Training Log Archive: AliCIn the 29 days ending Feb 29, 2012:
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Wednesday Feb 29, 2012 #
Note
(sick)
Day 2 of actually taking care of myself (i.e. sleeping a bunch, not working out, not traveling between or across continents). I think I'm feeling better today? On antibiotics round 2....
Strength 8:00 [1]
Push ups and hammies. Because I don't think they stress the body so much as aerobic stuff and at least give me the illusion of doing something helpful for training...
Note
Some French vocab leftovers:
le chasse-neige - snowplow (vehicle) *and* snowplow (motion on skis)
damer - to groom
la dameuse - groomer
damé - groomed
panais - parsnip
top cinq - top five (they use top this way!)
préparer les bagages - to pack
les tous petits - the littlest kids
le chasse-neige - snowplow (vehicle) *and* snowplow (motion on skis)
damer - to groom
la dameuse - groomer
damé - groomed
panais - parsnip
top cinq - top five (they use top this way!)
préparer les bagages - to pack
les tous petits - the littlest kids
Monday Feb 27, 2012 #
Note
(sick)
Back stateside! Although illness has been staging a comeback since the marathon- way sore throat that made it unfun to breathe in air while trying to sleep last night and now have that one-ear-painfully-clogged thing going on from the airplane.
Plan: Take care of self next few days, hope to not need round 2 of antibiotics....
Plan: Take care of self next few days, hope to not need round 2 of antibiotics....
Sunday Feb 26, 2012 #
XC skiing 1:50:00 [4]
1ère Marathon du Grand Bec
Hm, not oodles of time to write at the moment (have to get ready to take the night train to Paris!), but the marathon today went well, if not amazingly. First lap was in the lead women's pack, which was 2 women with suits from the Haute Savoie Nordique team and 3-4 guys. Kept with the pack for the flat 7km of the 2nd lap, then pow! one girl just took off. Hm, ok, I can't quite go that speed.... so let her go.
Pack remained with the rest of us, then I thought they were going too slow up the hill, so I passed and was leading. Then we crested, and turns out my skis did not run well in the now-melting snow. Boo. So couldn't keep up on the downs/flats with the other girl and 2 guys who went with her.
Turns out first woman is currently on the French team, Aurelie or Emilie Simion? And the second was last year, Emilie Vina, but this year is doing the marathon circuit. I think I could have gotten Emilie, except for the past week's illness (hopefully won't come back from this...) and my skis not having nearly enough structure. And probably FC10 instead of 8 would have been good too....
Still fun, enjoyed it, and won 100 euro, woo!
Hm, not oodles of time to write at the moment (have to get ready to take the night train to Paris!), but the marathon today went well, if not amazingly. First lap was in the lead women's pack, which was 2 women with suits from the Haute Savoie Nordique team and 3-4 guys. Kept with the pack for the flat 7km of the 2nd lap, then pow! one girl just took off. Hm, ok, I can't quite go that speed.... so let her go.
Pack remained with the rest of us, then I thought they were going too slow up the hill, so I passed and was leading. Then we crested, and turns out my skis did not run well in the now-melting snow. Boo. So couldn't keep up on the downs/flats with the other girl and 2 guys who went with her.
Turns out first woman is currently on the French team, Aurelie or Emilie Simion? And the second was last year, Emilie Vina, but this year is doing the marathon circuit. I think I could have gotten Emilie, except for the past week's illness (hopefully won't come back from this...) and my skis not having nearly enough structure. And probably FC10 instead of 8 would have been good too....
Still fun, enjoyed it, and won 100 euro, woo!
C • Wow! 5
Saturday Feb 25, 2012 #
1 PM
XC skiing 1:16:28 11.61 mi (6:35 / mi) +292m 6:07 / mi
ahr:147 max:169
Woo, and back in France! Arrived to Lyon last night, and got to go to bed well before 6am, awesome. But woke up and head is all blocked up, still ill, boo.
Anyways, we drove along with the rest of France (vacances scolaires maintenant) from Lyon to La Féclaz. After settling into the chalet here, went for a ski with Frederic, starting from the finish stadium of WOC. Cool to be back and see it in snow!
I took it really easy since I had a bit of a headache and nose was all stuffy, but it was a super gorgeous day, could have been T-shirt skiing! We did the red loop from the stadium <> and then joined up and did the red loop from Crolles <> . I didn't recognize too much from orienteering, although at one point there was a really giant pit in the ground, must be one of the big ones on one of the maps!
Anyways, we drove along with the rest of France (vacances scolaires maintenant) from Lyon to La Féclaz. After settling into the chalet here, went for a ski with Frederic, starting from the finish stadium of WOC. Cool to be back and see it in snow!
I took it really easy since I had a bit of a headache and nose was all stuffy, but it was a super gorgeous day, could have been T-shirt skiing! We did the red loop from the stadium <
3 PM
XC skiing 38:20 4.11 mi (9:20 / mi) +111m 8:36 / mi
ahr:129 max:152
Back out with Severine around la boucle bleu, helping her with technique. Her V1 looks way better than in the past, but she doesn't have the other techniques at all. Then scampered back and took some pictures, these mountains are so amazing!
Thursday Feb 23, 2012 #
6 PM
Cycling 1:00:00 [1]
Booooring, but the legs got their workout in. Was thinking of some intervals, but throat infection is still sticking in there, so decided best not to push it. Last night of observing for me tonight, should end up back in French ski land at the end of tomorrow!
