Training Log Archive: Ari-o

EOM report:

√ 50 hours logged. Blew it out of the water with 59. Thanks, 100 miler.
√ 200 miles running. 228. Thanks, 100 miler.
- 12km D+. 11325.
- Core. HA. Thanks, 100 miler.
- 100 miles of rollerskiing. 14, plus a couple skiing. Thanks, 100 miler, and weather, and wet leaves.

So November is here, and I should be in Maine the first half and then ?? the second half. So goals:

* 50 hours logged. I'm at 434 for the year, so 500 is a non-injured two months away.
* 128 miles run. This will leave me with 100 to go in December. Probably logging 25 tomorrow.
* 7.5 D+ should happen and push me over 100.
* Speed work and bounding (3x), 1000 PU/SUs.
* 100 miles rollerskiing. Or skiing.

WESTON IN OCTOBER

It was 20 overnight, so I figured the ground might freeze under the actual powder, and I was kind of right. But I got a later-than-planned start and parts weren't frozen and I should have gone back and forth where I started because once my skis iced up it got worse and then got clumpy, but every so often it felt like skiing when I somehow got rid of some of the ice. Saw a few other skiers out, too.

I have skied in October (2009 in Minnesota, on crust from an early storm, and 2011 in Maine) but I have never logged skiing in October. It's 2020, what are you going to do?

Quick run in the post-snow city, really quite nice. Looks very wintry except when you see the leaves.

Ran to vote! Voted! Ran back. No line.

Biden/Harris-Ed-Ayanna-Yes-Yes

C • Same 5

Some stairs, 30m a day this week gets me a November Project something.

Run to Whole Paycheck with a loop to check out some stuff on GLX

Woo run around the lake. 38 and spitting rain, which was pretty nice, and not too muddy on the first mile on the ATV trails, and then a nice run around the rest of the lake. My uncle is excited that the lake is run-aroundable, but if I do this again on a non-Sunday, lots of orange will be worn.

Walked the water lines at Camp to see where the shutoffs were and take notes, then went on a walk around the girl scout camp next door. They have a good piece of land and a nice marked hiking trail, and potentially a good connection over to Tall Timbers Road to make more loops. Next year, of course, the water is off now.

The apple picking! At Five Fields Farm, which has 20k or so of ski trails which look gorgeous with enough snow. We walked/hiked over to Bald Pate "mountain" which had nice views, and I was down to a t-shirt, so enough work to log. One steep downhill trail, so we took a ski trail back.

Then made two pies.

Trail "run" with Mel. Plan was to go up the Davis Path and maybe all the way up to treeline and then back down Eisenhower Trail (which I think I have been down, but can't remember) which would have been 27 miles, but the more likely/reasonable plan was to cut across the Isolation Trail. We got a later start, and it was spitting rain, so plan B became plan A pretty quick.

Wave at the Dindorfs on the Davis Path (they have their Biden-Harris sign trailside, and it's in Hart's Location, so expect those votes counted and reported by midnight or a couple minutes after) and then up the path, which is really quite lovely if steep. We were motoring along and got to the top of a mountain with nowhere to go, and it took us some time to realize we'd gone all the way up Mount Crawford. There is a trail sign at the junction, which is facing the dead-end path up the mountain, which is useless to anyone who hasn't already been up the mountain and ostensibly knows where the trail is. I got quite sweaty going up, which would just become wet, especially with wet trees.

Anyway, didn't see many people past the starting bit until we were close to Isolation other than a couple far more lost than us (and we got views off of Crawford, of fog). Isolation was busier, and the trail past it a string of ice water mud pits, which were not fun and the trail really could use something to keep people from widening it; the bog bridges are disintegrated and the treadway undrained. We saw several people who were coming off of Boott Spur and to a person said it was miserable above treeline. The ascent to the trail was good to get my blood flowing at least, it was cold where it was hard to move with any celerity.

So off down the Isolation Trail! The first mile was splendid: good running. The second mile had several Irene washouts which won't ever be replaced; luckily a) I know the trail and was the first to hike it post-Irene and b) there are some cairns people have built. It also got drier and the sun even peaked out. I changed to a dry top and windbreaker and was much happier. The Dry River Trail is gorgeous: in a deep valley, with the broad river carving through the middle, and some mass wasting attesting to its power during Irene. Unfortunately, that means that most of the 1800s-era logging railroad is long since obliterated and the trail is constantly climbing up and down the banks, so it is much harder than trails in, say, the Pemi. We thought there might be outdoor seating at the Moat until 5 (not sure why they don't do evening seating there outdoors) but were probably unlikely to make it.

