Training Log Archive: TomN

Fountainhead training Red (Course 3). Cloudy and 80, with some humidity, o.k. conditions but not great. I made a mistake on 5, ran too far south, and it's not clear to me exactly where I went wrong. Coming up out of the larger creek the hillside seemed to be sloping the wrong way, and I assumed I was too far north, so that explains why I went too far south in correction, but I don't know what I could have been looking at that caused the problem in the first place. Anyway, at least 5 min lost there, relocated reasonably well. Other than that, I was just out of gas by about 8 controls in. Not moving very fast after that. A little disappointed in my time, only 15 min faster than last time and no fooling around with streamers. I can do better.

Someone was out hanging pink streamers alongside my yellow ones, but not all controls (maybe they did Course 1). I didn't need them today, because you could see the yellow pretty well in the overcast conditions.

C • Pink? 1

I wanted to get out for some exercise, but didn't want to run. Hey, what about a bike ride? I just restored my bike to rideability last month! Well, almost rideable -- one of the things I did was put on a "new" tire, but it was only new in the sense that it hadn't been ridden on. I had it lying around for 10 years or so. The sidewalls look crumbly and it was extremely hard to get on the rim, and now I see there's a flat spot where the bead isn't seated right. You can usually pop those things out by overpressuring the tire, but I'm kind of nervous about this tire. I think I'll get a couple new ones. Really new this time.

Up to Wheaton Regional Park and back via the Sligo Creek bike path.

VO2Max intervals at Einstein HS track, 4x1000. I hoped I was going to do these in under 4:20, and I did, by a pretty good margin. The first one felt kind of slow despite running hard, but when I saw the time I suddenly felt like I could do 3 more. 1.5 lap jog in between (about 4:00). Times:
4:16
4:18
4:16
4:16

Drumm loop. Running every other day clearly enhances recovery. This run felt fine, a little faster than easy pace but still 2-2 breathing, but it was my fastest time on this course this year, by a lot.

Windham Lane to Sligo Creek, back on Dennis/Glenhaven. Slow start, but maybe that's because it was uphill. Total time 47:00, but I had to wait the maximum of 2:30 at each Ga. Ave. crossing.

Easy run on Greenbelt Park Perimeter Trail. Nice day, felt great -- light footed, not pushing at all -- but what a collapse a few hours later. A nap was mandatory.

6xhill sprints (30s with light jog back down) plus a 3.8 mile run.

Around the lake and back with a side trip up Verrill Road. Some weird thing, a bite or a sting or something, happened to my foot the day before the Katahdin trip, and caused it to swell up and blister. The swelling is finally gone and it's o.k. for running, but it's still a little ugly looking. Recovery from the hike on Tuesday took a long time, not even counting the foot.

College Visits, Part 2 - Maine. Bates in the morning, in Lewiston, an hour from our place. I don't know what makes some of these old mill towns dry up and go to seed, while others flourish. Lewiston is among the latter. Bates has a traditional-looking campus right down town, seems to be a pretty friendly and supportive place. Instantly likable. They gave us free passes to the dining hall, and I ate 6 plates of food and a bowl of soup.

Bowdoin in the afternoon, a half-hour south, near the southern coast, in Brunswick. Campus is impressive, looks green, as in money. Probably more rigorous academics than Bates, and it seems like they're stressing independence rather than supportiveness. Both schools have big outing clubs and lots of cool stuff to do.

Katahdin! From Roaring Brook, up the Helon Taylor trail to Pamola Peak, across the Knife Edge to Baxter Peak, back down via the Saddle trail and Chimney Pond trail.

When I went to reserve a parking reservation a couple weeks ago, the 11th was available, so that was it. As the day approached, the weather forecast wasn't great -- cloudy in the morning and rain in the afternoon, windy all day. There was only one way we were going to be able to do it, and that was to get across the Knife Edge before the rain.

Overnight at a motel in Millinocket, then up at 5, 4th in line at the park gate around 6 a.m., through the gate at 6:30 and on the trail at 6:45. Party of 4: me, Addie, Mei-An, and my friend Rob.

The ascent up the Taylor trail was nice. We got above the clouds and had sun for an hour or two and great views. It took us 3 hours to Pamola. The last hour was above tree line, and the wind was fierce. We had a snack in the chimney, then over Chimney Peak and onto the Knife Edge. The wind was howling, I have to guess 40-50 mph, and it was very tough going. Had to hold onto a rock whenever I took a step. Couldn't put on a jacket without help. Clouds closed in, temperature dropped, everything started to get wet, and the wind was insane.

Nearing the South Peak it seemed like a close call whether to push on or turn back, but we were more than halfway through, so on we went. Even though the weather was worse, the second half of the Knife Edge was easier, and we were on the summit by noon.

As soon as we started down the Saddle Trail on the lee side the wind eased up but rain was in the air. We had lunch and a good rest at the Chimney Pond campground, then slogged the 3 miles back out to Roaring Brook in pouring rain, arriving at 3:15.

Howard Pond Road hill climb again.

Howard Pond loop, round trip Seely to Morrison and back.

Woodsman's Peak trail to the new Moose Jaw overlook.

Caribou Mountain from the trailhead on the Evans Notch Road (ME-NH 113). This was an unexpectedly fine hike, and there were half a dozen other parties on the route. Up the Mud Brook trail and down the Caribou Mountain trail. 9 hikers in our party. Moderate grade, with open ledges for the last little bit. Very fine 360-degree view from the top.

College visit day. Left at 6 a.m. to make a 10:00 tour of Northeastern (on time but just barely -- there was a major accident on I-93 downtown). Then over to Tufts for a 1:00 tour (joined a bit late due to the necessity of lunch). Didn't get home until 8 p.m. The whole thing was considerably more enjoyable than I had anticipated, mainly because of the terrific tour guides.

Howard Pond Road to post office and back. 3.4 miles with about 500 feet of climb (down and then back up). Pretty warm, 80s and sunny.

Kensington MD to Hanover ME in about 10.5 hours, a very fast time. Traffic was light except for a short stretch on I-84 in CT, which seems prone to backups.