Wednesday Feb 22, 2012 #
1 PM
Strength 14:03 [1]
Weird, couldn't sleep in the morning despite staying up all night, finally fell asleep ~7, up at 1045. Did some abs before first meal.
5 PM
Cycling 50:21
Feeling a bit better, so exercise bike times. Really the only option up here for the winter. Well, with studded shoes/mountain boots I could probably make it up to the Pico Veleta, but I'm not sure they'd let me, bah.
Anyways, just 15 min warm up and down with 10 x 1 min on, 1 min off. Turned the resistance all the way up for the 'on', it's a pretty wimpy bike... ah well!
Anyways, just 15 min warm up and down with 10 x 1 min on, 1 min off. Turned the resistance all the way up for the 'on', it's a pretty wimpy bike... ah well!
Strength 6:43 [1]
3 x 25 pushups
3 x 15,15 hammies
And while brushing my hair afterwards, saw this guy out the window, cool!
3 x 15,15 hammies
And while brushing my hair afterwards, saw this guy out the window, cool!
Tuesday Feb 21, 2012 #
Note
(sick)
And made it to the mountain! Now on the shoulder of Pico Veleta at the 30m telescope, gorgeous sunny day. Getting here is much different in the winter than in the summer, you still drive up from Granada, but then park at the ski center parking lot. Next you hop on the gondola for most of the way up the mountain, and then the final stage: SnowCat! Very cool, haven't ever been in one of those before! This one had an added-on 10 passenger cabin and some of the ascents were quite steep, attempted to not awkwardly smush into the guy downhill from me.
I'm observing here as part of the pool, which means that everyone puts their projects in, and then those best matching the current weather conditions (the higher frequency ~0.8mm projects require much less water vapour in the atmosphere to be feasible than those down at 3mm) and the visibility of the objects are actually observed. Generally, it uses the telescope much more effectively and everybody is happy. Although, someone will always be unhappy, because any given winter the weather will be more suited to some set of projects than others. In any case, today, as a reward for actually coming up here, I get to observe part of my own program, so pretty psyched about that, here we go HNC in early-type galaxies! (My objects are all observable overnight though, so means I'm stuck with the 22h-6h shift... ah well.)
And yep, illness made last night pretty unfun. Calling in anti-biotical reinforcements...
I'm observing here as part of the pool, which means that everyone puts their projects in, and then those best matching the current weather conditions (the higher frequency ~0.8mm projects require much less water vapour in the atmosphere to be feasible than those down at 3mm) and the visibility of the objects are actually observed. Generally, it uses the telescope much more effectively and everybody is happy. Although, someone will always be unhappy, because any given winter the weather will be more suited to some set of projects than others. In any case, today, as a reward for actually coming up here, I get to observe part of my own program, so pretty psyched about that, here we go HNC in early-type galaxies! (My objects are all observable overnight though, so means I'm stuck with the 22h-6h shift... ah well.)
And yep, illness made last night pretty unfun. Calling in anti-biotical reinforcements...
Monday Feb 20, 2012 #
Note
(sick)
Hmm, good recipe for being sick: sleep on a plane, then stay with a family with 2 babies and 2 parents that are all sick, have jetlagged nights, woken-up-by-babies mornings, then do a ski marathon....
So, currently sick and in Spain, about to head up to the telescope tomorrow morning. Hopefully won't need antibiotics, but the Bournaud's all had to, so hm. Will decide tomorrow. Luckily now have some with.
So, currently sick and in Spain, about to head up to the telescope tomorrow morning. Hopefully won't need antibiotics, but the Bournaud's all had to, so hm. Will decide tomorrow. Luckily now have some with.
Sunday Feb 19, 2012 #
9 AM
XC skiing 8:55 1.07 mi (8:21 / mi) +53m 7:14 / mi
ahr:127 max:151
XC skiing race 1:32:12 18.37 mi (5:01 / mi) +641m 4:32 / mi
ahr:164 max:173
Marathon de Mézanc
Woo, that was fun! Drove from Clermont early in the morning over to Mont Mézanc. Marathon was very low-key. We showed up, registered, and sauntered up to the start line. Frédéric grabbed a spot up front and then told me I should come up too. What me? With all the guys? Uhhh....
But it really was low-key, not so many guys that were faster than me, and after a the start I was ~12th, but still behind guys that were slower. Passed ~5 up to the 10k mark, was happy to note that my skis were gliding nice and fast, faster than others, woo flouros. I wouldn't have put them on, but Frédéric was, and I can't let him beat me just because he has faster skis...!
Anyways, at 10k, fumbled grabbing my ravitaillement of hot tea (vin chaud also on offer (!)) and was kind of alone for the next bit. Then came a bit of the course where you double backed on yourself. There was a lead pack of 5 (but turns out two of those were doing the 1 lap ~20k) then one guy, then me, then the guys I had passed. After that point, there was a long gradually up of maybe 2.5k of V2. Lovely. I caught the guy in front of me on that, then we skied around each other the rest of the race.
But it was pretty clear he was actually faster than me, each uphill he pulled away, and I gained it back on the downs/flats. With the course ending uphill, I knew he'd get me, so just used the fact that we could ski together to be faster overall. I made a point of passing the second lap on the gradual up, since he'd mostly been pulling me, and I knew I didn't have a hope on the V1-ups anyways.
