today. Oh, and the person that said that is a girl.)
Overall, I felt pretty good on the run. My ankles and feet were sore, and I didn't exactly feel fresh. But, neither of those were a surprise. I spent a long time stretching and on the foam roller after the run, so I'm hoping to feel back to normal tomorrow.
Per usual, I've set up an NCAA basketball pool on Yahoo. I am perennially terrible at this, and finish last just about every year. If you'd like to join in taunting me, shoot me an email, and I'll send you the login.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Twenty at Bradbury
My ankles are sore.
I met up with Ian, Emma and Jim at Bradbury this morning. Blaine was already on the trails getting in a few extra miles, and he joined us as well. We started out with a loop of the Fat Ass course, and then headed out on the Snowmobile Trail for an out-and-back. For the first two hours, the trails were fairly firm as it was still cold. Gradually, things warmed, and it got a bit sloppy. We returned back to the parking lot with 16 miles down and headed out for another Fat Ass loop. Blaine had already gotten in 23 miles, so he called it a day. My plan was for 18, but what's another 2 miles on a beautiful March day? It was indeed beautiful...and warm. It had to be close to 50 as we headed out again, and things were getting sloppy. Admittedly, I was getting tired and my ankles were doubly tired. My energy was surprisingly not that bad after some crazy days at work and such. The downhills were tough because of my ankles, so I played it fairly conservative. Back to the parking lot for a total time of about 3:27. Not bad at all.
Right now, I need to go eat more.
I met up with Ian, Emma and Jim at Bradbury this morning. Blaine was already on the trails getting in a few extra miles, and he joined us as well. We started out with a loop of the Fat Ass course, and then headed out on the Snowmobile Trail for an out-and-back. For the first two hours, the trails were fairly firm as it was still cold. Gradually, things warmed, and it got a bit sloppy. We returned back to the parking lot with 16 miles down and headed out for another Fat Ass loop. Blaine had already gotten in 23 miles, so he called it a day. My plan was for 18, but what's another 2 miles on a beautiful March day? It was indeed beautiful...and warm. It had to be close to 50 as we headed out again, and things were getting sloppy. Admittedly, I was getting tired and my ankles were doubly tired. My energy was surprisingly not that bad after some crazy days at work and such. The downhills were tough because of my ankles, so I played it fairly conservative. Back to the parking lot for a total time of about 3:27. Not bad at all.
Right now, I need to go eat more.
Friday, March 13, 2009
At the Balsams
Work had me at the Balsams on Thursday and Friday, and who am I to complain? While I was there, I was able to get in the most ridiculous ski ever and a treadmill torture.
I drove up on Thursday morning and arrived shortly before lunch. Just enough time to check emails, return calls, etc. Meeting began at 1:00, and I was pleased to be out my 3:30. Plenty of time to ski! That being said, I was overly thrilled with the prospect of skiing because it was cold and windy...like 15 and strong gusts. But, to go to the Balsams and not ski is fairly blasphemous, so off I went. Unfortunately, I did get sucked in my emails and...you know...actual work following the meeting, so I didn't get to the Cross Country Center until after 4:00. And, apparently, when they say they close at 4:00, they mean it. Not a big deal because my gear was in the car, I've often applied kick wax in a parking lot. The real problem was that I also needed to scrape the glide wax off my skis. So, there I was in a cold, windy parking lot, sending wax shavings all over the place. Sorry, nature. Of course, you can barely do an adequate job scraping your skis in a cold, windy parking lot with no ski form, so it wasn't pretty. Luckily, I wasn't worried about fast skis. Next, was the kick wax, which I surmised would be a hard wax situation based on the veneer of new snow that surrounded the hotel. VR 50 applied, and off I went to climb the ice floe of certain death to the trailhead. As always, it was treacherous, and I barely survived. As soon as I got to the groomed surface, I knew that VR 50 was a bad choice. When the veneer of new snow met grooming machine, it disappeared into the crushed ice surface below. I would have been better off with some Zarex and a paper cup. No matter, it wasn't like I would have put klister on in the parking lot, so there absolutely no way I was going to change now. Plus, I didn't have a blow torch on me to heat it up...since it was damn cold...so, where's the fun in that? Anywho, off I went. When wasn't hitting myself in the back of my head with the tail of my ski, I had surprisingly moderately decent kick. But, when I did slip, I was certain my groin was going to tear in 3 pieces. At one point, along trail #4, a major snowmobile trail cross the trail, and, man, did it look sweet for running. Is it bad to be longing for your screw shoes in the middle of a ski. Eventually, I reached the top of the climbing on trail #4 and took the Canal Trail to Mud Pond. Or, rather, I double-poled the entire Canal Trail to Mud Pond...GRRRRRRR. The snow was firm, firm, firm. I was hoping to head