We staggered our way down the trail; this is a trip which really knocks around the legs. But the views were amazing, some late foliage, and we didn't see anyone off the Davis Path. Finally out onto the campground and then a few miles down 302, some running involved. At the end I had a nice chitchat across the Saco with more Dindorfs, and we went to get food.

So, food: we went to the Moat expecting a long wait to be seated, indoors, covid be damned, but that we'd probably wind up at Flatbreads for takeout pizza which would be fine. We waited in line, were told it was a 45 minute wait, and then the guy said "hold on" and ushered us to two VIP seats at the bar. We don't know why, but were quite happy with this stroke of luck and ate a lot of food. The bartender asked if we were out on a long hike. "Oh, yeah, we ran up the Davis Path to Isolation, then back down the Dry River Trail" and his reaction was "oh, yeah, that is a long day" probably because a lot of "long day" people tell him they hiked up Mount Willard (or something). I think he may have comped our beers, too.

So, a good day of definitely Type 2 fun.

Out to ride the bicycle on a cool, dry, cloudy day. Lap around the lake here, which was a pretty nice 20 mile ride, although the shoulders on 117 are non-existent. Found a bit of bonus gravel; the dirt roads are nicely packed.

Exploring some sled trails near the house here. Easy to link several up to make a loop around the lake. Only issue is that there is a deer yard and a lot of deer stands out there so during hunting season, time to stay far away.

Afternoon jaunt up Pleasant with Mel who came up for a couple of days. Lovely hike/run up, and then down mostly running. Gorgeous afternoon if a bit cloudy.

After riding in a sailboat being towed the length of a lake, I ran back to get a car.

And this was not my boneheaded idea!

Dusk running on dirt roads of various repute. Felt pretty good, definitely glad I brought my headlamp. With some blaze orange I should be able to make some nice loops through the woods here.

Waterskiing … in a wetsuit you can be sure.

Around the new block, exploring some roads. There are more to explore, but these are nice dirt roads with no traffic and some hills. Ankle feeling better, hoping it's happy for this upcoming weekend.

C • weekend 2

Same fast walk with my uncle. Loggable? Who knows, it's miles.

Fast walk in the new temporary neighborhood.

Ankle still a bit bothersome, but getting better.

C • Where? 1

Out for a short ski before it rained. My dad gave me a ride to the bottom of the hill and I skied up the other side of the lake and back and then up the hill.

Which was fine but my L ankle is still swollen and the ski boot was not making it particularly happy and I could not use good technique. But it didn't rain at least?

Might be some biking for a while.

Birkie note (mostly for kensr and biggins):

Birkie will be spread over five days. Three days skate, two days classic. Regroomed each day (so much better surface with many fewer skiers). And the ability to ski multiple days.

So, you could skate the race one day and stride the race the next. Which doesn't seem like the stupidest thing ever.

Then there's the question of travel. I might take a couple of days and drive out. Who knows what things will look like in five months.

C • Firm surface 3

Easy bike ride today. Felt pretty good. Reasonably-sized blister on my R heel means I probably won't be running for a couple of days yet. Also L ankle. But biking was fine. Although my L shoulder was wonky at times. Didn't go hard!

It is a gorgeous day out today, 60s, sunny, leaves coming down with lots of color. And at the end of the ride, I took a jump in the lake, which was colder, probably in the 55 range, so it was a quick swim.

Post-race … feeling better. Legs are not too DOMSy, the worst is where I kicked myself in the shin around mile 90, that's a bruise. And my back has a knot in it from the pack. Nothing too bad, and legs seem fine IT/achilles/etc-wise.

Looking at my yearly progress so far, since I'm not about to go out and run in the rain:

* 415 hours of training (most logged ever), only 1:05 per day the rest of the way out to crack 500.
* 1700 miles run, only 300 (3.8/day) to make it to 2000
* 88,000 m climbed, only 147/day to 100km (barring injury, this will most definitely happen; at this point in 2018, when I did make it to 100km, I needed ~360m/day)

So anyway, I did something stupid, I seem to have survived, and now I can look at ski season (whatever ski season brings).

