Training Log Archive: Ari-o

Shake out run post Craftsbury. Went pretty well all things considered.

Oh, waxing. It was cold. The snow was a mix of old ice, powder and manmade. It was going to get warmer during the race. Jess and I had no idea what to wax, so we put some klisters on and figured we'd cover them based on the temperature the next morning. I went to test it out. It kicked pretty well, and dragged. I need to get klister skis.

Whee Craftsbury! Started in about the fifth row, said hi to college coach Jesse who said I'd beat him by 10 minutes (I don't know if I've ever beaten him in a ski race) and then we were off. My skis seemed fast as I charged up the first hill and slotted in maybe 25th in a pretty chill pack. No carnage.

It was fast. Around the first field and on the rollers, 4:30 miles clicking off, mostly maintaining contact. Although at one point, Frank flew by. Generally I held my own on the climbs, with decent kick sticking around. But on flats, downhills, anything with speed, my skis were super draggy. Why? Because I'm skiing these klister races on long powder skis. These skis are super fast when it's cold powder. But that seems to happen about once a decade. So I am going to buy klister skis. At some point.

Anyway, I started getting passed by people like I was standing still. I still can't quite fathom how I went out so quickly and then got passed by so many people, although a) I think it was maybe 6 people and b) probably a combination of lack of upper body strength and calves still tired from Wednesday. I saw Jesse on the first top hill (the new course is very nice) and he was several minutes behind, so I kept thinking he'd catch up with me, so I tried to go fast. But spent a lot of time in L2 when I should have been in L3.

I probably should have had more to eat in the morning, too. Got to the final feed pretty bonky, having slogged up a hill, but they had these great chew things and I grabbed about 10 and shoved them in my mouth. Almost choked. But got the mental and physical energy for the last bit. Still positive splits, combining fatigue and changing conditions.

But I finshed respectably (29th) and in under 3 hours for a real, actual 50k marathon (watch said 31.09 = 50.03 km) on slow skis in my not-as-good technique without much waxing. Bit race in four weeks.

Oh and I beat Jesse. By 40 minutes.

I convinced myself—and Jess, it turns out—that skiing more would loosen us up for the drive and make our back hurt less. Skating, anyway. Plus I said I'd critique her technique (taking open applications for someone to do this for me) since she has this weird V1 thing where she crosses her trailing hand in front of her body. Skiing with Jess is always fun, you get her over the "Jessing" part and she's happy out there.

Oh, also, the Highland Lodge trails are a) not embargoed and b) basically on the way to Hill Farmstead. And I'm not about to go to Craftsbury and not go to HF. We were pretty beat, but the trails there are superb. Big hills, in and out of woods and fields, really Vermonty. We went shooting down a hill, caught up with a shuffler on a snowplow, so turned and went back up for the next trip down.

The one problem with these trails: they go within a mile of Hill Farmstead but don't actually go there! Imagine if you could ski from Craftsbury or Highland Lodge to Hill Farmstead, taste a couple of beers, and ski back? That would be outstanding.

Drive all the way back? Or go in to Lonesome and check out the new Croo Room? Easy decision for this guy. 30 minutes in with a bottle of Arthur, and a wood stove in the croo room? Kind of chaotic with goofers, but JP was more than accommodating (funny thing that tends to happen when you show up with a bottle of Hill Farmstead).

Left for Craftsbury at 1:30. Probably could have left earlier but hadn't packed the car, etc. 1:30 is late enough you still hit traffic, so it was nearly 4 hours to the COC. Bib pick up, and they were already grooming, so I saw an Ed in the timing room and asked him if skiing south of town (staying right in town, which was great) was outside the embargo. He said it was fine, they weren't going to send us to Highland Lodge on a long, so I went to ski there. Walked over from where I was staying and the trail was superb. Fast, firm, pretty decent track, pretty decent cover. Out 20 minutes, back about 10, some out and back, just enough time to run to the general store and get a sandwich. Back feels okay!

Loops of Weston. Weston conditions, a combination of new manmade snow and ice. At least the guns were running. Back feeling a lot better. Calves feeling worse. Good thing I'm not skiing a 50k classic race on Saturday. Oh, wait.

Got new classic boots, since my c. 2004 ones were on their last legs a few years ago and I didn't want to have my feet mangled at Craftsbury. Sized up one half size, so tried them out, a bit big but I had thin socks on. Kicking on the various forms of snow-like material at Weston (where there even was a track) was arduous, so I left right before the high school race. Driving out I honked my horn as all the kids were lined up at the start and they all went bonkers. Ah, to be 15 again.

Warm, a little icy, no real snow? Off to NP. Craftsbury in three days? Pish posh! Let's run a FrogMan1.

Felt pretty good. Positive splits a bit, but sprinting every 5th section. All well and good until I got home and it turns out not doing this for a month and going reasonably hard is bad for your back. Spent some time on the floor stretching. Getting better.

Out across the Longfellow, then over Beacon Hill. It was 55˚ for a few minutes, but back in the 30s. Snow should survive for Craftsbury, all signed up!

Same loop. Different elevation on Strava. Will go with higher: bridges! Cool and foggy.