back on some fun blue trails, but they were not groomed. I would have been nervous on the ungroomed trails with crampons and an ice axe. So....sketchy. I opted for a green trail back to the hotel, and I was glad I skipped the blues. The downhills were plenty fast enough. Luckily, it's mostly downhill to flat back to the hotel because all my kick wax was gone. Scraped clean away. The snow was so abrasive that it just obliterated it, and the glide wax, too. My skis actually look like I did a good of scraping them. Remember that it was cold, so, yeah, my fingers were completely numb by the time I reached the bottom of trail #0. (Yup, they have a #0 trail.) Of course, #0 is the main route back to the hotel, but it doesn't bring you right back to the hotel. I had two choices: ski up and over a decent hill with no kick wax and then walk down the ice floe of certain death or walk back on the paved road a .5 mile to the hotel. Needless to say, I chose the latter, and my thumbs were gone from carrying the skis. Not including the walk, I was out for about 50 minutes, and really glad I got to ski at the Balsams this year.
This morning, I got up quasi-early-ish and hit the treadmill. No way I was skiing again, since the thermometer read "0". (I'm soft.) Running on the treadmill is dumb. I had my iPod, but there was no place to rest it on the treadmill. I tried it inside the back of my shorts, but the second time it slid down my butt, I figured that wasn't a good idea. I ended up stuffing it in the key pocket of my shorts and waiting to electrocute myself. Luckily, I remained shock free. I pushed through 5 miles, only so I could say I got 30 miles for the week (4 days of running). It wasn't easy. Oh, and does anyone else unintentionally sling sweat everywhere when they're on the treadmill? I looked like Willy Water Bug.
I drove up on Thursday morning and arrived shortly before lunch. Just enough time to check emails, return calls, etc. Meeting began at 1:00, and I was pleased to be out my 3:30. Plenty of time to ski! That being said, I was overly thrilled with the prospect of skiing because it was cold and windy...like 15 and strong gusts. But, to go to the Balsams and not ski is fairly blasphemous, so off I went. Unfortunately, I did get sucked in my emails and...you know...actual work following the meeting, so I didn't get to the Cross Country Center until after 4:00. And, apparently, when they say they close at 4:00, they mean it. Not a big deal because my gear was in the car, I've often applied kick wax in a parking lot. The real problem was that I also needed to scrape the glide wax off my skis. So, there I was in a cold, windy parking lot, sending wax shavings all over the place. Sorry, nature. Of course, you can barely do an adequate job scraping your skis in a cold, windy parking lot with no ski form, so it wasn't pretty. Luckily, I wasn't worried about fast skis. Next, was the kick wax, which I surmised would be a hard wax situation based on the veneer of new snow that surrounded the hotel. VR 50 applied, and off I went to climb the ice floe of certain death to the trailhead. As always, it was treacherous, and I barely survived. As soon as I got to the groomed surface, I knew that VR 50 was a bad choice. When the veneer of new snow met grooming machine, it disappeared into the crushed ice surface below. I would have been better off with some Zarex and a paper cup. No matter, it wasn't like I would have put klister on in the parking lot, so there absolutely no way I was going to change now. Plus, I didn't have a blow torch on me to heat it up...since it was damn cold...so, where's the fun in that? Anywho, off I went. When wasn't hitting myself in the back of my head with the tail of my ski, I had surprisingly moderately decent kick. But, when I did slip, I was certain my groin was going to tear in 3 pieces. At one point, along trail #4, a major snowmobile trail cross the trail, and, man, did it look sweet for running. Is it bad to be longing for your screw shoes in the middle of a ski. Eventually, I reached the top of the climbing on trail #4 and took the Canal Trail to Mud Pond. Or, rather, I double-poled the entire Canal Trail to Mud Pond...GRRRRRRR. The snow was firm, firm, firm. I was hoping to head back on some fun blue trails, but they were not groomed. I would have been nervous on the ungroomed trails with crampons and an ice axe. So....sketchy. I opted for a green trail back to the hotel, and I was glad I skipped the blues. The downhills were plenty fast enough. Luckily, it's mostly downhill to flat back to the hotel because all my kick wax was gone. Scraped clean away. The snow was so abrasive that it just obliterated it, and the glide wax, too. My skis actually look like I did a good of scraping them. Remember that it was cold, so, yeah, my fingers were completely numb by the time I reached the bottom of trail #0. (Yup, they have a #0 trail.) Of course, #0 is the main route back to the hotel, but it doesn't bring you right back to the hotel. I had two choices: ski up and over a decent hill with no kick wax and then walk down the ice floe of certain death or walk back on the paved road a .5 mile to the hotel. Needless to say, I chose the latter, and my thumbs were gone from carrying the skis. Not including the walk, I was out for about 50 minutes, and really glad I got to ski at the Balsams this year.
