Training Log Archive: PG

Middle distance at Hickory Run. Sort of disappointing run, another in a series it seems, not bad, but a little too sloppy and certainly too slow to be satisfying. Maybe a minute of two of mistakes -- 20-30 seconds on #2 double-checking the reentrant just short of the correct one, 30-45 seconds on #3 going too far, and several little bits. But mainly just not having a fighting spirit. Only time I really put out was on the way up to 17, pretty easy leg, good visibility, just cussed myself a couple of times and finally got a move on. Needed to get in that frame of mind a lot earlier but it just never happened. A day when there were scalps to be taken....

Best time on the course was 32 for Will Smith. Eddie had 34+, Eric about the same I think, Tom Hollowell 36+ I think. Lots of folks in the 40-43 range (Wyatt, Leif, Ross, Clem, among others).

Samantha was best woman, then Pavlina and Viktoria I think. Hillary had a bad day.

My routes on the men's course.

Another really good course, this time by Sandy Fillebrown. Leaves were pretty much out, so the visibility was less than it might have been.

Warm-up jog to the start.

Blue Middle - Splits

Event: US Team Trials
 

Sprint at Team Trials at Lehigh University. Pretty good run, planning well in advance almost the whole way. A couple of routes that may not have been the best (2-3, 16-17), plus bad execution 9-10, don't know why I went down the stairs where I did. But still pretty good. I was shooting for no more than 30% behind and I was more like 23-24%. Of course that may have been because the young guys were all too slow.

Best time was 20:05, Eric Bone, a second ahead of Ross Smith. I think Eddie was the third US but Im not sure.

Best for the women was Hillary (21+), then Samatha (22+), Viktoria (23+), Pavlina (24+), Angelica (24+).

I have my doubts as to whether any of the times were of the quality needed to qualify for an A final. Although the goal today for some, I'm sure, was just to get in a good run, don't do anything stupid. So hopefully there is more potential.

My routes on the men's course.

A very fine course by Randy Hall, and a excellent sprint venue. Much more like European city sprints than what we normally get over here. A good O' challenge and really really fun.

C • black circles? 7

A little warm-up.

Blue Sprint - Splits

Pocumtuck Ridge, from the south end to the towers where the cable comes up, and beck. Legs felt totally dead (as they had on the earlier walk), had to convince myself to keep going for the first 5 or 10 minutes, but then things got better. Had some energy on the way back, but of course it was a little downhill. I think yesterday evening's run took more out of me that I had realized. With company the time passed pretty quickly, but it was not an easy run.

Still strange leg pains at rest, but maybe a little less.

Continuing my attempt to get better gas mileage. Last fill-up for the Subaru gave 29.5 mpg, about the best I've ever done and I think that was once when most of the driving was done with a strong tailwind. Usual summertime is 26-28, depending on what kind of driving I happen to be doing. So this is a little better, mainly from driving just a little slower and gentler.

I did manage to take off the removable cross slats on the roof rack, which have never been used. Every little bit helps. Though what is really needed is a different (and lighter) car.

And, if we have any sense, a new and more efficient furnace, given what the price of heating oil is going to be next winter.

C • Gas Mileage 23

On Mt. Toby starting from Cranberry Pond with Dave, Rick Scott, Donna Utakis and Doug B. Route more or less.

Right leg continues to get moments of serious pain at home, so I was a bit concerned, but after 50 meters it was fine. Not sure what is going on. And energy was ok, made it up the long climb up S. Mt. ok, just walked the steep section above the S curves on the last climb. Better than I expected.

Nice company, especially Rick, haven't run with him for many years, but saw him at Soapstone and made plans to get together. Various stories exchanged of when we were young and fast.

Soapstone results from Sunday. Seems like I was the first really OF. :-)

Not that it was pretty....

Plus the usual 3-hour walk. Usual suspect areas in the legs (hamstrings, calfs, knees) feel ok, although at some point I seem to have developed a shin split on my right leg, first showed up Friday evening (from running at the track Thursday?), bothers me primarily walking around the house, went away after about 5 minutes of orienteering on Saturday, after about 2 minutes of warm-up on Sunday, and after 1 hole today. And then back at the house it was hurting again. Must be something in the air.

C • primarily walking around the house 2

As a follow-up to this, I got this fine certificate in the mail, signed by Dave Barry himself, plus this even finer piece of Paris Hilton toilet paper.



I feel great!