Training Log Archive: Funderstormin

Lunchtime intervals at the WMRC indoor track. Yeah, that's right, today is the one day of the year that Sally chooses to run fast VOLUNTARILY!!!

I think this calls for a beer. Maybe per interval?

C • It certainly does! 2

Annual trip the Chicopee bunny hills with Allison. Despite the warm temps, the skiing was actually pretty good to two people who know nothing about skiing. I don't mean to brag, but we were probably the oldest people going up the children's elevator. ;-)

Event: Snowshoe Raid Adventure Run
 

This is an entirely Captain Obvious type statement but I think that this SSR will go down as the year that everyone was late!

I don't have the map in front of me as I write this but like most teams we started with a clockwise loop. All time estimates, which we believed to be conservative, turned out not to be, and about the halfway mark we changed our plan and started heading back toward the finish. Our critical mistake was after 55, deciding to go into the land of 33-35. We found 33 no problem and got a bit caught up in the idea of going to get more when we saw Anvil flying through the slippery valley with the greatest of ease. We headed toward 35 but weren't paying as close attention to the map as we should have been and things went downhill from there. At one point, I started taking us the WRONG way down the flagged snowshoe trail and wondered why I saw teams going the opposite direction (duh!). Ran into a non-racer who told me I was headed toward Hwy 26. Oh goodness. At that point, my morale was shot and I knew we were going to be late which I don't think has ever happened to me in an SSR. We followed the flagged snowshoe trail in the CORRECT direction this time but missed a critical intersection to get to 36. So we didn't check out and I believe therefore lost the points we actually did get in the matrix. THEN, because we missed that trail we ended up at the top of the Craigleith switchback trail not exactly sure where we were. There was another team behind us in ROAD SHOES! who had no idea either and said they had just been following us. Fortunately, I have a brief moment of common sense and realized we had to go further and eventually we found ourselves somewhere we recognized but didn't think it was worth it to go back for 36. We'd worn snowshoes, which we both decided was the wrong decision and I decided to take mine off at the top of the last descent as I was convinced I'd be faster in my Speedcross (WRONG!). Managed not to kill ourselves on the downhill and came in 15 minutes late, heads hanging in shame. Definitely not our day out on course but a very fun day and weekend otherwise!

C • Descending in Speedcross! 6

Loop around Hoggs Falls on our way up to Collingwood. We wore microspikes and could see (at this point) why snowshoes were being recommended for Saturday. There was tons of snow there....well over a foot off trail and even on trail it was slog with the spikes because it was so soft.