Training Log Archive: ernst

In the moonlight.

C • Moon 2

Crunching through the solid crust in the backyard to create a "playground" for the grandson. Back and forth, back and forth....Soft snow underneath...

Ski to work. I had to do it! Conditions were crappy. Cold. Compact slightly frozen 1 inch layer on top of snow pack. I had to slam through it with my telis for about a mile, then some existing but not very deep tracks for 1/2 mile, then logging skidder tracks, which ended up being the best section - allowed me to do some gliding. Unfortunately the abrasive crust cleaned my wax off my skis in about the first half mile, so uphills were a killer. (luckily my route is pretty flat). A formidable workout nevertheless.

Skiing home with absolutely no kick. Still crunchy but tracks are getting to be slightly better. Same route as skiing in: Troys field to pleasure house, via pond to W Foss Farm and to campus. On my way home bypassed the pond trying to find a route but Troy's new house obstructed access to his field, this ended up being a detour.

Classic skiing, making more tracks around the hole.

I decided to move snow while it was still light and fluffy using the "snow sled". About 6 inches. Sleet and ice is forecast for the rest of the day, yuk! I cleaned the cars out, dumping the snow out to the driveway for the plow. Then walkways around the house and finally the porch, moving all the snow to the front yard. The solar collector clean-out will have to wait.

Perfect BC conditions! 6 inches of powder under 2 inches of sleet. Sleet makes for fast cruising: all these micro balls keep the skis moving. I just slapped some green kicker over who knows what old layers of dirt and wax on my Tele skis. Worked beautifully! Temps 15 rising to 20. No wind - feels balmy. I was able to make tracks on about 3 miles of trails - tracks are about 1 inch deep, just like machine-made. On the second run through, it was quite fluid with even some double poling. I tracked most of the logging cuts. Another skier had made nice tracks on a loop up Electric Avenue and around the Hole. Spruce Hole Cross Country Skiing is taking shape!

Boston Training. Had to do a long run before the big snow storm. Next few days will be snow dealings, classic skiing, and then school starts Tuesday. This was my chance. I planned out a hilly course - and hilly it was. I started at the wrong intersection which added a couple of flat miles - not bad for the mileage.

In Nottingham: Out Gile Rd to 152, then out and back (mistake) to Flutter Rd to Deerfield Rd (towards the Boat Ramp) , but then over Stevens Hill (Rd), over Bean Hill via Coffeetown Rd to Rt 43, W 1/2 mile to Harvey Rd, and then down - "sailing" on Nottingham/Deerfield Rd .

Around mile 19 the brutal Nottingham Square uphill (270 ft climb according to Garmin) . My legs gave up on me, and I had to add in a couple of short walking breaks. Over the hill and mostly down on Ledge Farm Rd, which allowed me to recover somewhat. Left on Poor Farm Road. I started to lose it - I probably was near bonking, but did not notice it in the cold temperature (25 ish). I only had 1 gel and 12 oz of electrolyte drink for the whole tour. Every little hill now slowed me down to over 9 min/mile and I felt really spent. Finally via S. Summer Str to McCrillis Rd and back to the car where I wolfed down 20oz of warm water.

Afterwards: I felt my hips and bottom of feet, but mostly I am overall exhausted but no other noticeable repercussions. (Note: about 50% was on "town" dirt roads solidly packed with sand and sand over ice. Better for feet! ) More long runs are in the plans before April.

Run to Randall Farm to pick up our weekly bread. This time we received Oma's Best (on special request) which is about a 2.5 lb "brick" - so this added to my weight on the way home. Not really noticeable though, as I am used to running with pack.

Easy ski w. Nancy at MtWash Ski Touring: the river loop behind the touring center.

On to Whittaker Woods, starting on Rt 16, next to Cigar and Bar. Steep uphill from the beginning to Stonehurst Manor, but tracks were hard packed/frozen, so it was an easy uphill. On to powerline trail over to WW. Grooming was better here: softer yet still fast. Fast "bombing" around the WW hill. The Kenneth High School team was out training; about 30 students buzzing around. Fun to watch. This area would be so nice for a Ski-O if the natural surface was not frozen as it currently is. Numerous ungroomed connector trails and some very open woods - and there is a foot-O map of the area.