This morning, I got up quasi-early-ish and hit the treadmill. No way I was skiing again, since the thermometer read "0". (I'm soft.) Running on the treadmill is dumb. I had my iPod, but there was no place to rest it on the treadmill. I tried it inside the back of my shorts, but the second time it slid down my butt, I figured that wasn't a good idea. I ended up stuffing it in the key pocket of my shorts and waiting to electrocute myself. Luckily, I remained shock free. I pushed through 5 miles, only so I could say I got 30 miles for the week (4 days of running). It wasn't easy. Oh, and does anyone else unintentionally sling sweat everywhere when they're on the treadmill? I looked like Willy Water Bug.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Another Five
Luckily, I didn't need to go out and run first thing this morning because it was all kinds of nasty: cold, slush falling from the sky and windy. Just a whole pile of yuck. It stopped actively slushing by 4:30 or so, and I headed out. It still wasn't particularly nice out, but certainly survivable. It was only a degree or so colder than yesterday, but it felt much colder. Of course, not as cold as I dressed for, so I warmed up quickly.
I ran the same loop as the other day, and the conditions were similar. The powerlines were really soft, and at one point I sunk in up to my knee. Always fun to go from sinking an inch or two to sinking up to your knee. Other than that, the run was uneventful.
Three days in a row for about 25 miles. Good numbers for me, and I'm starting to get fittish. I can tell when things are coming together when I feel sluggish for the first couple miles. When it takes a while for the blood to get flowing, it's a good sign.
And, now apropos of nothing...Journey SQUARED!!!
I ran the same loop as the other day, and the conditions were similar. The powerlines were really soft, and at one point I sunk in up to my knee. Always fun to go from sinking an inch or two to sinking up to your knee. Other than that, the run was uneventful.
Three days in a row for about 25 miles. Good numbers for me, and I'm starting to get fittish. I can tell when things are coming together when I feel sluggish for the first couple miles. When it takes a while for the blood to get flowing, it's a good sign.
And, now apropos of nothing...Journey SQUARED!!!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Blown Away
I'm working on upping the mileage, so I need to get away from normal runs I've been doing on my not long run days. Generally, those runs have been either 3 or 5 miles. Also, the word on the street is that it's helpful to run a medium not longish run the day after a long run. So, I headed out on the Meadow Cross Road loop from our house.
The loop is 7.8 miles, and it's pretty hilly. I didn't feel fresh, but I didn't feel bad either, which pretty much what I was looking for. The even better news is that the hills felt easy. The only negative was the wind. It was whipping pretty good on Meadow Cross Rd....oh, and straight in my face. In fact, the last 4 miles were all into the wind. Ended up being 1:04:57, which was a faster pace than I had planned. So, it was a good run and just what I was looking for.
The loop is 7.8 miles, and it's pretty hilly. I didn't feel fresh, but I didn't feel bad either, which pretty much what I was looking for. The even better news is that the hills felt easy. The only negative was the wind. It was whipping pretty good on Meadow Cross Rd....oh, and straight in my face. In fact, the last 4 miles were all into the wind. Ended up being 1:04:57, which was a faster pace than I had planned. So, it was a good run and just what I was looking for.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Frozen Mashed Potatoes
D and I head to Bradbury today in hopes that the trails would be firm following the spring-like weather of the past few days. We were in luck, as the Snowmobile Trail had seen both traffic and was pretty solid. (Which makes sense because it started snowing pretty much as soon as we arrived.) It was by no means smooth, but we weren't sinking in with each step. We decided to turn around at four miles after D nearly yakked up her breakfast due to the stench of the manure piles that line the field.
