Training Log Archive: jjcote

A bit difficult at the end today, don't know why.

Mine Falls Park. Another Michael Commons Special, like the recent Pine Hill meet. Mismeasured "sprint" course that was somewhere between White and Yellow in difficulty, mostly just long trail runs in slush and mud (and some dry trails). I've never been very fond of Mine Falls, but if this was what orienteering was all about, I'd find some other way to keep myself entertained. I'm counting these as all spikes because any little time I lost was due to map errors, rather than navigation errors.

Mine Falls, another mismeasured "sprint". Course difficulty was... roughly the same as the first one. In retrospect, I see one route choice that could have been a bit better, but my choice was influenced by a quirk of the course drafting, so I won't take the blame for it. Well, at least it got me outside for some exercise...

C • measuring 6

It's Pits 1 - Splits

It's Pits 2 - Splits

Ah, spring! Ice is still on the ponds, but the streets were dry enough for an activity that gave my hip some respite from pounding. Turkey Hill - Highland loop, then down to the lake and back. My longest ride so far, but there were three stops, so I didn't get anywhere near a PR for nonstop distance. Didn't know how I'd do after not having been on the unicycle for a while, but it was quite fine, no trouble getting up and an easy time keeping my balance. I think my form has slipped a smidge, but that's to be expected. I'm getting smooth enough that there are almost no arm gesticulations at this point, and the effort involved is lower than it was a while ago. Although I was working pretty hard on the climb up Gilchrest!

C • Unicycling 1

After having smashed my finger in the office door today, I didn't think that getting on the bike and putting weight on my hand would be the best idea. The woods were full of ankle-deep slush, and the roads were too wet to make unicycling appealing, so I resorted to a pavement run. West on Northfield/Fisher as far as Pearl Hill Road and back — a substantially hilly route. Warm evening, and I finished up just after dusk, thanks to DST. Given the forecast for tomorrow, I expect that enough melting will take place for me to be able to get to my mailbox by the weekend.

Across the street, In The Dark (Charlie's Apex headlamp).
Another "J-J gets lost in the woods at night" adventure. Planned to do the Mystery Blazes loop, and it all started out fine. But when I actually got to the north end of the Mystery Blazes, I couldn't follow them at all. Gave up after a little ways and just headed off in the right general direction, since I know the topography well enough. Got up to the vernal pool in the saddle, and found one blaze, but couldn't follow them. So I just headed downhill and decided to wing it. Drifted pretty far to the right, through very nice woods, and after a while it was clear that I was not on track. At one point I spotted a line of tack blazes, but they were pointing in the opposite direction from the way I was going, so I had to keep turning around to see if I had gone the right way. Gave up on that, crossed a marsh, and popped out on a trail... the Horse trail! I certainly had drifted to the right. Back out on the trail to pick up the southern half of the blazes, which I was able to follow much more easily, but then I decided to try going east on the Incognito road. That was much longer than I expected, and probably did get pretty close to the house at 9 Valley Rd., but I was able to take a side trail down to the brook instead of going through their yard.

About 50/50 snowmobile trails and unbroken snow. The timing on this worked out nicely. I went out pretty late (after 10 PM), and the snow had hardened up enough that I was able to mostly stay on top with my regular snowshoes. Probably would have been softer earlier, and if I had gone with O-shoes, the packed stuff probably would have been okay, but the unbroken stuff would have been total nasty postholing.

Something in either the snowshoe bindings or the snow surface kept making funny squeaking, creaking noises that sounded like there was either an animal or a person talking right next to me in the dark. Creepy.

C • Creepy... 1

Spent some more time (don't know how much) digging Nancy's car out of the snow, and gave up on the idea of digging out my mailbox, because there's about eight feet of icy concrete between it and the road. After a brief effort to chip away at it with a splitting maul (shovel was no use), I went to the post office and put in an order to hold my mail until further notice.

Also, I seem to have developed an ab. Which is probably not that cool, because I think they're supposed to come in pairs (or better yet, six-packs), and now I'm asymmetrical. Or maybe I just have a swollen spleen or something.

Around the start of the training session with Samantha a week ago, my left hip felt a little funny. Not painful, but slightly out of whack. Didn't really bother me during the run, nor during my subsequent exercise sessions, but I continue to feel it off and on during normal activities. I think I've had this happen before, but I don't remember how long it lasted or what made it go away. I suppose it could be Wyattitis or Swampfox's Malady, but I think maybe last time I decided it was just avascular necrosis, nothing to worry about.

Ah, the benefits of Attackpoint! A quick search reveals that I did have this affliction last April, after doing Northern Nipmuck, and other aspects were quite similar. It appears to have just gone away on its own that time.

C • You better be careful! Wyatti... 1

Better.