Training Log Archive: PG

At the Eaglebrook track, this time at the tail end of the faster group, not that I was going any faster, just that I wanted a little shorter recoveries. Still hot and humid, so didn't really push, even when heartrate was in the 165-170 range it didn't feel hard. Or maybe I should say it didn't feel fast.

600 - 2:26, 1000 - 4:00, 1600 - 6:31, 1600 - 6:28, 1000 - 4:04, 600 - 2:22. Rests in between of from 1 to 3 minutes, depending on length of previous effort.

A little before and after.

Same as last Friday with Phil, over not quite to the gate, then a small loop (Robert Frost, Bridle path), then back. Just after heavy rain, temperature was only low 70s but humidity was 100%. Actually didn't seem so bad, maybe because my attention was diverted by my battles with the deer flies.

Which, all in all, went badly, despite the count of confirmed kills that was well in excess of 50. It got me thinking in the latter part of the run about parallels with the War in Iraq. The more I killed, the more they kept coming. Terrorists, insurgents, FDFs (fucking deerflies), call them what you want, it was clear that they will be there long after I am gone. The only successful strategy seemed to be to get home as quickly as possible. Though there was one other gambit that seemed to work -- I whispered the magic words "Tax cuts" and right away I could sense them backing off, recalculating. Sure, a few kept trying to nail me, but they were probably just middle class.

Where was deer fly bait Bricker when I needed him?

C • 9

Sugar-Gunn loop. Another miserable day, dewpoint in the low 70s. Actually ran ok, put out a goodeffort, it just is mentally draining. The hope/plan is that a day that is even a little cool will feel really good.

With Jeff and Hillary from Pioneer Valley HS, to Northfield, Warwick, Wendell, and Millers Fall. Unpleasantly hot and humid (dewpoint about 75), going slowly but got tired anyway. Quit a bit early, glad I did.

At Five Ponds in Litchfield, got out reasonably early before it got really hot, but was still dripping wet before long. But the legs felt ok and that was nice.

Only problem was not having Phil along to divert the deer flies. His role yesterday, simply put, was to be a more tasty and appealing target then I was, and at the same time to be a touch slower and therefore more accessible. A very fine kind of friend to have in deer fly season (or in bear country, come to think of it...).

With Phil on Mt. Toby. I didn't have much zip, but he had even less, so that made the run more pleasant, got to stop a couple times and revive myself. Glad we weren't going any longer, or any hillier, or any faster.

Up to Lake Wyola and back, nice ride. Meant to take it a little easier than I did.

At the Eaglebrook track. Planned to take it easy, and did! Even the last 800 felt comfortable. 800 - 3:20, 800 - 3:22, 1600 - 6:36, 800 - 3:12, 800 - 3:06. Generous rests in between as I was running with the slower group. But did just what I wanted.

A mile before and after, easy.

Up to the power line and back. Hard as I could on the way up (15:10), easy coming back. Most of the soreness gone from the quads.

Up to the power line and back. Quads still sore and tired, but good to do something.

Actually took about a 10 minute break on the way up to discuss road maintenance with the town highway superintendant and town administrator who were driving by (very slowly) -- North Mountain "Road" is a town road but drivable at no more than about 10 miles an hour, and I'd be happy if they kept it that way. So we talked about highway maintenance funds and how and where they ought to be spent -- and why they shouldn't be spent right there! I know the highway boss agrees, and I think the town administrator (a new guy) saw the light. Unfortunately, after a bit I had to get back to running, but it was a good stop, the kind of local politics I enjoy.

C • Road funding 2

Whate and South Deerfield, nice and flat. Legs very sore.

Mt. Greylock Trail Race. Different course than in the past, this time right up to the top of Greylock, then the long winding descent. A good effort, but my legs were pretty trashed by the time I reached the top (46:22, climb about 2,300') and they didn't get any better the rest of the way. So I didn't have much zip on the downhills. But good determination, including busting my tail at the end to hold off a local runner that I knew from 16 years ago when we were both trying to break 5 minutes for the mile at the Smith track in Northampton, and he got 4:58 to my 5:01. We're both older and (a lot) slower now, but competitive instincts never die.... results

Feeling very battered afterwards, quads especially, despite no falls. Clearly need to do more training.

Sugar-Gunn loop with Phil. Cool and overcast, felt nice, running seemed easy but that may have been because the pace was modest. Spotted a bear!

Old Deerfield - River Road loop. Harder pace than I planned but felt good.