Ended up in 5th dans la classe "scratch" which apparently means overall, for some unknown reason. Everyone was pretty curious who I was and happy to see a woman finish so far up. So did lots of explaining, or attempting to explain in French. Everyone was really friendly, and when they asked if I skied for the US, I explained that I was on the US ski-o team, and they actually understood what that was! =) Actually, one woman thought that was particularly cool and said I had to meet her daughter, who turns out to be none other than Fanny, of laBaguette's log fame. She's planning on doing ski-o next winter, despite there not really being a French team, because 2 races of the ski-o tour are in France, as are the military games, if I understood correctly!
So, great times. And more yummy food afterwards. Oh, and at the award ceremony 1) they made me speak, in French, in to a microphone to explain where I came from/what I was doing there 2) the women's award (gendered much?) was a little cookbook of french cheese recipes. I'm psyched actually though... must find replacements for cantal et comté aux Etats-Unis!
Results and photos (at bottom)
Woo, that was fun! Drove from Clermont early in the morning over to Mont Mézanc. Marathon was very low-key. We showed up, registered, and sauntered up to the start line. Frédéric grabbed a spot up front and then told me I should come up too. What me? With all the guys? Uhhh....
But it really was low-key, not so many guys that were faster than me, and after a the start I was ~12th, but still behind guys that were slower. Passed ~5 up to the 10k mark, was happy to note that my skis were gliding nice and fast, faster than others, woo flouros. I wouldn't have put them on, but Frédéric was, and I can't let him beat me just because he has faster skis...!
Anyways, at 10k, fumbled grabbing my ravitaillement of hot tea (vin chaud also on offer (!)) and was kind of alone for the next bit. Then came a bit of the course where you double backed on yourself. There was a lead pack of 5 (but turns out two of those were doing the 1 lap ~20k) then one guy, then me, then the guys I had passed. After that point, there was a long gradually up of maybe 2.5k of V2. Lovely. I caught the guy in front of me on that, then we skied around each other the rest of the race.
But it was pretty clear he was actually faster than me, each uphill he pulled away, and I gained it back on the downs/flats. With the course ending uphill, I knew he'd get me, so just used the fact that we could ski together to be faster overall. I made a point of passing the second lap on the gradual up, since he'd mostly been pulling me, and I knew I didn't have a hope on the V1-ups anyways.
Ended up in 5th dans la classe "scratch" which apparently means overall, for some unknown reason. Everyone was pretty curious who I was and happy to see a woman finish so far up. So did lots of explaining, or attempting to explain in French. Everyone was really friendly, and when they asked if I skied for the US, I explained that I was on the US ski-o team, and they actually understood what that was! =) Actually, one woman thought that was particularly cool and said I had to meet her daughter, who turns out to be none other than Fanny, of laBaguette's log fame. She's planning on doing ski-o next winter, despite there not really being a French team, because 2 races of the ski-o tour are in France, as are the military games, if I understood correctly!
So, great times. And more yummy food afterwards. Oh, and at the award ceremony 1) they made me speak, in French, in to a microphone to explain where I came from/what I was doing there 2) the women's award (gendered much?) was a little cookbook of french cheese recipes. I'm psyched actually though... must find replacements for cantal et comté aux Etats-Unis!
Results and photos (at bottom)
XC skiing 11:28 2.84 mi (4:02 / mi) +58m 3:48 / mi
ahr:104 max:159
Would have done a longer warm-down, but suspected I was getting sick (slightly sore throat in the morning) so curtailed.
3 PM
Note
Looong drive back to Paris, but vocab! (From past 2 days actually.)
canot à neige = snowmaking, maybe snowmaker
caravaneige = winter caravan camping spot, clever...
les lentilles souples = soft contact lenses
le ravitaillement = aid station
le cratère = crater (note, masculin!)
les courbatures = muscles stiffness
une congère = snowdrift
canot à neige = snowmaking, maybe snowmaker
caravaneige = winter caravan camping spot, clever...
les lentilles souples = soft contact lenses
le ravitaillement = aid station
le cratère = crater (note, masculin!)
les courbatures = muscles stiffness
une congère = snowdrift
Saturday Feb 18, 2012 #
11 AM
XC skiing 1:44:23 16.97 mi (6:09 / mi) +447m 5:41 / mi
ahr:144 max:169
Yay, out for a nice long, sunny ski with Frédéric from the Puy de Pertuyzat. He first had to show off how fast he could go up hills, right. I let him go, we're skiing a marathon tomorrow, after all! Then we had a nice peaceful ski, first around the black loop, then the two blues, and I did one more blue after he decided to go in. Something about tired legs from the Transjurassienne last week...
The snow was that suctiony wet newish stuff, so downhills transitions between shade and sun and vice versa were very tricky. But the sun and warmth made up for the slow snow, in my opinion.
The snow was that suctiony wet newish stuff, so downhills transitions between shade and sun and vice versa were very tricky. But the sun and warmth made up for the slow snow, in my opinion.
2 PM
XC skiing 29:49 4.01 mi (7:26 / mi) +154m 6:39 / mi
ahr:136 max:160
After a lunch of truffade (kinda like tartiflette, but with the cheese local to here, either Cantal ou St. Nectaire, mmmm potatoes and cheese.... ), I decided to take a short tourist loop on skis with my camera.
