Back on the AT today for a little bit of running and a lot of hiking. The loop we did was 14 miles, and we thought it was easy. That's pretty cool. We were both tired from our run yesterday. (D especially, but she had one of her biggest running mileage weeks ever, so it was with good reason.) The terrain was nice, though. And not saturated and muddy. That's a big help.
The gory details:
D's report.
My report. (Pretty lame actually.)
Photos
We now have one more section to do (24 miles) before our vacation and the 100-Mile Wilderness. But, in truth, we've already hiked these 24 miles. It's a section from Rt. 4 in Rangeley to Caribou Valley Road and includes Saddleback, Sugarloaf and a number of other peaks. We did this hike probably about 9 years ago, and it nearly killed us. We had planned to go over the Crockers, but we bailed. It took us 3 days to do the 24 miles. I was probably carrying 394 pounds. D had a garbage for a raincover for her pack. It blew away...far, far away. We were dumb. Hopefully, our return will go better.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Running is Really, Really Dumb
So, remember all my whining? Well, the most recent whining, anyway. Yesterday's run was great, and today's run was even better. D and I ran with the official Trail Monster group today at Bradbury. We ran the 12-mile Bradbury Bruiser course. I felt awesome. Way better than I have all week. No pain, no tightness, no nothing. Yeah, I have no idea. Plus, it was really fun to get out on group run. There were at least 15 of us out there, and more names than I can remember. It was a really good group of people, and a good time was had by all. Did I mention that I felt awesome? Well, I did.
Of course, I couldn't help thinking about the Breakfast Club.
Bender: What do you do in the physics club?
Brian: Um...we talk about physics...properties of physics...
Bender: So, it's sort of social. Demented and sad, but social.
Of course, I mean that in a really good way.
However, this is way cooler than the physics club because in the afternoon, Ian and Emma invited a bunch of us back to their place to drink beer. Mmmmm...beer. Lots of good people and good food. Erik also brought venison. And, I have to say, that Bambi was delicious.
And, speaking of demented and sad, but social, it was also cool to meet a couple blogging-type folks face to face. For example, I met Mindy, here's the conversion:
Me: Hi, I'm Ryan.
Mindy: Hi, I'm Mindy.
Me: Oh, you're the squirrel lady.
Mindy: Yeah, that's me. Which one are you?
Me: Snowman.
Mindy: Oh yeah! Great to meet you.
In case you're wondering, we were able to have an actual conversation and not just wait until we got home to share blog comments with each other. We're no that dorky. Well, maybe...
Anywho, D and I are off tomorrow for a groovy dayhike over the Crockers and bang out another 8 miles of the AT. Should be sweet.
You know when you get a song in your head that just won't leave? This is what I have now:
Of course, I couldn't help thinking about the Breakfast Club.
Bender: What do you do in the physics club?
Brian: Um...we talk about physics...properties of physics...
Bender: So, it's sort of social. Demented and sad, but social.
Of course, I mean that in a really good way.
However, this is way cooler than the physics club because in the afternoon, Ian and Emma invited a bunch of us back to their place to drink beer. Mmmmm...beer. Lots of good people and good food. Erik also brought venison. And, I have to say, that Bambi was delicious.
And, speaking of demented and sad, but social, it was also cool to meet a couple blogging-type folks face to face. For example, I met Mindy, here's the conversion:
Me: Hi, I'm Ryan.
Mindy: Hi, I'm Mindy.
Me: Oh, you're the squirrel lady.
Mindy: Yeah, that's me. Which one are you?
Me: Snowman.
Mindy: Oh yeah! Great to meet you.
In case you're wondering, we were able to have an actual conversation and not just wait until we got home to share blog comments with each other. We're no that dorky. Well, maybe...
Anywho, D and I are off tomorrow for a groovy dayhike over the Crockers and bang out another 8 miles of the AT. Should be sweet.
You know when you get a song in your head that just won't leave? This is what I have now:
Friday, August 29, 2008
Running is Dumb
Ran 3 miles in the Commons this afternoon. Felt great. Awesome even. Cruised right along. Finished 3 miles in what was a very comfortable 24:28. My feet and calves are certainly tight, but no pain in my foot/ankle thing. So, who knows.
I did wear my new shoes. And, I did pretty much eat constantly all day. No doubt those things helped.
Speaking of new shoes, this is ridiculous:
The lesson here: When you wear new shoes, you look like a total dork. Could they be any whiter?
I did wear my new shoes. And, I did pretty much eat constantly all day. No doubt those things helped.
