Training Log Archive: PG

Out and back along Pocumtuck Ridge in Deerfield. Not too hilly, which was just as good as it was about 90. Flies were not so bad (but I wore wore a thicker shirt, so they may have been camped out on my back and I wouldn't have noticed). I did try running with one hand up in the air (Ken's suggestion), and that bit of foolishness lasted 50 yards at the most!

To top of Toby via direct route. OK. Cooler, not so many flies....

Most of the run was focused on deer flies, who seem to have made it through the winter just fine. There are a lot of them all of a sudden, and they seem to be hungry.

Most of the time I was just trying to swat them, but my mind did wander and I fhave several questions that need further research:

1. After deer flies follow you for a while, do they have trouble getting back home (like dogs sometimes do)?
2. Or, is that not a problem, because it's not really the same flies the whole time. Rather, do they have a version of a relay race, each fly with you for a short distance before it returns home, to be replaced continually by new ones?
3. Do the flies sense when I am getting close to home (and therefore the meal is almost over) and increase their biting frequency?
4. They seem to hang out on my upper back, where coincidentally (?) it's harder to swat them. I assume that is because the air currents give them a free ride (the eddy effect). If I ran backwards, would they hang around my chest, where I could swat them at will?

More research is needed. Today's tally -- they got me several times, and I got about a dozen of them. In the long term, that's not a good ratio as their reinforcements seem to be unlimited.

To Bull Hill and back. Relaxed (i.e. slow) pace, but still an effort due to heat and hills. Plus, the deer flies are back!

Warm-up

Wouldn't have gone, except Phil called up; seems like peer pressure exists even when we're old enough to know better. 5x400 (200 jog) and 1x800 (400 jog), all about 6 minute pace. Feeling tired from previous days so didn't push it and quit a bit early. Just right....

In Pisgah SF (Davis Hill, Baker Trail, Kilburn Loop). Fading at the end, should have carried water. Mid/upper 80s.

RF loop on Mt. Toby, a hilly route I've run many times over the years and sometimes use as a fitness test. Trying to run 65, but heat/humidity (dewpoint was 70) got me partway. A good effort, nevertheless.

23 days to the start of our first event in Europe (French 5-Day). No more long events planned, need to prepare for hard efforts for 45 minutes or so, day after day. Heat/humidity is no fun, but it does have a training effect.

Ran an old red course on Mt. Norwottuck -- used to be able to do it in 50 minutes, though that was not in summertime. Mid 70s, very humid. I was sweating like crazy and feeling croaked after 20 minutes....

Short warm-up to get to start.

At Northfield. Over Northfield Mt., down to junction with M&M, and back. Felt ok.

To gate and back, warm (low 80s). Quads still hurting from the last 2 miles of Greylock (a steep drop of about 2,300 feet down an old ski trail), but good to get out and work them. Need to get regular training going again...

Mt. Greylock trail race, very wet, muddy, rocky, rooty. A decent effort for my first run in a week (was really tired after Nipmuck Marathon and just didn't feel like running for a few days). Other orienteers: Jeff Saeger 2:06, Joe B. 2:08, Phil Bricker 2:12, Alar 2:20?.

Nipmuck trail marathon. Ok for 90 minutes, a struggle thereafter. Started too fast, plus it got warm (low 80s?). Aches and pains not too bad.

Bull Hill and back.

Just testing, hamstring mostly ok.

Billygoat. Hamstring real sore. Almost quit on the way to #1. Actually, run was quite good fun -- not feeling competitively inclined has its advantages. No mistakes of any significance.

- Splits