Training Log Archive: bl

Run home from work, gray, 40F. Unsure about it after yesterday - goal was to do it, & maybe under an hour. Stopped at the end of each of first few splits - was overdressed. Last run home was 10/28. Only 2.5 wks to first A meet - need more miles, good or not so good, just do. Also, time for HRM.

Poor shoes upped & died long ago - need to invest in better cushioning.

Faraway series, photos from elsewhere, #57
A lone gun still (1989) looks seaward from Red Beach, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, the site of a famous WWII battle in 1942

Granite State SS champs. Not that I noticed the event but Diane planted a seed just yesterday &, I, not having reviewed Pragmatism 101, bought some idea or fantasy lock, stock & barrel. Besides all the second thoughting, I paused for at least a minute in the drive, thinking "Bob, you can run 10.3 mi in South Bow on the Purgatory Brook loop & GSD (get stuff done) as well." But, something made me push that blatant fact aside in pursuit of the manufacture of enthusiasm...that I'd get busy on as soon as I headed north, a long way north and that was part of my problem.

But Jenn's & Gil's coming separately yesterday for Beth's surprise 70th from Burlington, VT, arriving at 4p & heading back to Burlington around 8:30 gave me pause (300miRT). Also, once Gil got here, after picking up Janelle in Tilton, she said "HBD, Grandma" & he then dropped her off in Lexington for an 18 year-old's BP & returned, before returning to B'ton. And, this was the weekend I was to drive to the Snowgaine in Winona SF north of Syracuse if I could find a fellow enthusiast - that would have been 700 mi RT. So, that diminished the problem but did not really remove it.

Something about northern NH that I don't find appealing - largely, an immense amount of honkey tonk, ticky tack by the roadside. Routes 104/Meredith, 25 & 16 feature garrish billboards that seriously detract from NH's natural appeal. Driving to Burlington, Vt is entirely different. But, in some respects, this is the ticky-tack, free-market, live-free-or-die state. Sigh, a Republican state, crassly commercial. And this the time of year with dirty snow and the aforementioned, well, a bit depressing. But there would be the beauty of white snow (there was plenty), some running in the woods etc. And maybe the sun would smile upon Mt. Washington Valley.

I arrived at 10:05, an easy drive on a Sunday am, faster than Mapquest. 113 mi, 133', plenty of time. Diane & Brian were there as well as Tony Federer & some of his family: Kris & Andy & children. I stood on that start line with ambivalence about the 6 mi race soon to begin. Off we went, Brain (who I've finished ahead of twice & alongside once or twice) pulled away. Then not a lot of company...but who should come alongside at 2.4 mi (on the 305) but my buddy Diane! (check pulse, a fib?:). Diane pulls ahead & not much later I realize TF is slowly catching. We pass back thru the start (first part Gt. Glen nordic trails) and begin single track climbing (& it was indeed freshly-made, scooped-sided, post-hole potential, very single). Diane, dealing with her phobia about downs, was reeled in. TF caught up & I let him by telling him his competition was about 75 yds ahead. Maybe 2' later, I could see him on the ground under a fallen tree trunk (maybe 5.5' above snow?) with 2 runners helping him up. First thought was a weak/dizzy event but when I got there I could see considerable blood on the snow from where he beaned the tree, distracted by the women's letting him pass. He pointed put the efficacy (and inconvenience) of aspirin in rendering his clotting system less than optimal - quite a few splotches of bright red on snow white. It seemed prudent that he return safe & sound so we both turned around. Some time with firm pressure applied solved his problem. I'm still wondering what was the source of mine. It must have had to do with the power of negative thinking - was well enough rested etc.

Stopped the watch where TF hit the trunk & walked back. Had gotten down to Tee- shirt & rolled-up leggings, 40F proving hot until the slow down - but a short return.

Seems strange to have been all the way up to the Mt. Washington auto road/Glen house & back, lickety split. So many memories up there & that was one reason why going back was a mixed message. Can recall two nights sleeping in a car in the Glen House parking lot. One with Beth on the night of the (near full? )moon rise in December, in '82. We hiked up the auto road. She to tree line, me to the top. Twinkling stars gave way to moonlight on a calm evening. Maybe 8 years ago, Peter Andersen & I slept in cars in the same parking lot to get up at 0330 or so & hike up the auto road - Sat. before Easter Sunday. We were at the top by 0800. Peter called Martha - I was impressed as cells were not something I'd been acquainted with. There were 2 Mt. Washington road races, '77 & '78 as well as some winter hiking/climbing. And there these same mountains were across the road today, covered with cloud, looking down right unattainable should one be so inclined. And the snow-covered road had the sign: Closed til mid-May.

And then away, did not se Diane, spoke with Brian. Long before then TF's bloody face was cleaned up.

So be the day.As one reason to go, I maintained that if I went, I'd remember it more than "getting stuff done" at home. And that seems to be the truth. And yet, I did get some stuff done at home...and an extra hour of pm daylight helped. And the pulse, I'm wondering about that, too - since I've had PAC's which can palpate the same. Tomorrow will tell.

Ice fishing under Mt. Chocorua's watchful eye

C • Kudos 4

Event: CNYO Snowgaine #15
 

AM DP, sun! & feeling of spring tho exercise was one of balancing on ice & occ breaking thru crust surface.

Off Hooksett Tpke. north of Clinton. Not sure if I've ever been to that part of town. Not much in way of thru roads, so it was quiet, 1/3rd on dirt road. All pines, making for a visually impenetrable experience. So different further south with almost exclusive hardwood. Was on edge of Pages Corner SF.
Partly sunny. Saw a few t shirt-shorts types but lo 40s didn't seem comfortable for that outfit.

Back to TI. Raining enough at noon to make it not worth the getting wet.
5' quasi-cardio provided some TV scenes of Japan earthquake. Why is it that I dislike cardio indoors when it does serve a useful purpose.... The background hum is cardio energy exerted.

Gray, rainy, foggy, drear, sunshine hardly anywhere near. Maybe tomorrow.

Chief says "TGIF, time to break rules."


September, '01.

AM DP, dreary, dancing on ice. Z preoccupied with a piece of leather bone. Shortchanged them but they didn't seem to care. Rain in the cards.

Testosterone Institute, missed it last week. Couldn't quite recall my 5 digit # - testosterone helps memory.

Luti opposite direction fm yesterday. Gray, grimy, chilly, no
head gear. Was not interested in doing this but had no choice since I don't know differently.... A case of late winter blahs on a dirty day (roadside snow has become dirty and icy). Nothing pleasant to look at outside today (in spite of the fact that some of run was on the omnipresent Pleasant St.). But rain held off.

I went off in search of a smile on this day & found "Happiness in the Forest", early spring, '07, Harriman SP (off Seven Lakes Dr.).

Luti CCW, gray, early spring.

AM DP, blue, warm sun but cold fingers. M. brought a leather bone but proceeded to lose it, at least for today. Walked by a small stream, today rushing noisily under the road, a pleasant contrast to the frozen silence of January. Could walk most anywhere except the road which was ice.

At BMS & BHS on way home, did this before in Nov or Dec - went looking but couldn't easily enough locate (thus the utility of writing some runs in a note book). 75 on/50off second loop. Nice opportunity & refreshing - by this time of year, limitation takes its toll, creativity chomps at the bit. A bit shadowy/snowy at BMS but sun at the HS compensated. Noted one fellow running in shorts & singlet - T about 44F.