Training Log Archive: CleverSky

Thermometer said something like 48F when I left the house, so I picked a place that I figured would be packed by snowmobiles (the car thermometer said 39F when I got there). This trail is a bit nicer with snow than it is in the summer, because the railroad ties are covered. The first little stretch had only one track, but the rest was pretty well packed. Conditions were a little soft, I was sinking in probably 2-4 cm, though as the day went on, it got mushier and I was doing more sinking and sliding around. I had some thoughts that maybe I should have brought skis, but it's running that I want to train for, and I did encounter one skier, a guy probably 25 years younger than me, but I passed him and left him in my dust. I also encountered seven snowmobiles and two horseback riders (and man, the horses really churn up the trail). I was glad that it was all uphill on the way north, and very disappointed when I turned around and saw that it was all uphill on the way back, too. I was concerned that when I got back to my car, I'd be several hundred feet above it with no way down. At the end, I definitely felt like I'd had enough for today.

C • Esscher 3

C • Nice... been feeling a bit... 2

I did definitely do one bit of damage today. After running, I stopped by Mom's house and brought the last of the firewood in. In the process, I was slinging a piece behind me and didn't realize how close the other pieces were, and smashed the last joint of my right middle finger, like hitting it with a hammer. This made me say a bad word. At this point, it hurts (typing with it is unpleasant), there's noticeable swelling, and some discoloration of the fingernail. Pretty sure the bone is unaffected, but I'll have to wait and see how the nail fares.

Unrelated: looking at how far I went today, I'm definitely interested in doing a one-way run on the Wapack Trail, tentatively from Watatic to Windblown, doing the self-retrieve by bicycle. Sometime after the snow melts out, maybe timed so that it's not at the height of bug season.

Got home after 11 PM and the temp was in the single digits, so I just wasn't feeling it.

One of those nights when I get home from the ConComm meeting and am tired enough that I just lie down to take a rest and I'm out for the night.

The physical effort of doing this is dwarfed by the mental effort that it takes to get dressed and push myself out the door. The main thing I have going for me is the prospect of sitting through yet another hour of Crimea on the radio.

Upon arriving home, I noticed a box sitting off to the side of my front door, which was apparently there yesterday, but I didn't notice it. It contained the new wallet that I ordered. You might think that would be an easy thing to overlook. But no, the box is 16"x12"x5". And it contained a wallet and a piece of paper. That's it. No packing material. Maybe this is some minimum size to make sure UPS doesn't lose it, but jeez, it's essentially a big empty box that got shipped across the country.

PowerlineTrail-Esker loop, and then around the Mulpus Brook loop on the way back. Just as I was getting ready to go out, the radio announcer said it was going to be frigid tonight, and I checked the thermometer and saw that it had just dropped into single digits. No problem when dressed appropriately, which, for future reference, means heavy tights and O-pants, a long-sleeve synthetic shirt, a fleece vest, and a lightweight cycling jacket, fleece beanie, fuzzy Hotfingers gloves, and smartwool socks. Just a bit cool for the first few minutes, and then later my hands occasionally feel very slightly sweaty. Surprising that this is almost exactly the same distance as Saturday, and quite a bit quicker.