Headed back up to the Lac Pavin, which at ~6,000 years old, has the distinction of being the newest crater in France. It was apparently a maar-type explosion, so didn't seep out lava building a volcanic mountain, just kinda exploded where it was, sending debris all over the place and a huge hole that has since filled with water. Pretty cool.
Slideshow of photos from the day:
Headed back up to the Lac Pavin, which at ~6,000 years old, has the distinction of being the newest crater in France. It was apparently a maar-type explosion, so didn't seep out lava building a volcanic mountain, just kinda exploded where it was, sending debris all over the place and a huge hole that has since filled with water. Pretty cool.
Slideshow of photos from the day:
Friday Feb 17, 2012 #
11 AM
Running 38:52 4.41 mi (8:49 / mi) +124m 8:06 / mi
ahr:135 max:181
Noonies, french edition! Avec Frédéric, Pierre et Jared. Left from CEA, une petite boucle avec une seule montée, raced Frédéric up it, he did pretty well, not so much the other two... had to be short so we could make it back for pizza lunch.
Fun to be back in France, a good two days just working at the CEA, now in Clermont-Ferrand to go skiing for the weekend. French vocab of the day:
une éolienne - a windmill, maybe only the big modern ones, those were the ones out the window on the drive at least, and moulin is also windmill...
le refroidissement éolien - windchill, although Frédéric says this is more French-Canadian, in France they more likely say "le windchill"
le guy - mistletoe
unpuy puit - a well
Fun to be back in France, a good two days just working at the CEA, now in Clermont-Ferrand to go skiing for the weekend. French vocab of the day:
une éolienne - a windmill, maybe only the big modern ones, those were the ones out the window on the drive at least, and moulin is also windmill...
le refroidissement éolien - windchill, although Frédéric says this is more French-Canadian, in France they more likely say "le windchill"
le guy - mistletoe
un
C • puy 4
Wednesday Feb 15, 2012 #
3 PM
Running 48:02 6.27 mi (7:40 / mi) +61m 7:26 / mi
ahr:154 max:227
Deposited car at Alex's, absconded with ski bag (thanks thanks Alex!), and ran back to Somerville in time to pack bag with skis and grab T to Logan.
A nice run, a bunch along the river, think it was a decent route. Saw an 8 rowing on the Charles, guess that's one set of people who are very happy to have a mild winter!
A nice run, a bunch along the river, think it was a decent route. Saw an 8 rowing on the Charles, guess that's one set of people who are very happy to have a mild winter!
Tuesday Feb 14, 2012 #
7 PM
XC skiing race 30:15 6.99 mi (4:20 / mi) +3m 4:19 / mi
ahr:168 max:177
Yay! Got to do a Weston race, finally! Picked Brendan up at the commuter rail, then found my way to the wrong golf course, down some private road with a neverending sucession of speedbumps. Emerged and somehow Brendan's spider-sense/consulting of my really unhelpful GPS ended us up at the proper golf course, just in time to change, buy a pass and get to the race explanation.
I hadn't raced at Weston in a good 10+ years, I don't think, so this was new. A squiggly loop, in the dark, a flying mass start, 5 laps. Was in a pack of ~6-8 for the entirety of the race. A few were a bit annoying to ski around, knocking poles and such. After first lap or so, one guy flew off the front, but most of the pack stayed intact untill the last lap. I lead a few times, but was pretty gimpy up the might Mt. Weston. I think the right side was better and arms are the way forward.
Our pack exploded on the last lap, I didn't quite have it to stick up, only ended up ahead of 1 other who had been in the pack. Anyways, really good fun, wish I could do them more often!
I hadn't raced at Weston in a good 10+ years, I don't think, so this was new. A squiggly loop, in the dark, a flying mass start, 5 laps. Was in a pack of ~6-8 for the entirety of the race. A few were a bit annoying to ski around, knocking poles and such. After first lap or so, one guy flew off the front, but most of the pack stayed intact untill the last lap. I lead a few times, but was pretty gimpy up the might Mt. Weston. I think the right side was better and arms are the way forward.
Our pack exploded on the last lap, I didn't quite have it to stick up, only ended up ahead of 1 other who had been in the pack. Anyways, really good fun, wish I could do them more often!
XC skiing 19:15 2.61 mi (7:23 / mi) +3m 7:21 / mi
ahr:125 max:149
Hmm, bad move. Chatted too much before putting clothes on and became a popsicle.... or at least my hands lost their ability to circulate blood, so were pretty painfully cold.
Went out with Brendan for a few more laps (3), last one without poles so my hands could try to be convinced to be warm. Somewhere in the second lap or so actually worked out the intricate weaves of the race course and where I was when... didn't have so much of a clue while racing... =)
Went out with Brendan for a few more laps (3), last one without poles so my hands could try to be convinced to be warm. Somewhere in the second lap or so actually worked out the intricate weaves of the race course and where I was when... didn't have so much of a clue while racing... =)
Sunday Feb 12, 2012 #
11 AM
XC skiing (classic) 34:48 4.06 mi (8:34 / mi) +204m 7:25 / mi
ahr:137 max:158
Wow, and here is where winter has been hiding! Trapps was amazing, such great snow, although way bitterly cold. 4-5F most of the day?
