Training Log Archive: Ari-o

Up early to get to Duluth for the race. 26k on the Magney-Spirit trails which are gorgeous. Quick warm up with Collin. Forgot HRM strap in the Cities.

Skiing! This race was wicked fun, although hurt after the half (note: if doing two races in a weekend, ski-then-run is better). Went out in the third row so I wound up much further back than I should have been and the trail is narrow, so I burned a ton of matches passing people. Some big, fast hills a few k in and I was behind a group that I never quite made contact with. Traded with a few folks but mostly skied alone through Magney (more big hills!) and my calves hurt, a lot. Half the day before a ski race is not so bueno when you have to kick. Was able to hold my own on V2 sections but on hills it was harder. But good to get a good ski workout in! Then a beer with Collin.

Met Jakob to double pole around a park in Duluth. So many trails. Fun classic tracks that we DPed (except for one very steep hill) which was good because my legs were cooked. Passed the same people about six times as we took longer bits and they … didn't.

If people ski-oed in Duluth, there would be lots of good places to set Ski-o.

Warm up

So I ran a half marathon. Let's review the last few weeks running mileage: 15, 30, 14, 11, 4. This was very smart. But with mediocre snow up north (and the Noque being impossible with meetings) I decided to go for it.

Of course, then Jakob said the conditions in Duluth were pretty good, so I bought a ticket to go ski up there tomorrow.

Anyway, the race starts right outside Soldier Field, so you get to hang out in the heated club there until right before the race. I started back behind the 1:30 pace group but quickly decided I was running faster than that. Loop around Soldier Field for the first mile (6:09) then steady 6:20-6:30 the rest of the way. I decided to run 155 for the first half and then dial it up after the turn.

I was 28th overall at the turn (which is 7 miles in) and started pushing it up towards 158-160. It was a bit more of a headwind on the way back, though, so my times didn't improve much at all. Traded leads with another fellow as we passed the pack. Once a PR was out of reach (but only by about half a minute) I pushed not as hard to the finish. My motor feels good but—shocker—my legs weren't exactly in running shape. (They've been sore since last weekend. Funny thing: when you run further in a weekend than any week in the previous month, yeah, your legs might be sore.)

Good training run on a weekend I'm not doing a ski marathon. Of course next weekend I'm headed out to the Alley Loop, so we'll see how 42km at 9000 feet works. (Also I may be getting a cold.) The end!

Mostly exercise which was good, except my right thigh was going a bit twang so I had to dial some things back. With a half tomorrow, no need to go hard.

Mile run through the Loop to work, via the bank to get all the money.

Felt like I was coming down with a cold so I decided to skip NP and go for sleep. But I brought running stuff to work in case I was feeling better later.

Some time between work and work dinner, so it was off for a run around the Loop. Along the river, along the lake, back through the South Loop, making sure not to run on to the Congress. 45 minutes even and then in to the shower.

Met Danny at work to take a run home. Shower room works well! Left computer at work so the pack wasn't bad, and we ran to his house, then out and got dinner. Nice run on the 606!

Busy work week. Noque probably not working out. Snow in Duluth looks … iffy. So I signed up for a half. And still might fly to Duluth.