Training Log Archive: Ari-o

Crazy week upcoming …

Tues: BOS-
Weds: MUC, train-train-train-bus to Cavalese
Thu: 22k CL tune up race
Fri-Sat short ski in valley, or maybe a trail run if no snow
Sun: 70k CL Marcialonga, then bus-train-train to Venice

Then a recovery week in Venice, so probably a couple of short(er) runs depending on how things go. "Orienteering" through the streets might be fun!

On the plus side, my entry in to the NYC marathon has been accepted! $295 poorer for that, but it's the experience that counts, right?

C • Venice 2

C • NYC 2

Cold! 0 overnight (65->35 in the OH) and windy, definitely a classic day. Grooming was not everywhere, but the Wave was groomed and I hadn't skied there yet, and the classic track was perfect in the woods. Two laps, including one up the less-groomed (during the storm yesterday) up towards Whitney's. Then down, and met the machine coming up Yodel (luckily not when I was flying down). Hopefully on their way to East Pasture or something, no need to groom the Wave again. Anyway, with new groomed powder, I caught some significant air down the Yodel. 0˚ the whole time, I was dressed well but pretty cold by the end. Drive home was long.

Lots of snow! Slept in, then stoked the fire, then shoveled the porch. Harvard had dug out my car (thanks) so I was able to pull right out on to a snowy 16 and up to Pinkham. Skinned up Tux and came down the Sherbie, quite nice in a foot of powder if getting a bit tracked out. No one else to play with (that I knew) and I passed a lot of people on the way out. Snowing pretty well, a tiny bit of SNPL near the bottom. No issues until I hit a snow hole in the Cutler River bridge at the bottom. Curse words were said. Knee seems okay.

In Pinkham (which someone declared "smelled righteous") there was a group taking an avy class with Mark Synnott and I listened in to a lot of advice (don't be stupid) and that they'd gone up to Gulf of Slides along with a lot of other people. Figured I'd check that out.

Well, everyone else had gone up in the morning. Apparently early in a storm the snow can be pretty stable. I wasn't going down any slide, though. Just to the top of the trail at the first slide, then back. Trail is narrower and steeper than the Sherbie, but I made it down in one piece.

Out for a long ski … half the distance of the Marcialonga (but hillier). Not a super-early start, so three hours was enough (and I hadn't brought snacks, and the snow started part way through so my wax wasn't as good).

Out Hall, over Maple, down Keeney (whee!) out Ellis to the north end, up North Hall, which had been groomed once and needed more snow; nothing showing but super bumpy, really only skiable counter-clockwise, then down Hall and home.

The top of Ellis is just about the grade of the Marcialonga. Really nice ski.

Run to get bike tube.

Decided not to go up for Friday Night Lights, just too much crazy, plus a cold OH is, well, cold.

Turns out someone was there Friday night and it would have been a warm OH!

More ice skating in the Public Garden. So very nice indeed.

Up with parents to WVV; they had a friend along and wanted somewhere you could stay warm, so Dublin was out. But someone else driving, so I could do work in the back seat (and not just check weather models).

Started in town with most of the north end groomed but the trail up was super scratchy with hardpack with a dusting on top; terrible for kick. So I strugglefested up to the North End which had been PB groomed and ooh, nice hard track. I wound up leaving my classic boots at home so kicked in the skate boots, which was suboptimal (the new Salomon classic boots are comfy) but great kick. Kicked all the way up Livermore, then down Beanbender, which hadn't been groomed today but was fun. Had to yell at a couple of walkers to get out of my way but I hope I impressed them with my 210cm classic ski skillz.

Then back up Lower Snows, also older track, and then down in a fast fun track and back in for lunch. Also someone else made lunch. Also tickets were 2-for-1 and my dad paid. Yay!

Afternoon ski was up the North End. Took my skis for the hardpack new skate lanes up Tripoli. Nice trip up, not too hard, then a fun trip down. Snow a little dirty from blowdowns but ready for The Storm, which Waterville is primed to get. Everything will be open for next week and some time thereafter.

Skating in the Public Garden. Just beautiful! Family fun times; took a bit to get my legs back under me but totally worth it.

Run mid-morning, because I was not feeling stairs (knees, congestion, stomach). Nice run. Also, people were skating on the pond in the Public Garden.