23:49 total time; 22:50 moving time. Winner last year was 23:27. 5th. Lots of drops.

To quote Alex: my everything hurts.

Mileage note: Suunto said 108, seems to overestimate when it's on long battery life mode. Course says 96, Strava says 99, most tracks are 101-103. I'll go with 102. It's a lot.

So … September 30 my friend Harry emails saying there are slots open in the Midstate Massive 100 mile race, from Windblown to Rhode Island. I was going to do something stupid, and this seemed like supported stupid. Plus I'd always wanted to hike the Midstate Trail, so why not all at once? Also, I looked at my training. The 36 for 36, a Presi PR, a Pemi PR, and another Pemi on the docket. Way more miles and vert than usual. I hadn't been training for anything, but inadvertently trained for a 100.

Registration closed that night. I signed up. Ran the Pemi, took the week off.

Last week was a flurry of activity. Making a pace planning sheet (which actually was a pretty good estimate). Getting together all the food (options) planning some crewing. Finding a pacer. The latter really worked well. Tom D from CSU is running a 100 in a few weeks, and had been thinking of signing up for the 50 anyway. Pacing means he gets to run it for free.

All systems were go on Saturday. Weather was not really ideal: 70 and sunny, cooling down overnight and 50s by morning. A bit on the warm side, but not super-hot. I was in the final wave: 9 of us going out at noon after five waves of 10-20(ish) people starting at 8 a.m. Meant I got to sleep in and eat in the morning, and that I wouldn't be climbing Wachusett in the heat of the day.

Went off at 12:04, with a pack full of food and water. It's kind of sad to see Windblown's trails growing in, but I also knew that the first mile was that nice downhill, and kind of let it run. Then took the hiking poles and went up and stayed up the rest of the race. I can't imagine running a 100 without them.

Got caught by anther guy also running his first race and we ran a couple of miles together, having passed a couple of "more experienced" runners. It was warm and I kept the pace down so as not to overheat on the hills. Drank enough but still got a bit dehydrated until I was able to slowly rehydrate over the second half of the race. The aid stations were not-that-well stocked, which was understandable given covid. So no piles of M&Ms or pickles or other goodness, and the water stations were touchless, hold your bottle and get the water. But uncrowded, and mostly worked fine. Still, it meant carrying a bit more food. I was also carrying other stuff, like phone charging equipment and an extra headlamp, plus some extra clothing, so my pack was a bit "heavy."

Anyway, once off the Wapack (not too crowded except near Watatic where I ran through a family photo, amongst other things) the course got a bit easier. The guy I was running with went ahead, and there was one place the trail had been rerouted through a logged area and was indistinct, so I got a bit off-course (although not off-course enough for my phone to yell at me, which was a nice feature of the tracking app). The trail was generally well-marked, although in a few places it could have used some auxiliary and reflective markings. Anyway, a guy I'd seen at the aid followed me, I realized I was off trail and turned back, he seemed unhappy and cut off through the woods to find the trail. He wound up running the course sub 20 and winning, but still, play the game, right?

Caught up with an 11 o'clock starter and passed him once I'd realized I had put an hour on him already. Some lovely running through the woods, mostly on trail, not too rocky. A few climbs and descents, some views, one really nice campsite by a lake. Not bad for an hour from Boston. Just south of Baldwin Hill, and on across Route 2 to the aid station there where my parents were crewing, which was helpful. Refilled for the next push to Wachusett base, which I knew to be hard, and which was. Where the trail descended a particularly steep pitch I saw another runner sitting stopped. "Are you okay?" Yes, but confused whether the trail actually went down these rocks. It did.

More aid at Wawa, packed up with new food and water for the trip over the mountain. Dark now, too, and passing lots of other runners. The climb wasn't bad, just head down, and nice that it was cooler at night, and breeze, if not drying out yet. The drop off the back side was quite steep, but then I hit the first long road section, where I was able to drop in some 10 to 12 minute miles. Then on and off of trail segments, which were reasonably runnable, and I was able to hold 14 or 15 minute miles across most of it with pretty gentle terrain. Much of it was a trail of headlamps, and it is far less creepy to see other people on a trail at night when they are supposed to be there.

