Training Log Archive: JHen

Unsuccessful attempt to run on the bad ankle. Still swollen too much to fit comfortably in the running shoe.

C • Ankle 2

Three 45 min hikes, am, noon and late evening.
Ankle feeling ok but still swollen enough to make shoe uncomfortable.

Wrapped the bad ankle well and walked the course. No errors, just slow. 7th M-60 - 6th for the 2 days. Wish I could have run, but most likely would have made a bunch of my usual errors.

Day 1 at Surebridge. Messed up #6 - lost 5 min. Sprained right ankle running down hill to the finish. Got ice on it quickly. 4th M60 - better than I had hoped. Most everyones times per k were really slow.

While watching Chronicle, learned that Kendall Sq., Charlestown and Maynard center are all "up and coming, hot spot, neighborhoods" in the vicinity of Boston. Coincidentally, all three of my kids lived in one or more of those neighborhoods when they were in college in the mid-90's. Nothing hip about them back then - just cheap.

Dirt roads, woods roads and about a mile on pavement - south from Rte. 190 in Stafford on Fenton Rd. then on trails to Jimmy Ledges. Sunny, breezy, mid 40's. Trails are clear and bridges are new thanks to the snowmobile clubs. Too bad they didn't get to use them much this winter.

Up Broadway to Hannah Lane then out to the end of the cul de sac and back. Lot 14, where I treed a magnificent fisher last year about this time, is now the site of a 4000 sg. ft. half completed McMansion. I've seen no signs of the fisher at all this winter/spring. Did see 4 great blue herons flying together. May be the first time I've seen more than one at a time.

I won Jeopardy. I knew "the Star Spangled Scottsman" was Andrew Carnagie and none of the real contestants had a clue.

C • Congrats! 3

Hadn't intended to take a day off but Easter activities with Mom and emergency surgery for Tory led to one.

The temptation to do a Blue course set by the infamous Head Goat, Mr. "Too Tough" Schapiro at Rocky Woods was more than I could resist, so I talked Rich into going and off we went. Perfect weather, clear and cold, but conditions between my ears were decidedly foggy. Thirty four minutes to complete the first 600m leg set the tone. My habit of not using a compass at local meets, combined with an uncanny knack for mistaking one pond for another and mistaking one trail for another and idiotic refusal to stop in my tracks and take the time to sort things out resulted in an opening leg pace of 56:40/k. Gotta be a record for me. I followed that with a series of small bobbles that got me to #9 OK (crossed paths with Rich, who started well behind me, as I was headed to 8 and he to 11). Leaving 9, I went straight to 11, realized my error, went to 10 and then back to 11. The next 4 went well but I should mention that I had seen 13 before as a part of my unique approach to 1. Leaving 15, headed north along the swamp, I saw Rich and some other guy accross the swamp. I saw 16 from a good distance and nailed it. As I was leaving, I ran into Rich and the other guy south of the control and still looking. I didn't tell them where it was because that wouldn't have been right. Due South and over the cliffs took me to 17. With only one to go, I charged toward 18, but wandered too far east and soon spotted the START banner up ahead. I corrected west and got 18 and the finish with no further adventures. All that was left to do was hang around like a team with a 30 minute penalty on "The Amazing Race" to see if Rich would get in quickly enough to beat me. Unfortunately for him, 17 gave him a lot of trouble and I won the tortoise competition. All in all, a fine workout in the forest, even if it did flirt with 20:00/k.

Round trip to Highland Park Market - mostly through the woods.

C • Highland Park 2

Hockanum Linear Trail south from Adams St. and back on the other side of the river. Sore left hamstring.