Training Log Archive: Swampfox

While many people have lost all hope, appalled by the disgust of the Trump campaign which continues to sink to lows when theoretically that shouldn't be possible anymore, there are still glimmers of hope for the world. For instance, despite a killing frost last week when it got down to 13F, I still have plenty of poppies blooming in my yard, and from somewhere honeybees are still visiting them. (Someone in my neighborhood has to have a beehive, but I haven't figured out where it is yet.)

Greatness does still exist. You just have to know where to look for it. And one of the better reliables are the Bottom 25 Rankings, where this week the Kansas Jayhawks have at last seized control of the #1 spot again, as an example of where vision, goals, and sheer unrelenting determination can take you. And, let's not overlook UMass. 10th place is nothing to sneeze at. Unless, of course, you have a cold.

C • Jayhawks 6

O' running at Remarkable Flats, 23 controls, 10 kms, sunshine in the late afternoon and beautiful conditions.

According to the weatherman, the sun was out all day long. According to me, it was never out all day long, and I think I am the one who is right about that. Biked long under the clouds, and then ran short, all very easy.

Not only did I survive another mapping outing in the middle of hunting season, once again I didn't see a single hunter that whole time I was out, nor see a single thing that would have made me think that the rifles were out. Maybe they weren't out? Maybe all the hunters have moved on to other things, like staring at their smartphones like everyone else? Very strange.

Mapped some at Diamond Bay, running to and from the mapping area and enough afterwards to go over the 2 hour mark. Didn't see a thing while I was out mapping, but for a while I had the sense that someone else was nearby, and even came across some seemingly pretty fresh boot impressions at one point. But if there was a hunter around, I never saw him either.

Funny to think the last really nice buck mule deer I've seen was about 2 weeks ago, at night, and it was walking right down the middle of the street by my house. I had to look twice to make sure I wasn't hallucinating.

For the first day of the dark third of the year, it was really nice out. It won't be so nice when the clock changes, though!

Cool to find out that the Laramie High Cchool boys XC team won its 5th straight state title today; the girls finished 2nd. It's some evidence that living at 7280' isn't all bad when it comes to running.

Cruise intervals on one of my favorite dirt roads in the up country. It was one of those funny times when, as I got started warming up, my legs felt like dirt. In fact, as I was finishing warming up, I was on the verge of canning the workout and just doing an easy run and enjoy what was left of the afternoon.

But once I started running faster, those same legs felt amazingly good, and the distances I was covering (I know the marks very well that I hit or get near with each interval) were really good, too.

No need to guess that today was the day rifle season (deer) started. Saw quite a few hunters driving around in pickups and in contrast did not see a single huntable animal (I don't believe I qualified as huntable.) Didn't see anyone with a deer so I reckon opening day went down as a win for the deer.

Sunset lit up the western skies in an incredible way, and I had full view of it as I was finishing up.

Felt sage deprived, so headed out to Pitcher Hill to take on some of the nicest sage you could hope for--tough, leathery, twisted stuff that bends but never breaks, and could take down an elephant. Didn't feel snow deprived, but as I arrived a cloud opened up with a fine shower of graupel anyway. Quickly the ground was covered in white pellets, which was handy in case I suffered some devastating Bairdish ankel injury--I could use the graupel and a sock as a compress to hold down the swelling.

But I didn't suffer any falls, much less a devastating injury, and the occasional snow squalls that swept through as I was running only enhanced the stark beauty of the landscape.

I didn't see any elephants, of course, but I did see one cow moose that walked out of a wooded area, apparently curious to see what I was up to.