As it turns out, that pile is almost exactly four miles from the parking lot. We'd planned for a longer run together, but the sushi we had last night for dinner was sitting too well in D's stomach. Once we returned to the parking lot, we headed out onto the 4-mile Fat Ass course, but with the rumblings she turned around after another half mile. I continued on the loop, and while the conditions were firm that weren't exactly good. For the most part, the Boundary Trail was well-packed and fairly smooth...except when it wasn't. The few stream crossings were interesting. As I attempted to cross one of the streams, the chunk of snow I was standing on collapsed into the stream...so soggy. The Tote Road is a whole other story. It's a festival of postholing destruction. OK, not the whole thing, but there are a lot of holes in it. The last section of it between the cut over to the Boundary Trail and the Northern Light Trail is the worst. It's seen less traffic, so it's less packed and has bigger holes.
OK, I'm not complaining, it was a great run. It just wasn't easy. I'm soft, you see.
What I am complaining about is the song that was in my head for the entire time I was running by myself. Maybe that's why I picked up the pace...
As it turns out, that pile is almost exactly four miles from the parking lot. We'd planned for a longer run together, but the sushi we had last night for dinner was sitting too well in D's stomach. Once we returned to the parking lot, we headed out onto the 4-mile Fat Ass course, but with the rumblings she turned around after another half mile. I continued on the loop, and while the conditions were firm that weren't exactly good. For the most part, the Boundary Trail was well-packed and fairly smooth...except when it wasn't. The few stream crossings were interesting. As I attempted to cross one of the streams, the chunk of snow I was standing on collapsed into the stream...so soggy. The Tote Road is a whole other story. It's a festival of postholing destruction. OK, not the whole thing, but there are a lot of holes in it. The last section of it between the cut over to the Boundary Trail and the Northern Light Trail is the worst. It's seen less traffic, so it's less packed and has bigger holes.
OK, I'm not complaining, it was a great run. It just wasn't easy. I'm soft, you see.
What I am complaining about is the song that was in my head for the entire time I was running by myself. Maybe that's why I picked up the pace...
Friday, March 6, 2009
Slush Season
So squishy. That's the basic description of today's run. Soft snow, slush, mud and icy water. My feet were cold, and stuff was spraying everywhere. And, in short, it was a lot of fun.
I did the newly-discovered-to-be-short 5-mile loop around Highland Green this afternoon.
It's a nice loop, and I'll definitely be adding more to this route in the spring using the Cathance River Nature Preserve trails.
Another good run, and I'm starting to feel kind of in shape. In the back of my mind, I have this little voice that keeps telling me I'm behind in my training for the Pineland 50k, but I'm doing my best to ignore it. Hamstrings are still tight, but better. Or at least, they're loosening up more easily. Onward.
I did the newly-discovered-to-be-short 5-mile loop around Highland Green this afternoon.
It's a nice loop, and I'll definitely be adding more to this route in the spring using the Cathance River Nature Preserve trails.
Another good run, and I'm starting to feel kind of in shape. In the back of my mind, I have this little voice that keeps telling me I'm behind in my training for the Pineland 50k, but I'm doing my best to ignore it. Hamstrings are still tight, but better. Or at least, they're loosening up more easily. Onward.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Simpson's Point
Hit the roads today (Oh the horror!) for a not really long run. I chose a 9-mile loop that starts at Bowdoin and makes its way down to the ocean at Simpson's Point.
Aside from the fact that I was freezing running into a headwind for the first mile, the run went mostly smoothly. As I mentioned to D tonight, it was easy, but I never felt comfortable. Hamstrings are still tight (I know, I know. I'm a broken record...but...that's the deal...), and I just felt kind of tight all over. 1:15:49 for the 9 miles. Right where I should be for that level of effort, which in all honesty, was minimal. Good stuff.
That being said, I did get passed in the last .25 mile by a female Bowdoin student. She was doubled over panting after she stopped when I passed her a few seconds later. But, I don't think that was from her run. ZING!
Aside from the fact that I was freezing running into a headwind for the first mile, the run went mostly smoothly. As I mentioned to D tonight, it was easy, but I never felt comfortable. Hamstrings are still tight (I know, I know. I'm a broken record...but...that's the deal...), and I just felt kind of tight all over. 1:15:49 for the 9 miles. Right where I should be for that level of effort, which in all honesty, was minimal. Good stuff.