Met up with Stephi for the end of her OD, with Ruth too. Nice to catch up, chat, here how the weekend's races and festivities went. Then went into the yurt, said hi to Ruff and Brayton. Brayton seems to be enjoying the dev team coaching job, but regrets that this is exactly the winter he choose to move back east... understandable!
Also, they both noted my classic boots are in a state of disrepair. Probably time to get new ones....
Met up with Stephi for the end of her OD, with Ruth too. Nice to catch up, chat, here how the weekend's races and festivities went. Then went into the yurt, said hi to Ruff and Brayton. Brayton seems to be enjoying the dev team coaching job, but regrets that this is exactly the winter he choose to move back east... understandable!
Also, they both noted my classic boots are in a state of disrepair. Probably time to get new ones....
XC skiing (classic) 37:25 3.62 mi (10:20 / mi) +279m 8:20 / mi
ahr:152 max:170
Trying to intercept Brendan on the Haul Road. But I choose to go straight up the Chute, and Ian and Brendan snuck by on the Bypass. Ah well. Made it all the way up to the cabin, went inside for just a smidge and said hi to Mike, Marie, Madde and Tim who were having some yummy looking soup.
XC skiing 9:14 2.45 mi (3:46 / mi) +23m 3:40 / mi
ahr:139 max:166
Weeeee! Down. Kinda racing because I figured I was the latest link preventing the Alex-Brendan mobile from returning to Boston. But then I saw Alex, phew.
Unfortunately, after I went straight inside, I touched my ear and felt frozen. Whoopsie... haven't gotten frostbite in awhile, and don't think this is bad, because it can only have been frozen a few minutes.
Unfortunately, after I went straight inside, I touched my ear and felt frozen. Whoopsie... haven't gotten frostbite in awhile, and don't think this is bad, because it can only have been frozen a few minutes.
2 PM
XC skiing (skate) 1:29:55 13.79 mi (6:31 / mi) +644m 5:42 / mi
ahr:154 max:171
And out for a skate ski, cause the snow is just soooo delightful, who could resist?
A loop around the Maze, saw Ken, then went up Owl's Howl, down Oslo, up Bobcat, around on Hare Line, down the 40 year trail (new name?), over on Fox whatever back around on Telemark, then in. A good ski, but hot cocoa number 2 was definitely required upon return!
A loop around the Maze, saw Ken, then went up Owl's Howl, down Oslo, up Bobcat, around on Hare Line, down the 40 year trail (new name?), over on Fox whatever back around on Telemark, then in. A good ski, but hot cocoa number 2 was definitely required upon return!
Saturday Feb 11, 2012 #
11 AM
XC skiing 1:00:00 [2]
Skittering about at Blueberry Lake, around 1-2-3-4. Icy times, but fun to see everyone out and about skiing! I intended to try to coach a bit, but technique kinda goes out the window when you're just trying to stay upright, so figured not the best time... Did a few laps of the meadow 3 and the inner 4 with Brendan, those bits weren't so bad!
1 PM
Note
Lunch time! All around the big table at Lenard's (owner/operator of Blueberry Lake, who taught me to skate ski when I was little). Good to see Lenard, still going strong, out skiing most days, and saw him on the snowmobile grooming even as we left. I really hope I'm so active at that age!
2 PM
XC skiing 1:15:00
And to the other side of the road. Meadow ski then to 11 with Brendan, where I tried some off-trail adventuring in the spirit of ski-o. Almost ate it once. Then we did the upper meadow bit and over to 8, which was really quite pleasant. Second time around I decided to do some intervalling and went up hill fast. Hardish! Finished with a meadow loop, farlek-style.
Good day and ended by swinging by the Becky-Rob-Sarah discovered Warren Store of amazing-smelling soup. Cheese and yummy chocolate acquired. But a good lunch spot to remember for future Blueberry Lake skiing!!
Good day and ended by swinging by the Becky-Rob-Sarah discovered Warren Store of amazing-smelling soup. Cheese and yummy chocolate acquired. But a good lunch spot to remember for future Blueberry Lake skiing!!
Thursday Feb 9, 2012 #
7 AM
Rollerskiing intervals 1:08:42 10.43 mi (6:35 / mi) +290m 6:04 / mi
ahr:143 max:176
Hill intervals up the backside of the double bump 4 x 4.20ish. Nice sunny morning, but sad to be back on rollerskis. I don't think I've often rollerskied in February... Still, skiing to look forward to this weekend, woo!
Wednesday Feb 8, 2012 #
5 PM
Running 46:24 5.45 mi (8:31 / mi) +69m 8:11 / mi
ahr:132 max:153
Run in twilight and post-twilight around extended Emily Dickinson. Felt a bit slumpy all day, suppose a bit of jetlag/recovery from last week at work. Was definitely dark by the end, a biker with a bright light nearly blinded me on the bike path.
Strength 8:19 0.33 mi (25:12 / mi)
ahr:100 max:140
And back to it, 3 x 25 pushups, 3 x 15, 15, 15 hammies. Hammies felt more sore than the arms, suppose I used my arms more last week!
Tuesday Feb 7, 2012 #
12 PM
Running 41:05 5.24 mi (7:50 / mi) +134m 7:16 / mi
ahr:148 max:175
Noonie run around Puffer's Pond with Sanjay, Aaron, and Rob. Chat of ski-o, then trail running. Aaron disappeared to go do a 15 miler further down the Robert Frost, not for me today though!