Speaking of new shoes, this is ridiculous:
The lesson here: When you wear new shoes, you look like a total dork. Could they be any whiter?
That's a Little Better
As D explained...or at least attempted to...we won't be backpacking this weekend. I'd barely walked in the door last night, when she said, "OK, here are the options..." It was a rare moment in which she used her master planning skills for good and not evil. Needless to say, I immediately gravitated to the plan that included the least amount of backpacking and the most amount of potential for eating and sleeping. I guess subconsciously my body was trying to tell me something.
I've also realized that the culprit of my feeling like boo boo for the past few days is actually my feet. They're wicked tight. I'm rockin' the foot massage ball right now and plan to do so for most of the day. Feels nice. I guess all that pavement really tightened things up. So, I'm going to focus on the feet and go for a short run this afternoon. I'm also going to try out my new pair of shoes and see how they feel.
Additionally, my goal today is to try the Michael Phelps diet. When I get tired and the body feels bad, I find that eating a lot usually makes me feel better. You probably won't find that in any training programs, but it seems to work for me. Only a a three eggs and soy nugget breakfast burrito so far this morning, but I feel second breakfast coming on any second.
I've also realized that the culprit of my feeling like boo boo for the past few days is actually my feet. They're wicked tight. I'm rockin' the foot massage ball right now and plan to do so for most of the day. Feels nice. I guess all that pavement really tightened things up. So, I'm going to focus on the feet and go for a short run this afternoon. I'm also going to try out my new pair of shoes and see how they feel.
Additionally, my goal today is to try the Michael Phelps diet. When I get tired and the body feels bad, I find that eating a lot usually makes me feel better. You probably won't find that in any training programs, but it seems to work for me. Only a a three eggs and soy nugget breakfast burrito so far this morning, but I feel second breakfast coming on any second.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
I'm so stressed
Preface: I don't have any "real" stress like health, family or other real world stresses. I have running and fitness related stress, which isn't as bad but still sucks.
Essentially, I'm a mess. I have two huge goals for the fall:
1. Run my first marathon
2. Finish the Appalachian Trail
The success of both of these goals are directly related to my health and fitness. And health and fitness have never really been my strong suits. You know the kid the neighborhood who always gets hurt? That's me. And right now, I'm really worried. Things have gone downhill in a hurry. I'm seriously considering pulling the plug on this whole marathon thing.
This is the point where D says: "Don't be stressed. You're doing great. Don't worry." She's right, but I'm not listening. I'm a wreck.
I've basically felt like boo boo since the 19-mile fiasco on Monday. Both physically and mentally. My left knee hurt on Tuesday, but felt fine today. Just tightness, and a feeling I remember from a long time ago when D and I would go backpack in the White Mountains off of no training. I'd carry 50 pounds and barely survive. I can stretch that out and it subsides. I also developed a strange almost pain in my left foot. It's just below my ankle, and slightly forward of it. It's not sharp and comes and goes. WTF?!?!?
Today, the plan called for 5 miles. I headed out the door unsure of what I was going to do. I could feel the pain in my foot off and on, but it was barely there. The rest of my body felt like crap. OK, not crap, but not good. I was really hoping that a short, easy run would make all the badness float away. Not so much. I decided to run a shorter loop. I ended up with 3.3 miles in 28:59.
Now I know that running a little shorter was probably a good call. In the long run 3.3 vs. 5 today isn't really going to make much of a difference. But it killed me that I was deviating from the plan. I was supposed to run 5, and I couldn't really. Kevin had a great post about this. (I met Kevin at the Bradbury Scuffle. We parked next to each other, and we debated together whether it was time to go out in the rain. Real nice guy.) I know just how he feels. What the hell am I doing? My last two runs have not been fun. Isn't this supposed to be fun? As I was running my less than 5 all I could think about was that I was running less. That just made me feel worse.
Perhaps, I need rest. Well, let's talk about goal #2. This weekend, D and I are attempting the hardest backpack of the summer. It's the last weekend we have available before our vacation in September, in which we'll be hiking the final 100 miles of the AT. So, obviously, we want to have all the sections done before our vacation. We can then stand on Katahdin knowing we've passed every white blaze from there to Springer Mountain in Georgia. (Damn, that sounds cool.) But, what if I'm not feeling good and we can't finish it? What if my foot is really effed up? A 33+ mile backpack over 2 days will certainly let me know what the status of my foot is. And, I do not want to be injured on the AT again. That really sucks. And, obviously, I don't want to screw it up (again) for D. Feeling some pressure. Of course, none of it from her because she's always super-supportive of me in my attempts at athletic endeavors, but I still feel pressure.
