Training Log Archive: PG

Up to the power line crossing of Middle Mt. Good effort going up, relaxed back down. Felt hot and humid even the the thermometer only said 80.

Haven't been motivated this week, plus trying to take a little time off to let aches and pains heal up. Not sure it's really made a difference though.

Other than a slightly different section of dirt roads, same as yesterday.

With my brother in Litchfield on some dirt roads. Leisurely pace.

Power line and back. Dead legs, took it easy.

Northampton 5K XC race. Better than 5-6 weeks ago (20:47) but still needs to be better. Goal was under 20:30, so satisfied anyway. A little too warm for my liking (mid 70s).

For reference sake, PR on the course is 18:32 in 1990, last year's best was 19:59. PR for 5k on the track is 17:41 (1989, age 44, never tried when I was younger but wouldn't have don't much better, if at all).

Warm-up/down

Sugar-Gunn loop, moderate pace.

Nadim and Peggy's wedding. A wonderful day, that included a chance to see a bunch of orienteers properly dressed. All the best to them.

Beer (well, water) Chase in Quanticoland. Hot and humid. Mass start, so company all the way. Felt crappy physically and orienteered a bit crappy too, but quite entertaining and fun.

Long - Splits

Sugar-Gunn loop. Hard effort on both long hills, up to the power line (14:56, best this year), and up Gunn (5:18), otherwise cruising at a good tempo. Cool weather (mid 60s) made things easier.

Training runs are getting faster, hope that will translate into something in Alberta.

To Bull Hill and back, good effort. Almost didn't make it out (it was pouring when I intended to go), but the rain eased up. Actually, mid 50s and wet is a lot better than 80s/90s.

Race course to the gate and back, working the uphills. Felt ok.

With Phil on Mt. Tom. I was claiming tiredness from yesterday, he had missed breakfast and was claiming low blood sugar, in any case the pace was leisurely.

Robert Frost loop on Mt. Toby. Good hard effort, pushing the uphills, trying not just to work hard but to actually run faster. Felt pretty good, but it helped that it was cooler.

Up to the top of Mt. Snow in southern Vermont using a variety of ski slopes and mountain bike trails, meandering around a bit just to have a look at different places. Hot, low energy, lots of stops to consult my map (i.e. catch my breath). 1600' climb

A small loop on top, then back down a different set of trails. Quite good fun, would have been really nice with some energy....

From the Notch, out the RF to the start of the rollercoaster, back via the South Side trail. Felt not so bad.

Pack Monadnock 10 Mile race in SW New Hampshire. Starts at about 300' in Wilton (to the east), ends on top of Pack Monadnock Mt. at 2300', with the worst climb at the end, up 700' in the last mile. Part of the New England Mountain series, along with Kearsarge, Wachusett, Ascutney, and Washington.

I'd heard about this one but never done it, so when I saw it on a weekend I had nothing planned, it seemed an obvious choice instead of 3 different O' possibilities. The course was hard, but in a way it wasn't that hard on me, because I ran conservatively, not wanting to really croak. Even then, I had to walk several sections of the last steep hill up to the radio towers.

Splits: 8:23 (all uphill), 7:43 (rolling), 16:27 (2 miles, up some more), 7:40 (rolling), 8:35 (up some more), 7:51 (rolling), 8:55 (more up, getting a little harder), 9:44 (steady grind up rt. 101 to the notch, then starting up the summit road), and 14:00! (no I didn't croak, in fact I passed several people; a guy I got a ride back to the start with ran the course in 75 minutes and his last mile was 12:45)

Anyway, a good experience, just not a feeling of racing, but also not the uncomfortable feeling of being at your threshhold the whole way.

Course was about 7 miles paved, 2.5 dirt, .5 trail. The winner took an hour and a few seconds.

Took a gentle run down a side trail to get back to the main road. Rockier than I cared for.

Stopped on the way home to play some golf at a place I'd never been. A thunderstorm popped up out of nowhere, it seemed, and all of a sudden I felt a strong sense of urgency to get back to the clubhouse, which wasn't far away but was seriously uphill. Just like the finish of the race, except this time I had my golf clubs to haul. Clearly the hardest effort of the day. Beat the downpour and hail by about 10 seconds.