Drills 6:51 0.45 mi (15:14 / mi)
ahr:145 max:162
Anti-injury drills... hoppity hop.
Monday Feb 6, 2012 #
Note
(rest day)
Back east, after sleeping 4h SMF -> ATL and 2h ATL -> BOS. Rest day for sure!
Sunday Feb 5, 2012 #
9 AM
XC skiing warm up/down 23:12 3.75 mi (6:11 / mi) +15m 6:07 / mi
ahr:129 max:147
Ski-O race 9:11 [4] ***
8c
US Champs Sprint at Auburn
Good race, not tricked by anything this time, skied hard and found things. One route choice maybe wasn't optimal, perhaps climbed more, but I avoided the junction I had messed up at last time.
Won by just 7 seconds over Hana Hancikova (CZE), our splits are very even all the way through. Swedes and Russians were mostly absent today, so not those top ladies to try to chase down...
Good race, not tricked by anything this time, skied hard and found things. One route choice maybe wasn't optimal, perhaps climbed more, but I avoided the junction I had messed up at last time.
Won by just 7 seconds over Hana Hancikova (CZE), our splits are very even all the way through. Swedes and Russians were mostly absent today, so not those top ladies to try to chase down...
10 AM
Ski-O race 13:02 2.39 mi (5:27 / mi) +93m 4:52 / mi
ahr:163 max:177 12c
And went back out to race around the Blue course, except, whoops, mispunched on the butterfly!!! Guard was down, because first glance saw a line connecting 10 to the central butterfly control, so planned that route and when time came to execute only had a quick look again, saw the line, and went for it. Actually that line was connecting the control before the loop to the central control, and I should have gone elsewhere, whoopsie!!!
Still, I did take the first good route choice, using a cut to #1, so half happy about that.
Still, I did take the first good route choice, using a cut to #1, so half happy about that.
Saturday Feb 4, 2012 #
XC skiing warm up/down 25:00 [1]
Some warm-up, down, skiing over from car, up and down the hill...
Ski-O 40:19 [4] ***
21c
US Champs Middle + WRE
Well, a pretty good race, but had one mistake just at the end that was pretty painful, almost 1.5 minutes. Still 5 minutes back to the winners, or 3.5 without that mistake though, which is just tons. Looking at the splits, I'm just pretty consistently losing time. When I reran the course, and knew where I was going, was pretty similar, so I think it's probably they're just moving way faster on those little trails, not really route choice or the little map hesitations.
1 - Good, big trail til the little one, was slipping on my non-sharp edges rock skis though.
2 - Pretty confident out of 1 down to 2.
3 - About faced and back up to big trail, the right route choice.
4 - Won this split, woo!! Made a good cut after coming out to the big trail
5 - And not good. Intended to cut out quickly to big trail, kinda failed and was confused when I came out, had to figure out why the junction had 4 trails instead of 3, oh, because I'm *there*!
6 - Went around on big trails, maybe a cut would have been faster?
7 - Fine
8 - Hesitant, then saw control on right.
9 - Uphill
10 - Effectively cut down to the center butterfly control
11 - Oooh, heading into the maze, did ok, although was done 45s faster by Anastasia
12 - Very hesitant, I blame not seeing the trail directly under the red line, ever. So nothing made sense, and I decided just to go to the fence corner, ran into control on the way.
13 - Alex in sight! Chasing up the little trail, then too into chasing her to take the cut to 13, bah
14 - Up hill, chasing down Marie-Cat along the way, Alex still ahead....
15 - More or less right on Alex-tails now, she took the smart route (I tried a different one on re-run, which was slower) of little trails more or less direct. She did one different choice along the way and I got ahead.
16 - And now I'm being chased by Alex. Makes me very focused and I definitely speed up too, trying to get away.
17 - We take different choices, mine worked out better, now a German guy ahead.
18 - Hesitant, missed seeing one little trail junction so became scared.
19 - Ug. Painful! Cruised out to big trail, made first junciton just fine, then was planning rest of my route when I came to the next big trial 4 way junction, and I went the wrong way, thinking the most uphill one was the way I wanted to go, actually, I wanted to sail straight through according to plan.... 1 minute 30s lost here? Still wouldn't have been 3rd, but much much closer
20 - Moment of confusion at junction, didn't cut at all
21 - To the finish, more or less, kept focused
Well, a pretty good race, but had one mistake just at the end that was pretty painful, almost 1.5 minutes. Still 5 minutes back to the winners, or 3.5 without that mistake though, which is just tons. Looking at the splits, I'm just pretty consistently losing time. When I reran the course, and knew where I was going, was pretty similar, so I think it's probably they're just moving way faster on those little trails, not really route choice or the little map hesitations.
1 - Good, big trail til the little one, was slipping on my non-sharp edges rock skis though.
2 - Pretty confident out of 1 down to 2.
3 - About faced and back up to big trail, the right route choice.
4 - Won this split, woo!! Made a good cut after coming out to the big trail
5 - And not good. Intended to cut out quickly to big trail, kinda failed and was confused when I came out, had to figure out why the junction had 4 trails instead of 3, oh, because I'm *there*!
6 - Went around on big trails, maybe a cut would have been faster?
7 - Fine
8 - Hesitant, then saw control on right.
9 - Uphill
10 - Effectively cut down to the center butterfly control
11 - Oooh, heading into the maze, did ok, although was done 45s faster by Anastasia
12 - Very hesitant, I blame not seeing the trail directly under the red line, ever. So nothing made sense, and I decided just to go to the fence corner, ran into control on the way.
