Training Log Archive: TomN

Warm-up jog to Einstein track, plus 3 strides.

Intervals at Einstein track. 3x1000 in 4:20, 4:16, 4:23. I was doing these in 4:05 last fall. But then again, doing that this spring was how I tore my glute. Also, I only did a 3:00 jog (1 lap) between intervals. A 4:00 jog (1.5 laps) would have been better, and that's what I was doing last fall.

Cool-down jog back home.

Drumm loop. A little faster this time. Having a feel-good morning for a change.

Light hill reps at GSFC. It was hot and full sun at noon. I did 2.5 reps (bailed out on the last one, ran at pace up the perimeter road instead, but it was shorter than on the road. But it had some shade. On the way back, full sun and hot wind at my back, I walked a bit.

Drumm loop.

Big hike today. Mahoosuc Notch and Speck Pond, round trip from Success Pond Road. The adventure started when it turned out there was no access to the Success Pond Road from the north. We drove further north to another dirt road (called the North Road, appropriately). The map indicated that the North Road came close to the Success Pond Road, but didn't connect. Looking at the state of the road, it seemed like a good chance, and it did connect. So another 10 miles of dirt road, and we left a car at the trailhead for the descent (Speck Pond Trail), more on that later. Another 2 miles to the Notch Trail with everyone crammed into one van.

The Notch trail was easy up to the notch, where it joined the A.T. I had been through Mahoosuc Notch once before, and knew what to expect. It was a lot of fun with day packs (we passed a number of hikers with full packs, which were a major burden in the caves and chasms). Very physical, even going in the downhill direction. Then it ended, as abruptly as it started, back on normal trails. After a snack we started up to Speck Pond. I totally underestimated this part of the hike. It was a steep and strenuous climb up a long series of disconnected granite slabs, seemingly neverending. Finally topping out at a panoramic view of the Mahoosuc Range just down from the summit of Mahoosuc Arm, where we had a late lunch.

We continued down to Speck Pond, then backtracked to the Speck Pond trail for the descent. About 3 miles later, we got down to the Success Pond Road, no car in sight. Oops. We had parked it about a mile and 300 feet up on a dirt road we thought was the trailhead. It wasn't. Addie, Mei-An, and I jogged the 2 miles back down to the Notch Road parking, picked up the other car, and drove back to the endpoint to meet Rob, Veronica, Colin, and Florence, then drove everyone up to the false trailhead to get the car.

Boneheaded blunders aside, this was a fine hike. It was more strenuous than I had anticipated, and took longer, but some of the most interesting hiking in New England.

C • Living epically, aren't we? 2

Easy run around the pond. Not feeling particularly strong today.

Whitehorse Ledge, Sliding Board (10 pitches, 5.7). We did this in two roped pairs, me leading with Florence second, and Rob leading with Addie second. Some exceedingly delicate friction climbing up a steep white slab; a fine pitch up a big corner with a crack behind it; an improbable section up a vertical dike that provides the only obvious way up an otherwise impassable headwall about 1000 feet off the ground.

I climbed this route once before, probably 20 years ago, when I was a lot younger and stronger, and split the leads. This time, doing all the leading (and way out of practice), it was near my limit and fairly nerve-wracking. The old pitons are gone. There are some bolts, but all the rest is removable gear. And after 10 pitches, all the rope handling becomes pretty tiring.

Descent was via the Whitehorse Ledge Trail and Bryce Path.

Two easy hikes in Evans Notch with a big group involving 3 generations of 3 different families.

1. The Deer Hill Bubbling Spring, about 1.5 miles round-trip. One of those Maine oddities, it looks like it belongs more appropriately in Yellowstone. But instead of being warm, it's freezing cold.

2. Shell Pond and the Old Stone House, about 3 miles including the Shell Pond loop, which must be a newish trail because it wasn't on our map.

"Hit the Track for Black" 5k in Rumford. I only learned about this race yesterday. They got 250 runners, for a worthy cause. Addie improved her 5k time and I was first in 60+ by a long way. My time was a little disappointing, a minute off where I wished I could be. But then again, training has been hit or miss this season.

Rock climbing with Addie, Rob, Colin at Tumbledown Dick, off the Bethel North Road. We wandered around the cliffs looking for good rock, set up top ropes on a couple of hard routes, and flailed away for a while before it was time to go home. Had a glimpse of some possibly better climbing just as we were leaving.

Easy run around the lake. Ran at around 11 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. and felt better for it (actually, Addie shamed me into it by going out herself. She ran the same loop.) Then a little swim-frisbee afterwards.

Hike in Grafton Notch with the Bribers. The Eyebrow trail up to the junction with the Old Speck trail, then back down the Speck trail. This was a fine short hike. The Eyebrow trail, which I'd never been on before, has some steep and wet sections, with lots of fixed cables and ladders. Great views from the top of the cliff. Route finding was oddly difficult for such a trade route, and we took several wrong turns. Great weather in western Maine today, but we're supposed to get hammered tomorrow.

Easy run around the pond again. Spent a minute or so chasing a butterfly, which turned out to be a Common Wood Nymph. Smaller than the ones I've seen in Maryland.

Yesterday, drove to Howard Pond in western Maine, about 12 hours with some lousy traffic. But the time went by, alternating driving and sleeping. Today a lot of work on the cabin, and tomorrow more of the same.

Ran around the pond to the Morrison end and back. Also tried out my new wetsuit, first time in the water, first time ever in a wetsuit. It felt great. Water was about 75, and the suit was warm and a little buoyant, not so much that you bob like a cork, but just a little higher in the water.

Drumm loop again, light rain.