Training Log Archive: darryn

Fartleking around --- just a bit. Have to start somewhere. Have to convince my knees that running faster is a good idea.

Make Snow!

I was in Boston for work last week. One of my colleagues lives in upstate NY and he made his own snow making machine. I came home with aspirations to do the same, but the forecast for warm weather has "cooled" my enthusiasm.

For more info:

http://www.makesnow.net/

With highs near 40 this week, is this my last snowshoe of the season? I'm sure not, but it will be easy to imagine by the end of the week.

I am registered for a snowshoe race this weekend. Unless we get a snow storm Friday, it will be a foot race.

Went out on my bike from home this morning. My plan was to vet an OTNT street course I'm working on, but it quickly became apparent I did not dress warm enough -- at least my hands. My fingers got cold quickly. I put on another layer after a few minutes, but it was too late. I'ts amazing how quickly they got so cold. Once I got home it took me about 3 minutes to get my helmet off because my fingers would not cooperate. Will try again soon.

Walked along with my son and the TC Unicycle Club in the Winter Carnival Parade today.

Thought about doing the Securian half this weekend. Registration deadline is at midnight, ie two hours from now. But with chance of snow that day I don't think I will bother. I can run slow in the snow near home for free.

Event: MNOC - Cleary Lake Regional Park
 

Run around the neighborhood. Couldn't resist a little bushwhacking down near Energy Park. Always wondered if their were any trails back along the railroad tracks. There are surprisingly few, but I did find an abandoned track and followed that. There is still more things to be explored in that area between Como and Energy Park, but probably not too interesting for Urban O.

Major accomplishment tonight: Finally made it across the low wire (aka tight rope) for the first time. It's only 3 feet off the ground, and maybe 15 feet long, but I never made across before. Almost feels semi/sorta natural.

Also Spanish Web and mini tramp.

C • congratulations!....serious... 4

Hills

If I had a goal for training last year, it was to work on endurance. I did a little data mining in my AP logs to see how many minutes, each year, I spent on activities that were over 2 hours long. The results:

2008: 1629 minutes
2009: 1535
2010: 2150
2011: 2799

There was a nice big increase each of the last two years.

This year, I need to keep that up, and start working on speed and hills. A tall order. Once again contemplating a trail marathon this summer, but want to be sure I can finish it competently.

C • nice ramp up....lots of tra... 3

I wanted to get in something like a half marathon this month. My plan was to do a 10 mile snowshoe race at Murphy next weekend, but the family calendar is not going to allow that. Since today was supposed to be the warmest day of the week, I decided on a whim to do 13.1 or bust. My right Achilles was feeling tired toward the end so I started to slow down and walked in the last mile. Otherwise it was a nice run. Good day to be outside.

This was an "unsupported" run of course. I didn't carry any food or fluid, so I stopped at a gas station for a couple small bottle of juice about half way. I probably would have finished stronger if I had consumed more along the way.

I called it a trail run because much of the run was on grass and gravel -- and most of the other places I went would be avoided by any self respecting road runner.

Noticed something interesting the GPS track. At mile 6 I crossed the Mississippi and the GPS "thinks" I went down to the river to cross, when actually I was up high on the Franklin bridge (of course). Why is that?

C • hmmmm 2

C • Awesome run! 2

Trampoline and Spanish Web.

Long days at work will me little or not time to work out this week.

Warm up

10k at Whitetail Ridge Mt Bike trails

This was supposed to be a snowshoe race, but due to lack of snow became a regular trail race. Small crowd, but a well organized event. The course was icy in most places, so going up and down was slow. Some of the flat spots were slow too, but others were clear. Would have been a good day to own ice bugs. While my heart rate was high most of the time, I defintely could have run harder if the ice would have allowed. Otherwise a great race.

That said, the winner came in under 37 minutes I think. I should have looked to see what he had on his feet. It is hard to imagine he ran that fast without some sort of studs on his shoes. Incredible either way.

(It was supposed to be a 10k, so a half mile short)

I brought my bike to ride afterwards, but it was too icy for me.

Good workout tonight. Got the heart pumping first doing jump rope. First time to try jumping one rope normally while two other people were swinging another rope that I jumped at the same time. Also did triple trapeze. I worked up enough courage to do a high cradle tonight. Not particularly difficult, but scary to be hanging upside down so high under my own power.

Short snowshoe in anticipation of 10k race on Saturday. There may not be any snow, but the race is to go on. I may do it just as training for the the 10 miler I want to do in a couple weeks -- and to support the bike trail association that maintains the trails (Whitetail Ridge in River Falls, WI). But still haven't decided for sure.

Achilles and lower calves were tight. I suppose this was lingering effect of O' and bike on Saturday.

Alternating laps with my wife and playing with my daughter at MCC.

I've always liked the water, but never been much of a swimmer. 15 laps with lots of rest time between them gives me even more respect for those of you that can swim long distances. When I think of the mile swim that Ian and his wife did across WBL when the wind and waves were intense (by MN standards), I just can't imagine doing that.

C • ...and its the ONLY enduran... 5

Went with a neighbor family to Hidden Falls park for campfire dinner. We built the fire just below the falls, then roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. The kids threw icicles in the water and played in the little bit of snow. Although it was a cold evening, we stayed warm and there were no complaints. Nice moon and a few stars were visible through the misty clouds.

C • sounds magical 1