13 - Alex in sight! Chasing up the little trail, then too into chasing her to take the cut to 13, bah
14 - Up hill, chasing down Marie-Cat along the way, Alex still ahead....
15 - More or less right on Alex-tails now, she took the smart route (I tried a different one on re-run, which was slower) of little trails more or less direct. She did one different choice along the way and I got ahead.
16 - And now I'm being chased by Alex. Makes me very focused and I definitely speed up too, trying to get away.
17 - We take different choices, mine worked out better, now a German guy ahead.
18 - Hesitant, missed seeing one little trail junction so became scared.
19 - Ug. Painful! Cruised out to big trail, made first junciton just fine, then was planning rest of my route when I came to the next big trial 4 way junction, and I went the wrong way, thinking the most uphill one was the way I wanted to go, actually, I wanted to sail straight through according to plan.... 1 minute 30s lost here? Still wouldn't have been 3rd, but much much closer
20 - Moment of confusion at junction, didn't cut at all
21 - To the finish, more or less, kept focused
11 AM
Ski-O 38:51 5.82 mi (6:41 / mi) +119m 6:17 / mi
ahr:164 max:180 21c
And went back out for a re-run. With punching. Wanted to see if I could speed way up knowing where everything is. Turns out, no. The snow was a bit slower for sure, but my times are remarkably even with my first run, except for the original run mistake to 5 and 19 and the rerun mistake (bad route) to 15 and execution to 16.
The fast girls have just got to be doing something faster to move forward on those little trails. Must practice that!
The fast girls have just got to be doing something faster to move forward on those little trails. Must practice that!
2 PM
Ski-O 12:54 [2] 1.26 mi (10:14 / mi) +48m 9:09 / mi
5c
Control pickup!
Friday Feb 3, 2012 #
Note
So, after the sprint relay was the World Cup award ceremony. First, happy reflections from both head of ski-o commission and vice pres of IOF on how great it was to have a ski-o WC in North America. So many major props to the folks who have made it all happen here, Greg, Ken, Ed, Tony, our amazingly helpful IOF advisors Marku and Antti and then just absolutely every one else who had pitched in.
Then, there were awards. And they call up the top 6, which meant I got to go up there on stage which was just very cool! Pretty sure I was glowing =)
Here's a picture from going up for the 4th place in the long:
Then, there were awards. And they call up the top 6, which meant I got to go up there on stage which was just very cool! Pretty sure I was glowing =)
Here's a picture from going up for the 4th place in the long:
C • podium 15
9 AM
XC skiing warm up/down 10:00 [1]
Oooh, chilly morning, started my warm up in my down parka...
Ski-O 8:00 [3]
9c
WC Sprint Relay - Leg 1
Sprint relays are fun, and this was a blast on little trails/cutting on crust. So lotsa fun times out there. This leg went well, few bobbles, but think I made up some time.
1 - Totally fumbled the map grab off the pole, it was scurrying away from me on the ground and had to go fetch, bah. Maybe two hands is best. After that, big trail and some good cutting using the school fence to guide me.
2,3 - Used little trails.
4 - Used little trails for a bit, then might have cut, kinda forget....
5 - Used little trails.
6 - Ah! mess of little trails. Went in right, but lost confidence, then control was where I wanted it...
7 - Went through the junction I hate, almost went up the wrong trail.
8 - Easy.
9 - Downhill!
Sprint relays are fun, and this was a blast on little trails/cutting on crust. So lotsa fun times out there. This leg went well, few bobbles, but think I made up some time.
1 - Totally fumbled the map grab off the pole, it was scurrying away from me on the ground and had to go fetch, bah. Maybe two hands is best. After that, big trail and some good cutting using the school fence to guide me.
2,3 - Used little trails.
4 - Used little trails for a bit, then might have cut, kinda forget....
5 - Used little trails.
6 - Ah! mess of little trails. Went in right, but lost confidence, then control was where I wanted it...
7 - Went through the junction I hate, almost went up the wrong trail.
8 - Easy.
9 - Downhill!
Ski-O 9:00 [3]
WC Sprint Relay - Leg 2
Eh, weakest leg, fine through the beginning then kinda not so good right towards the end...
1 - Stayed on big trail then cut, think it was a pretty good option.
2 - Uphill little trail. Tried to channel uphill narrow trail fiestiness, unsure if I managed.
3 - Don't think I cut this, maybe would have been a good idea?
4 - Easy
5 - Eep, skied to far on the solid trail, relocated via big boulder, not a good route at all!
6 - Uphill narrow trail again!
7 - Real bad. Went down wrong trail, came out and saw a control, not mine. Figure I'm on the trail to the left, so look right, don't see a control, hmmmm then where in the world am I? Back track, go find a trail, oh, it was right there where I looked, I blame the control being in the shadow, really no good. As I'm fiddling with punching, Alex comes, and I nearly stab her with my pole.
8 - Headless chicken, I attempted to go to the goal control first. Alex passes me, because headless chickens are not fast at ski-o.
9 - Trying to catch up lost time skiing fast...
Eh, weakest leg, fine through the beginning then kinda not so good right towards the end...
1 - Stayed on big trail then cut, think it was a pretty good option.
2 - Uphill little trail. Tried to channel uphill narrow trail fiestiness, unsure if I managed.