Ratlum Mountain Sprint prologue. Hosted by Charlie and Rhonda. A little shaky on the O', but a good hard effort, though running up the hill through the laurel from 7 to 8 is not in my playbook. Routes/comments.

The Chase. A sad effort. Missed #5 badly, after not being real clean on 1, 2, and 4, and just lost my desire. Walked a good bit the rest of the way. Not a good habit to get into.

Prologue - Splits

Chase - Splits

Another hot/humid day. Started out feeling rather depleted/dehydrated and it only got worse. Stillwater bridge to Upper Road, started up South Shelburne Road (normally about a 10-minute climb), not pushing the pace at all, and about 2/3 of the way up decided stopping was the wise thing to do. Sat in the shadw for 10 minutes, sweat pouring off, debating various routes home with the two criteria being as short/flat as possible and as quick as possible to a convenience store for nourishment. Pedalled slowly to South Deerfiled, debating several times whether I should ask any of the locals out working on their lawns for something sweet to drink. Finally made it to Cumberland Fams, discovered to my delight that the $1 bill I knew I had in my bike bag had a $10 bill folded inside it, so I could chow down with an extra-large soda, a piece of fudge, and some cookies. My blood sugar now soaring, the last 3 miles home were a breeze. More to eat at home followed by a good nap.

According to the carbohydrate depletion/reloading theories of 30 years ago, I should be really sharp for the Ratlum Mt. sprint tomorrow. The perfect preparation!

The one thing that concerns me is the brain exercise Phil gave me and to which Boris added the next couple of numbers (see training comments). I am totally confused and am now feeling both forgetful and stupid....

C • 4

Leverett loop, Japan conditions (hot, humid, dew point 73, bad air), plus I forgot that a mile of Rt. 116 is being repaved, so it's at the stage where the top layer has been stripped off. Lucky not to flat. But still glad I got out. Motivation has been low this week -- lousy weather, a mild cold, tired from last Sunday -- all pretty feeble excuses.... Need to get going again.

Need also to start doing some brain exercises, as I'm forgetting more and more things, like leaving the car door wide open while I played a round of golf (which included forgetting my 5-iron on the 12th hole, and then forgetting to tell the pro to be on the lookout for it), and forgetting my wedding anniversary (32nd) yesterday until reminded late in the day by Gail (who had only then remembered it). It's only going to get worse....

C • 5

Nice ride, River Road - Old Deerfield loop. Nice steady pace for the first part, didn't want to push it, but the legs felt ok (after being pretty sore Monday and Tuesday) so I worked a little harder the last part. Ended up with a better pace than I expected.

House got hit by lightning (the light and the noise were at the same time) late this afternoon, or at least a glancing blow to the electrical system. Seems to have killed our Airport and our DVD recorder (both on surge protectors!) and temporarily disabled garage door openers (since fixed by unplugging and then plugging them back in again -- I don't know how/why all these things work, but I'm grateful when they do and feel helpless when they don't). Luckily I had my computer unplugged ....

Back to dial-up service for a while.

C • 8

Nipmuck Trail Marathon. It could have been worse. No blisters, no chafing, no stomach problems, no achilles/calf problems. And I suppose it was a good exercise in willpower, just to keep plugging along. Or maybe it was a good exercise in stupidity, just to keep plugging along.

Wicked hot, pushing 90. My legs had no zip right from the start. I've run the course close to a dozen times, and have a few places where I always take splits, and at every place the splits today were bad. Which was understandable given the heat, age, and lack of long runs in training. But still rather discouraging. Took 3 falls, plus must have kicked rocks (from not lifting my feet as high as I thought I was as I got tired) at least 50 times.

Bottoms of the feet feel pulverized, quads will be sore for a few days. Think I need to go back to sprinting....

C • 2

Withe the gang at the Eaglebrook track. Plan was 5 x 1000 with a slow 200 jog between, would have aimed for about 3:50 each, but it was warmer than it's been (75) and 3:55 would have been more reasonable. Ended up doing 3:48, 3:50, 3:53, 3:58 (see a trend there?), and bagging the last one, which was very smart. Reminded me how little I like hot weather.

Now a couple of days off, then a try at Nipmuck on Sunday, though it is supposed to be warm and I'm not optimistic.

Before, between, after

Leverett loop clockwise, best for the loop by about 40 seconds.

Outside of right foot still sore -- landed on a rock badly in Ottawa 10 days ago, must have got it again at the Water Gap on Monday without realizing it (or maybe without remembering it), as it was really sore when I got home. But it seems to have calmed down a good bit after some moderately active therapy on the golf course. Still planning on running Nipmuck Marathon (trails) on Sunday.