Right before the 50 mile point it spit a little rain, I almost ran a shortcut to the aid on Route 122, and then climbed up to then run down to the midpoint parking area, seeing Harry on his way out as I came in. Tom was there, I found some new food, and we set out with his huge waist strap light bar which was very nice for me to be running in front of; my light basically lit up the shadow it cast. The first 15 miles out were mostly on trails, and mostly run in the 15-17 minute range. 5 of us, Harry included, got off trail when the trail led into a pasture and only a couple of markings high on a tree showing it went left; a place some better signage would have helped (there was another a few miles later). But mostly the blazing is good.

We hit a long road section through the town of Spencer, which was quaint, then more trails, then more roads, holding about 12s on the roads, at times a bit faster, but definitely some walking on the ups as my legs were getting tired. The sun came up as we passed through Charlton, by a 1700s-era tavern and then over the Turnpike and another long road section. Fewer people now: we were past the meat of the 100s but most of the 50s were ahead of us (the 30s wouldn't finish until after I did).

I had had my first Coke at Wachusett, and subsisted overnight on mostly Coke and Tailwind between each aid station (a 500 ml water bottle on my chest) plus water. The bottle would fizz and I was covered in sticky stuff, too. We were managing 11–14 minute miles on the road, slower on trails, but I was struggling, and walking some road sections. Somewhere I had a short bout of nausea, but it passed (overall I fed myself very well), and I was able to quell it with some Coke as well as starting to hit the hard stuff: double-caffeinated gels.

In Oxford, super-crew Mel came out to meet us and I stumbled into the aid station, but there was a lot of rejuvenation. Maybe the crew, maybe the sun, more likely the caffeine really coming into play. We left there and I was able to find a third gear which had been missing for a while. Tom said I was at least able to shift from first to second and back (walk to slow run) but now with some drugs I was able to get to an actual, honest-to-goodness, ten minute mile. Tom mentioned that sub-24 might still be attainable, and I wanted to bank some time on the roads for that, and I could.

Mel missed us at the next aid station because she'd seen a friend's house (ah, the wonders of blindly following GPS and not realizing where you are) and the aid station mileage didn't match the tracking mileage (mileages in this race seem to have been suggestions) but came chasing after us with the request egg mcmuffin, about which I was very excited. I ate half, it went down great, and I stupidly handed it back instead of stuffing it in my vest, so it was cheezits from there on out. Still, I felt great for about 15 miles on caffeine, and maybe could have kept it up longer or started it earlier. Something to consider for next time.

We had a lot of time banked, which was good, because the trails in Douglas State Forest are miserable. Not even end-of-a-hundred miserable, it's like being on top of the Presidential Range, except without the views. Jumbles of scree, very little in the way of runnable singletrack. Must have been way overgrazed, or a moraine, or something. I was able to keep some sort of pace up amongst the jumbles, but never get into a flow. There was two miles on one of the railroad grades, which was much nicer, but then the last couple of miles to the state lines (Connecticut and Rhode Island) were steep and rocky and I was pretty ready to be done. We had plenty of time, though, and I was able to sprint-hobble to finish under 24h.

Finish was subdued with covid, but there were picnic tables to sit on, everything hurt but nothing too badly (no huge blisters, no terrible chafe, no broke things), they had a food truck I definitely partook from, I opted not to swim in the lake because I didn't trust myself to not drown and also didn't want to have to start the bending over process to get my shoes and socks off (and I wasn't sure how bad my feet were and if there was stuff I wouldn't want to put in the water). Then we delivered Tom to his car and me to a bed.

So, it was kind of great! And I think I like the distance. Do I want to do it again? Well, maybe. Somewhere different (Superior Trail? Out west?) and somewhere I can get 5 more ITRA points so I can go do the UTMB, right? Yes. That. Great job by the race org to pull this off.

C • Awesome! 6

Easy roll across the lake. Pavement isn't perfect on the northern half, but I was trying to squeeze in a ski during lunch before the rain.

Now we'll see if the trails in Central Mass survived the storm.

Went out to try to do Strava Art to spell "PACE ME?" and it didn't work that well.

This also didn't work well. But Tom Dmukauskas is running 100 in a month and 50 works for him, so, pacer!

New Person wanted to run a Pemi Loop. I've already done a Pemi Loop, and I just signed up for a 100 mile, but I was promised it would be slower, and seemed like a not terrible taper for the 100 I just signed up for.

