Training Log Archive: Ari-o

Adventuring! This turned out into proper adventuring, indeed. We started up the trail up Tecumseh which was well-packed and not-too-wet, with some traffic on the trail. The plan was at the summit to take the trail over the back side and down if it was broken. We took our time getting up, and then looked down the back side. It was not broken. But the snow wasn't transformed and it didn't look too icy so we put on our spikes and plunged in.

The going was slow especially at the top where it was steep, and feet got wet, but certain portions of the trail were very nice (and apparently quite runnable in summer). It was definitely an adventure, and quite wintry if warm, and we had lots of fun, I think. I was feeling better and Melanie's knee was acting up but eventually we got to the road. It does not look great for skiing, even once it freezes up. I ran up, then doubled back, and we walked back to the top of Tripoli. I let Mel go ahead and changed to dry socks (which barely helped), a Harvard skier came by running, and then I ran down (not as fast as usual, but usually on Tripoli I have skis) and then up to the base.

Over 2000 miles, and over 500 hours. Now let's get some skiing to happen!

Jogaroo before the rain.

So, by my round-to-the-half mile running doc, I'm at 1992. On AP, I'm at 1997 miles. Anyway, it's less than half a mile per day to the end of the year to hit 2000. Almost there!

Tires getting changed in Peabody, so I went for a run. I probably could have sat in the sun and done work and not frozen, but running seemed like a better use of my time.

Legs feeling tired at first, found a bike trail eventually, and ran up it. Looking to get to an old canal, but after 4.5m or so I found a cool boardwalk out over a swamp and it wasn't too icy so I ran that. Then back down, with two miles each at marathon pace or so.

Got back well before the car was done.

Two fast miles.

Introducing Ski Wise!

It's a trail condition reporting app, and the best part about it is that someone else built it (a CS student at UMD). He contacted me and asked to advertise on my Birkie blog, and I said "oh I will advertise it for free and would you like to add a database of trails in the Northeast?"

So, yes, skitrailreport.com is dead. But it lives on here (with someone else making it actually work decently).

Anyway, if you go skiing, report trail conditions!

1982 miles run.
496 hours logged.
104512 meters climbed.

Going pretty well!

Pumpelly Trail FT … W? L? Not quite sure. I decided to add some running to my ski camp (yes, I take vacation days for ski camp) and this was interesting. First mile was pretty nice packed snow, then steeper, but once on the ridge there was some exposed-ish rock (with new snow falling on top) and drifty bits and a bit of concern about postholing which can lead to injuries and I was not prepared to be immobilized.

Ran well with microspikes and poles. Saw a couple of people on the way up, not bad for Monadnock. Of course, it was snowing and foggy on top. My jacket, which had been around my waist, made it back onto my body, and a buff over my head, at some point when it was colder/windier.

Used my watch's breadcrumb feature to choose the right path off the summit (a compass would have worked too) and ran down, a bit slower up top but finally making time the last two miles down.

I haven't been up Monadnock in at least two decades!

Then over to Dublin! About an inch of new snow, and the groomer had hit most of the trails that had not been groomed yesterday, so the skiing was excellent. I found my way onto Chamonix and those hills are so fun. I was pretty toasted so wasn't very speedy, and the snow was slow with the new snow on the soft base, but no complaints.

Skied about 2h, was thinking of going for 100km in three days of skiing, but settled for 100km including Monadnock. Was passed by some girls doing intervals at one point up on Placid (still skiing best) and realized there was no way I was about to do intervals. Bonked pretty well, so I went to the store for a take-out sandwich and cookie and drank a coke on the way home.

A very Ari morning … switching pole tips in a hotel (O tips were great today), then forgetting my boots, so by the time I hit the snow I only had 1:20 to ski before a meeting. Conditions were good, a bit more packed and settled but not really groomed more (they're focusing on emptying the snowmaking pond). But mid-20s with flurries, good skating, and my balance muscles are remembering all the things you can't quite duplicate on rollerskis.

So, longer this afternoon (nothing wrong with that!).

Then maybe a run up Monadnock. Alex, any idea what trail might be most likely packed in / least likely super wet/icy? Also, there were VT plates in the parking lot: they snuck out!

Whee ski!

Got a much later start than hoped after a zoom call went awry and we sat on parallel channels not seeing each other. So started again at 4:30, which meant it was emptying out. The guns were off, sure seems like the pond is empty; I think they need more storage!

Went around a few times, then decided that Placid was skiing the best (not chopped up on the uphills or scraped on the downs) and skied it a bunch of times, pushing the punchy uphill. Finally got to a sub-7 mile on that loop, went down, and then got cold, so up to ski around it again.

Made it past two hours and got pretty bonky, so down to town for a burrito.

C • burrito 2

So, mini ski camp + vacation up to Dublin. I figured that instead of spending a lot of time in the car, I'd take some PTO and get a hotel room in Keene (also, lots of time in a small confined space with one other person, which is going fine). Also, skiing.

It's decent. Not great. There's no snow in Keene, but a foot in Dublin. About 4k (warm up loop, most of Sapporo, Placid) in good shape, Oslo is dirty, and about a k with some snowmaking detritus, and then some skied in track. Lots of snow, but it probably needs a good freeze and a regroom. If that happens, it could be pretty close to perfect, but I'm not sure how much work they are going to put into it.

Anyway, said hi to Kathy, then skied off to find I'd lost a pole basket, or, as I remembered during a futile search, maybe never put it on in the first place, and really never had it on at all. Skied around a bit and then went back to get my triacs out and—they weren't there. Probably left in Cambridge (I hope inside!). But I had rollerski poles! I changed the grips out twice during this charade, and will put on baskets tonight. Hotel hairdryer, here we come!

Skied around, some other folks out, headlamp, and started bonking after 2 hours, so went in. Not very fast, my classic technique has not been worked on this summer, and a lot of adventure skiing. Not a bad first day on snow!

C • Keene 4