Training Log Archive: Ari-o

Greylock. Drove out Route 2, just enough time to digest a breakfast sandwich and get numbers. Windy and downright cool. Conga-lined up the hill, one portion through some tall grass (tick check) and then a lot of hands on knees from there. Should have maybe considered poles. In Europe everyone would have had them! Here no one did. They changed up the trail up a bit, but about the same distance and certainly the same climb.

Crested the top in about 45 minutes, 10 minutes behind the leaders (so, I am not that fast) and maybe a minute behind some other guys and then whee down the Overlook. I kept hearing someone behind me, or something, I never caught a glimpse and it could have been the wind. Finally on a steep section a woman came flying by, Alex-ing her way down the trail in a way that I can't imagine. Oh also I saw Linden running up, somehow had enough brain oxygen to figure out who had said "hey Ari!" as we passed at 20 mph combined speed.

Then it flattened out and I passed her, and then caught the guys in front of me on the Dynamite Trail, and was determined to keep putting time on them. I leapt the gate after Jones's Nose, and then had a nice run down, and then up, and then down, except for one fall on a super-technical flat doubletrack section. Stubbed my toe badly and it took a while to jog off. But I had plenty of time on the folks behind and didn't see anyone for the last 6 miles of the race.

Then a hot dog, coke, and other healthy food, Elana finished, and we went and got ice cream.

Still 5+ minutes slower than 2014: 3 minutes on the last two miles of the climb, 1 minute on the technical part of the Overlook, and the new route up may have added 0.1 miles or so. So I guess I just need to ascend faster.

Morning run down to the town farm. It was calm and peaceful and mostly cloudy on the way out, with a bit of sun, and then through the woods and I turned back and heard a rumble, and the sky darkened, and the last half mile was in glorious cool pouring down rain.

I didn't even need to jump in the lake!

Watch was off at the start although it caught up, and then the elevation was all janky. Maybe this watch is giving up the ghost; I wend and found my track from the same route a few weeks ago and the elevation was off there, too. Anyway, it was cool and breezy and dry.

One sad thing is that I saw a little deer fawn alongside the road with no adult, until I saw an adult, who must have been hit by a car, dead in the ditch up the road. The fawn seemed very confused. I can't imagine it is going to do too well on its own. It sort of knew to run away when it saw me but then sort of just stayed and hung around. Not much to do, alas.

Stadium speed dating, chatting with people.

On 6 hours sleep and a glass of wine I was very happy with the pace.

At the top of the hill, where my watch should have said 1 mile, it said 1.3. So I stopped and got better satellites, I guess.

Scouting Route 41 for a rollerski loop. It would be fine, but the road is busier and narrower, so I think the out-and-back is best. Found a road that goes through, too, and would be fine uphill, but still requires 41. Anyway, a nice bike ride, but my legs were tired.

Another warm run. Lovely day out and I got bogged down in meetings and couldn't take advantage. I was going to go to Maine but that will wait until tomorrow. Post run I used dirty laundry to absorb the sweat pouring off as I attended a meeting, then took a shower, and drove to Cambridge, where Elena's friend hosted a lovely porch dinner.

On the run I went down to the T stop to top off my Charlie Card with pre-tax funds since those disappear if you quit your job and … I quit my job. Starting Aug 1 with the FTA doing grants administration which actually sounds interesting! And a bit less frustrating than the current gig. Some travel in July, looking like Bay Area, Seattle and assorted mountains and transit systems.

It got warm and dry when I ran, so it was actually pretty nice but then I got super sweaty afterwards. Then I went and had a beer. Lovely day out!