That being said, I did get passed in the last .25 mile by a female Bowdoin student. She was doubled over panting after she stopped when I passed her a few seconds later. But, I don't think that was from her run. ZING!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Snowmobile Follies
Off with the skis and back into the running shoes today. I headed back to the same snowmobile trails off Rt. 2 that I ran a couple weeks ago. The conditions were dramatically different. I wasn't surprised by this, but theory and practice are two very different things. The trail had been groomed, and it had seen a fair amount of snowmobile traffic. (Surprisingly, no other footprints.) And that snowmobile traffic had turned the hard packed surface into sugary, soft powderiness in the center of the trail. The far edges of the trail, which hadn't quite been hit by the sleds, was firmer. Nothing was firm, just firmer. Hence, the going was slow. Plus, I had forgotten how damn hilly it was on the way out. Really hilly. I turned around at what I guessed was 2.5 miles, and I was 3:30 faster on the way back. The soft snow was a blast on the way back because I could really let it rip on the hills. Good times, and a great run.
Of course, I had to have a little drama because the run almost didn't happen. I almost got the car stuck trying to park. The side road where I parked is very narrow, and today there was a a little bit of loose snow on some solid ice. It was basically this:
Before I hopped in the car, I changed my wet, sweaty shirt. Just as I was standing there in tights, no shirt and a beanie, three snowmobiles went ripping by on the trail just a few yards from my parking space. I'm sure I made it into their post-ride stories.
Of course, I had to have a little drama because the run almost didn't happen. I almost got the car stuck trying to park. The side road where I parked is very narrow, and today there was a a little bit of loose snow on some solid ice. It was basically this:
Before I hopped in the car, I changed my wet, sweaty shirt. Just as I was standing there in tights, no shirt and a beanie, three snowmobiles went ripping by on the trail just a few yards from my parking space. I'm sure I made it into their post-ride stories.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Blah
Yesterday, it snowed. It was snowing heavily when I woke up, and I decided that I was going to be unmotivated. I'm not sure if this was a conscious decision or not. Aside from a brief shoveling stint, I was a slug. No activity. I did, however, watch Point Break. "I am an EFF BEE EYE agent!"
Today, it didn't snow. However, it was full of meetings. Not good times. I managed to sneak out for a short ski just before complete darkness fell. I just wasn't feeling it. Nothing specific, just blah. I did wish I was running, though. I don't think that's entirely healthy. Or, perhaps, I'm just focused. (Yeah, I'm not buying that either.)
Planning to try to explore some more snowmobile trails tomorrow. Hopefully, they'll be firm enough for running.
So, aside from Point Break, the best thing that happened was the groovy new header image I made. Look up.
Today, it didn't snow. However, it was full of meetings. Not good times. I managed to sneak out for a short ski just before complete darkness fell. I just wasn't feeling it. Nothing specific, just blah. I did wish I was running, though. I don't think that's entirely healthy. Or, perhaps, I'm just focused. (Yeah, I'm not buying that either.)
Planning to try to explore some more snowmobile trails tomorrow. Hopefully, they'll be firm enough for running.
So, aside from Point Break, the best thing that happened was the groovy new header image I made. Look up.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
This Makes No Sense
The hamstring issue has been an on-going saga. Well, saga in the sense that they've been tight every day. So, of course, I was somewhat concerned as to how they would feel after yesterday's long run. Well, today they felt better than they've felt in weeks. The lesson here: run more. I've officially given up trying to figure this whole running thing out. Maybe it was the donuts.
With that in mind, D and I headed out in the snow this afternoon. (We specifically waited until it starting snowing because we're hardcore.) Luckily, her back is feeling better, but she still didn't want to push it. We headed for the Commons and ran 3 easy miles together. After our loop, I added an addition 2 miles on the road. Parts felt great, and I'm feeling confident about boosting the mileage and level of seriousness. Or at least the level of donuts.
With that in mind, D and I headed out in the snow this afternoon. (We specifically waited until it starting snowing because we're hardcore.) Luckily, her back is feeling better, but she still didn't want to push it. We headed for the Commons and ran 3 easy miles together. After our loop, I added an addition 2 miles on the road. Parts felt great, and I'm feeling confident about boosting the mileage and level of seriousness. Or at least the level of donuts.
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