Training Log Archive: Lori

Run/hiking with Sam, Presto, Margaret, Kirk, Erica, and Dean(?) at Lick Brook and Treman! Margaret invited us to join her ultramarathon group for a 30 mile run today. That seemed...too far, so we just joined for one of the loops. It was fun to get out with a group, and while I can totally see this sort of speed being necessary for a 30 mile excursion, it was pretty slow for 7 miles. Still good to get out with some friends. If I come again, I'll likely try to make it a longer loop so the speed feels more appropriate. Presto liked being part of a pack, particularly when everyone doing the full 30 miles started munching at the end :-).

Normal stretching back home.

Running with Sam and Presto after lab! It got very warm very quickly. I managed to escape from work before it was entirely dark today (craziness), so we were able to do the full Beebe Lake loop. Presto was hot, but seemed happier with booties on, so I guess that's what we'll be doing this summer. Good to get out!

Normal abs.

Normal stretching.

Running down to the start with Margaret and Scott!

Running with Margaret and Scott around the Beebe Lake Finger Lakes Challenge Course (almost)! Margaret convinced me to sign up for the Finger Lakes Running Challenge, which is 10 virtual races that have to be completed by August something. The 4 mile course is pretty close to work, so we trouped over to check it off. About 3 miles in, my legs reminded me that I have done too much running this week, and I was dying for the rest of the loop. Margaret and Scott very kindly slowed down for me, since they weren't going race pace anyway. Also, Margaret was delegated to memorize the course, and she forgot a turn, so...we'll have to do it again. Our route was actually slightly longer with an extra hill, so it will be easier next time :-). Anyway, still super fun to get out and run with friends!

Death slog back to work. Apparently it is summer now.

Normal stretching at home.

Afternoon run with Margaret! My left ankle has been a bit sore since Saturday, so I wasn't sure how this would go, but it was actually fine. We ran around Beebe Lake, the Botanic Garden, and Monkey Run. Good to get out for a nice chatty run this afternoon to celebrate the last day of class! Just grading from here on out!

Normal stretching at home.

For all of the kind people who were very worried about us taking a 14.5 year-old dog on the Billygoat, just want to let you know that Presto is sleepy but doing great after his day in the forest! He was scampering around the house in excitement over his after-bath snack and then running up the driveway after his evening walk :-).

Event: 2022 Billygoat
 

Billygoat with Sam and Presto! Fun, fun! Yesterday was for racing (or at least me-time in the forest without distractions). Today's goal was to have a fun family outing in the woods (and get a t-shirt!). It was another gorgeous day for it!

Presto was on a harness attached to Sam because Presto seems to enjoy getting dragged in the harness (or at least he spends all his time in the harness wagging his tail). We were hoping that Presto would run with us off-leash, but we weren't sure what would happen. Presto seemed a bit confused at first - it's been a while since he's been around so many people at once. And Presto then pooped twice on the way to 1, so we basically lost any chance of staying with a pack at that point. We also tried taking Presto off the leash briefly, but I think he can't really see well enough anymore to tell which people were us and was just kind of super confused at the top of the steep slope down to 2 when we were at the bottom of it, so I had to run back up and get him. Back on the leash for Presto. The beginning was super steep and muddy and slippery and the going with Presto was slow, slow, slow. On the way to 6, Sam told me to just take off on my own. I sort of hemmed and hawed about it, eventually went off, immediately made like a 90 degree error and bumbled around in confusion until Sam came past me with Presto having already gotten 6. I went back for 6, then got stuck in a marsh, nearly lost my shoes, fell over backwards into the mud, started feeling a bit like a character in an old movie when quicksand was like the standard scary danger (why does no one care about quicksand anymore?), and eventually made it to 7, and then 8 where I caught back up to Sam and Presto. I then had to decide once again if I would stay with Sam and Presto or go off on my own. At this point, Presto weighed in and started pulling Sam to keep up with me, so we grouped back up again. This was the correct decision because from 9 on, the course was tons of fun!

We took the right fork to 10, and had a great time running along finding flags in the forest. We figured out that the best way to get up the super steep hills was for Sam to drag Presto and me to give Presto a boost from the back. I'm sure we looked ridiculous, but Presto enjoyed it, so that's all that matters. We had water and a shotblok at the aid station, which was totally fine for fuel and hydration for the course. After much debating, we eventually decided to skip 16 and run on the trail along the railroad from 15-17. This was a great choice for us because it was easy for Presto and was a nice mental break in the middle of a more technical section. Also because it was completely flat, it was a nice physical break from climbing up and down. We spiked 17 and 18, and then bobbled every control between 19-23, but didn't have any giant blow-ups. Then it was just fun running into the finish. Great day to be out in the forest and go Presto!! Oldest dog Billygoat finisher!!

Normal stretching back home.

Billygoat - Splits