So we set out before sunrise, with my headlamp providing most of the light, and ran 10s out for the first few miles, with one trip-and-fall (not me!). Then I stopped my watch and forgot to start it, once again proving I am way too ADD to ever stop my watch. The color is actually just past peak here, which is very early (probably dry?) and we began the walk up the long climb up Bondcliff.

Didn't see many people until Bondcliff, then we saw camping on the trail, smoking a blunt on the trail (there are "no smoking or fires" signs) and I was already over-goofered. But that was the worst behavior of the day (with the exception of a couple sitting in the middle of the trail on Franconia Ridge making everyone else go around, the only people I spoke to in a stern voice; I thought they were injured maybe, but no, just being dinks). Then scurrying along to South Twin, definitely wetter than a few weeks ago, especially the bog bridges.

Down to Galehead, and then new territory for New Person, and she learned that yes, this portion is a junk show. It was also wetter, and she is not as confident in her footfall, especially since she only really started trail running a little more than a year ago. Which I kept having to remind myself of. A long stop for water at Garfield (running fine) and I was doing a great job of hydration: I peed more than half a dozen times, and also ate plenty of food. The 7 oz, 1050 cal bag of cheez-its was a big help.

Long climb up Skook, and her legs were getting tired "this is the hardest thing I've ever done" before the scamper down Lafayette. Climbs were laborious now, but luckily not too long. We made it over Flume but not particularly fast, and had time to make it before dark, if barely. On the steep part of the Osseo Trail, though, we didn't move quickly; she had hip flexor issues and was having trouble with the steps. So it seemed like it might be a long way down.

Except once the steps ended, a second wind was found. All of the sudden she started jogging. Then running. I could barely keep up. She's often far too deferential in not passing people on the trail (I maybe go too far in the other direction) but now was yelling at people to get out of her way. She was on a mission. Still slowed for the little ups, but 8 minute pace on the downs, flying. And once we hit the flat ground, more running. Quite a turn of events!

Which also meant we were out well before dark, in time to sit in the conga line on the Kanc, which the day before apparently took 4 hours to drive across (good lord!) and took us 30 minutes to get to Lincoln, where we ate food.

Event: Merrimac River Trail Race
 

Quick tour of South Brookline. Might be a reasonable rollerski loop around Moss Hill, too. Lovely day.

Anyone want to pace me in the last 50m of a 100m?

C • Yes 3

Monthly "goal" time again. I think I fell just (or a lot) short on several of these, but being more mobile meant a bit less time for running, and spending time with a new person too. Not complaining. A work deadline kept me from taking any time, too. Not a great month making my specific goals, but I did get about the volume I wanted. It's hard without any specific event to train for.

- 50 hours logged. 47. Well, 28 seconds shy. The lowest month of the last four. In past logging, I'd only ever had 4 months with this volume. Now it's every month. And no injuries! New goal: 500h this year. On pace for that even with the slower start to the year pre-covid.
- 200 miles of running. 174. So, nope.
- 60 minutes around the lake. Didn't do it again.
- 12km D+. 11300. But I'm past 80k for the year, so 100k and a new PR is definitely happening barring injury.
- Three proper bounding sessions. Nope
- 2250 push up and sit ups. Fell off of this.
+ A long trail run with mountains. A Presi Traverse and a Wildcat-Carter-Moriah traverse, so yeah.
- Ride bikes. Didn't.
- 250 pull ups. Fell way off of this.
- 100 miles of rollerskiing. Only made 69
+ DIYgoat. !!!

So this month I am probably going to also be very mobile in my living situation, which won't be great for training volume, but then I have more time and will probably take a couple of days off here and there, which will be.

Update! This evening a friend texted that there were 5 slots in the Midstate 100 miler. Registration deadline: midnight. TAKE MY MONIES! In a week. I think I have the volume for that. We'll see. Saner than a solo 100m in the Maine woods.

Fewer goals, so I can't as easily forget them.

* 50 hours logged. Or at least 47.
* 200 miles running. Other new goal is 2000 annual miles. I'm at 1554, so less than 150/month, but I'd like to get that mostly done this month so I can carpe ski season. Should be easy with the 100 now baked in.
* 12km D+, but not really focused on it given that will put me over 90k.
* 2000 push ups, and not falling off.
* 100 miles of rollerskiing

C • New person 12

Down to Blue Hills for some trails. It was windy yesterday, apparently, given how many trees were down across the trail. Not a lot of people out. Nice day, and pretty dry.