So, yeah, I'm really stressed. Being stressed is also a sure fire way to feel worse. It's a vicious cycle. What's worse is that this post (if you've actually stayed with it) is really long and I haven't said anything funny. Sorry on both accounts. See...more pressure. Maybe I need a shrink.
Essentially, I'm a mess. I have two huge goals for the fall:
1. Run my first marathon
2. Finish the Appalachian Trail
The success of both of these goals are directly related to my health and fitness. And health and fitness have never really been my strong suits. You know the kid the neighborhood who always gets hurt? That's me. And right now, I'm really worried. Things have gone downhill in a hurry. I'm seriously considering pulling the plug on this whole marathon thing.
This is the point where D says: "Don't be stressed. You're doing great. Don't worry." She's right, but I'm not listening. I'm a wreck.
I've basically felt like boo boo since the 19-mile fiasco on Monday. Both physically and mentally. My left knee hurt on Tuesday, but felt fine today. Just tightness, and a feeling I remember from a long time ago when D and I would go backpack in the White Mountains off of no training. I'd carry 50 pounds and barely survive. I can stretch that out and it subsides. I also developed a strange almost pain in my left foot. It's just below my ankle, and slightly forward of it. It's not sharp and comes and goes. WTF?!?!?
Today, the plan called for 5 miles. I headed out the door unsure of what I was going to do. I could feel the pain in my foot off and on, but it was barely there. The rest of my body felt like crap. OK, not crap, but not good. I was really hoping that a short, easy run would make all the badness float away. Not so much. I decided to run a shorter loop. I ended up with 3.3 miles in 28:59.
Now I know that running a little shorter was probably a good call. In the long run 3.3 vs. 5 today isn't really going to make much of a difference. But it killed me that I was deviating from the plan. I was supposed to run 5, and I couldn't really. Kevin had a great post about this. (I met Kevin at the Bradbury Scuffle. We parked next to each other, and we debated together whether it was time to go out in the rain. Real nice guy.) I know just how he feels. What the hell am I doing? My last two runs have not been fun. Isn't this supposed to be fun? As I was running my less than 5 all I could think about was that I was running less. That just made me feel worse.
Perhaps, I need rest. Well, let's talk about goal #2. This weekend, D and I are attempting the hardest backpack of the summer. It's the last weekend we have available before our vacation in September, in which we'll be hiking the final 100 miles of the AT. So, obviously, we want to have all the sections done before our vacation. We can then stand on Katahdin knowing we've passed every white blaze from there to Springer Mountain in Georgia. (Damn, that sounds cool.) But, what if I'm not feeling good and we can't finish it? What if my foot is really effed up? A 33+ mile backpack over 2 days will certainly let me know what the status of my foot is. And, I do not want to be injured on the AT again. That really sucks. And, obviously, I don't want to screw it up (again) for D. Feeling some pressure. Of course, none of it from her because she's always super-supportive of me in my attempts at athletic endeavors, but I still feel pressure.
So, yeah, I'm really stressed. Being stressed is also a sure fire way to feel worse. It's a vicious cycle. What's worse is that this post (if you've actually stayed with it) is really long and I haven't said anything funny. Sorry on both accounts. See...more pressure. Maybe I need a shrink.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Argh and Random Stuff
Still not feeling good about yesterday's events. Am I obsessing about this? Absolutely. Am I insane? Clearly. Plus, D ran 5 miles today. I did squat. Probably couldn't have run 5 miles. Body might have permanently rebelled. Did she run those 5 miles to make me feel bad? Probably. She has a cold, black heart.
OK, back at it tomorrow.
From the random files...
54.5/557.1
As in 54.5 miles per gallon and 557.1 miles on the last tank. Those were the numbers in my car the other night when I filled it up. That's pretty awesome.
So, Firefox just had a snazzy new update. I'm not happy. I fear change. Am I a geek for even noticing/caring? Absolutely. Just a couple hours ago I had this clean, streamlined theme that is no longer available in the new version. Everything just looks a little different, and I'm not particularly happy about it.
OK, back at it tomorrow.
From the random files...
54.5/557.1
As in 54.5 miles per gallon and 557.1 miles on the last tank. Those were the numbers in my car the other night when I filled it up. That's pretty awesome.
So, Firefox just had a snazzy new update. I'm not happy. I fear change. Am I a geek for even noticing/caring? Absolutely. Just a couple hours ago I had this clean, streamlined theme that is no longer available in the new version. Everything just looks a little different, and I'm not particularly happy about it.
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