Training Log Archive: 007

I was about to go to bed grumpy after a frustrating and unproductive day, but decided to go for a late night run under the full moon instead. Good choice! Really magical with the moon reflecting of the snowy landscape, and looking down on the hazy lit-up fog over Zurisee. I kind of wanted to keep running all night!
Ez pace because it was slippery. Still have a bit of a cough and cloggy throat.

C • Nice one! 2

Woke with a bit of a headache, v sore quads and arms. Back home and it's properly snowing!!
Still have that annoying tickly, throaty cough..

Stretchy stretch

Same as yesterday but with tired legs and the snow was even bumpier. Had to stop every few turns to relax my quads! My skiing technique is really bad, way too tense and seems to tax my queds enormously!! Really had fun going down the steepest parts today though, so there were some whoops of joy mixed in with my mutterings of TURN-2-3-TURN-2-3 (have to psyche myself up for each turn when it's super steep!)

Ditto

Today's version off 'hard work' was digging holes in snow.. Three meters deep. Hard to thrown the snow out from that deep! Arms so dead! At least it was relatively warm in the hole.. as opposed to our lunch which mostly froze!
Hit -28 degrees in the morning! I'd been really worried about the extreme cold forecst (all day colder than -17) but it was sunny and mostly still so you really don't notice it! I'd much rather a sunny -28 than windy -1.

So stoked to have survived these two days without mishap - was really nervous about the difficult skiing and the cold, but it was so incredibly beautiful and spectacular being in the beautiful Mont Blanc region, felt such a privilege to call this work ;)
(I was just helping a work colleague with his field sites (Glacier seismology), nothing to do with my own work which is sadly all computer based..)

C • Sunny -28 and windy -1 2

From Grands Montets at 3275, down to Argentiere Glacier for field work and in the evenings down to Chamonix the valley at 1200m. V nervous at the top - steepest and hardest skiing I've done and with a heavy backpack. Phew was I relieved to make it down that first run...

Skiing around on the glacier and back.

Thought about adding a new category 'hard work' but can't be bothered. Spent many hours probing (ramming a metal pole) snow on the glacier in attempt to find some seismic stations unde 4 meters of snow. So exhausting, often hit icy layers and had real trouble ramming through them.
Hello random arm and back muscles!

Before bed stretch in front of the fire in our chalet in Chamonix, trying to loosen up that cramped feeling you get from tensing against the cold.

Bit of yoga made me feel a bit better - back feels really stiff from being kind of hunched from cough and sore stomach..
Recovery day hoping to be fit for some rather hardcore field work next week!

Cough worse since last yesterday, went to XC race but didn’t run which was probably smart. So cold today! Also have bad stomach pain, no idea why, so didn’t even feel up to yoga or strength.
I need sun and warm!!