Training Log Archive: ginger

As I expected/feared, the conference was busy (but good, so not complaining there!) and I didn't have nearly as much time to work out as I would have liked. Managed to sneak out for a run following my briefs, and forgot how quickly it gets dark in Pensacola this time of year, so started on the roads near the BOQ, but soon bailed to the track because I wasn't eager to trip and break my foot (which happened to someone else earlier this week). Got a couple brisk mile repeats in, which felt good.

This was much harder than I would have thought. Apparently not skating for about 3 decades has not helped either my balance or coordination.

Event: QOC Wheaton
 

Green - Splits

Finally got around to clearing out the flower beds and raking up the insane amount of sticks in the back yard.

Started at Mattapany, where the trees are still down across the trailhead, but there's signs of a new trail being cut and newly painted flashes, so it doesn't look like the base is trying to close the trail, yay! Got to the far side of the pond and saw signs that there's been some recent work done on pepperbush, as well. I usually avoid pepperbush during the summer because it seems to get overgrown and very buggy, and it goes through some of the hunting areas, so I avoid in the winter, too. Today was neither hunting nor bug season, though, so I checked it out. Mostly quite nice, except for a few really wet areas. Its obvious that the base has done some pretty significant maintenance in the past 2-3 months, so I'll add it to my plans until the grass gets too thick and ticky.

Went early again, with the plan of wrapping up around the time everyone else showed up so I could at least say hi. This worked, and I managed to get to daycare before 5, and thus avoid the dallying over late snack, and subsequent sugar rush/not being hungry for dinner/meltdown that happens when Katherine packs her face full of crackers and juice an hour before dinner time. Thought I might even have time to hop on the trainer when I got home and got Katherine off to bed, but no, apparently 2 year olds do valentines now. Awesome. There isn't a 2 year old (mine included) on the face of this earth that I love enough to risk the after work crowd at Target (while both the toddler and myself are hungry and tired) just to go snatch up the last box of paw patrol/peppa/whatever random character I've never heard of valentines. So we went home, I plopped Katherine in her play area with some stamps and paper, and she happily decorated some valentines (and her hands) while I got some dinner ready. Cut the paper into little cards, wrote the kids' names on them and stuffed some sticker sheets inside, and boom. Parenting win! Except I didn't get a ride in, but c'est la vie, I suppose.

Got to the gym, but thanks to the steady (sometimes heavy) cold rain and wintery mix, there was no parking to be had (which I then told myself meant the cardio room would be packed), so I went and got Katherine from daycare early, instead. Bought her a stool a couple days ago so she could watch/help with making dinner, and so far it seems to be a hit. She declared she wanted fish for dinner, and sure enough, she ate a little over half an adult serving, even after snacking on raw bok choy the whole time we were cooking. After she was in bed, I finally got the bike trainer in the basement set up, and went for a pretty decent ride.

The next month is going to be fairly challenging, with J and I on opposite travel schedules, so making it to swim practice is going to be tough. Went early today, with the goal of getting at least most of the way through the main set and still pick Katherine up at daycare by 5-ish. Mostly made it through (minus a couple 100s), although there was some obligatory chatting when the rest of the afternoon swimmers showed up. The team atmosphere and an opportunity to chat that doesn't revolve around work or potty training is a big part of why I joined the team, though, so definitely worth it.

10 minutes of warm-up, then 5x4 minutes at 5k pace with 1 minute walking recovery between each. 4 minute intervals were working out to right around 800m, but I forgot my garmin and didn't want to bother heading over to the circular track (opted for the dirt track instead), so distance was an estimate.

Work computer decided to update today, so it was either stare at the updating screen or wander off to the gym.

600 warm-up, 2(3x200 descending, 50 easy, 4x50 hard), 200 cool down.

36 minutes for the first base loop of the year, woo! Helped that it was a really nice day and completely calm winds. Could have used some arm warmers or a long sleeve jersey, but at 63 degrees, it wasn't too bad. Busy at the hold short for 14, so had to stop for a couple minutes while some T-38s and a P-3 went by. Not as many people out as I expected, but I was probably just too early for the after work crowd, and too late for the "get my workout done by 4-ish" group that I usually try to be in.

Shouders/neck have been extremely tight and painful since Sunday evening, no idea what I did to them- maybe just slept wrong? Seems much worse than a normal "huh, musta done something", though. Hope it's feeling better by tomorrow, not being able to move my head normally is getting old.

Event: QOC Hemlock Overlook
 

CBRC run at St. Mary's City. In honor of groundhogs day, Perry said he'd reused some of the mile markers. By about 10 minutes in, I'd passed at least 3 "mile 2" signs. I do appreciate a quirky sense of humor. Around the 14 minute mark, I realized I was over dressed, but I'd shown up late and without much time to warm up, so not much I could do at that point. Tried to clear my sinuses, but mostly just succeeded in blowing snot all over my face, and was glad that the etiquette police (aka Katherine) wasn't there to yell "not wipe nose on sleeve, mommy!" at me.
Heard someone fall behind me at mile 3, and ran back to check on him. He was fine, but there was a fair bit of swearing, which didn't seem to help his performance in this case. I assume its because he didn't apologize to the "ladies" for his language. Lots of ice and ankle -crunching frozen mud out there today, not to mention the downed trees from our latest storm, glad I opted for my studded o-shoes.

C • apologizing 1

Cool down lap.