3 - Don't think I cut this, maybe would have been a good idea?
4 - Easy
5 - Eep, skied to far on the solid trail, relocated via big boulder, not a good route at all!
6 - Uphill narrow trail again!
7 - Real bad. Went down wrong trail, came out and saw a control, not mine. Figure I'm on the trail to the left, so look right, don't see a control, hmmmm then where in the world am I? Back track, go find a trail, oh, it was right there where I looked, I blame the control being in the shadow, really no good. As I'm fiddling with punching, Alex comes, and I nearly stab her with my pole.
8 - Headless chicken, I attempted to go to the goal control first. Alex passes me, because headless chickens are not fast at ski-o.
9 - Trying to catch up lost time skiing fast...
Ski-O race 8:00 [3]
WC Sprint Relay - Leg 3
And the guys stayed in more or less the same order, so I started 20 seconds behind Alex, time to chase!
So, was chasing 1-2-3, then we had different routes to 4, basically punched right behind her there. Right on Alex tails to 5, and then 6, was kinda contemplating when I might try to pass, when she turned down the wrong trail, ok, time to go!
From 6, we both took different routes to 7, I went around to left, Alex cut, around to left was a bit faster, it was uphill and kinda tree-y I think. Then we both didn't cut to 8 and should have, based on Sonne's report later, but managed fine and then did cut to 9 although was slightly off right at the end.
Fiestely sprinted in through 10 and 11 from there. With DQ's we came in 11th, but there were a fair few DQs, you have to punch right on relays!!
And the guys stayed in more or less the same order, so I started 20 seconds behind Alex, time to chase!
So, was chasing 1-2-3, then we had different routes to 4, basically punched right behind her there. Right on Alex tails to 5, and then 6, was kinda contemplating when I might try to pass, when she turned down the wrong trail, ok, time to go!
From 6, we both took different routes to 7, I went around to left, Alex cut, around to left was a bit faster, it was uphill and kinda tree-y I think. Then we both didn't cut to 8 and should have, based on Sonne's report later, but managed fine and then did cut to 9 although was slightly off right at the end.
Fiestely sprinted in through 10 and 11 from there. With DQ's we came in 11th, but there were a fair few DQs, you have to punch right on relays!!
Thursday Feb 2, 2012 #
8 AM
XC skiing warm up/down 20:00 [1]
Warm up and down, back and forth, back and forth. Stressed a smidge about ski choice, but went with ski-o skis that are allowed to get scratched, cover was reported to be thin. Melted some fluoros in after Alex had an emergency chat with CSU's head waxing guru. Glad we did, conditions were certainly abrasive out there!!
9 AM
Ski-O race 47:23 ***
18c
World Cup Middle @ Tahoe XC
And 5th with a good race behind Tove A. (SWE), Josefine E. (SWE), Milka L. (FIN) and Anastaysiya S. (RUS). I'm happy I did pretty well on a more technical, less physical course. There were lots of small trails and they were icy and fast, so hard to negotiate even if you weren't also trying to look at your map. Since the snow level is low, the small trails also didn't stand out much and you had to be looking hard for them all the time.
Wasn't a perfectly clean race for me, but today's errors were in route choice as opposed to execution, which is a better feeling. I had two 30s mistakes when I chose to cut and it wasn't a good idea, and then maybe one 20s mistake not opting to go around on the big trail.
I skied rather cautiously after yesterday's junction issue, and did always maintain good contact, even though it meant coming to a full stop at least 5 times or so. Also did some serious map-grabbing with the right hand on the small detailed stuff. Unsure how you are supposed to remain not-falling-over and read the map at the same time, but the top girls just must be!!
So that's the last individual World Cup out here, but the sprint relay is tomorrow, I'll be paired with Adrian and Alex with Nikolay. Carl Fey and Chelsea F. will be USA Team #3, with an unofficial team of John Owens and Sonne too.
Also, I think we had 3 F21s come within ~1 minute on the US Champs long course: Kseniya, Yekaterina, Stina, very cool to have other women out and about doing some good ski-oing!
And 5th with a good race behind Tove A. (SWE), Josefine E. (SWE), Milka L. (FIN) and Anastaysiya S. (RUS). I'm happy I did pretty well on a more technical, less physical course. There were lots of small trails and they were icy and fast, so hard to negotiate even if you weren't also trying to look at your map. Since the snow level is low, the small trails also didn't stand out much and you had to be looking hard for them all the time.
Wasn't a perfectly clean race for me, but today's errors were in route choice as opposed to execution, which is a better feeling. I had two 30s mistakes when I chose to cut and it wasn't a good idea, and then maybe one 20s mistake not opting to go around on the big trail.
I skied rather cautiously after yesterday's junction issue, and did always maintain good contact, even though it meant coming to a full stop at least 5 times or so. Also did some serious map-grabbing with the right hand on the small detailed stuff. Unsure how you are supposed to remain not-falling-over and read the map at the same time, but the top girls just must be!!
So that's the last individual World Cup out here, but the sprint relay is tomorrow, I'll be paired with Adrian and Alex with Nikolay. Carl Fey and Chelsea F. will be USA Team #3, with an unofficial team of John Owens and Sonne too.
Also, I think we had 3 F21s come within ~1 minute on the US Champs long course: Kseniya, Yekaterina, Stina, very cool to have other women out and about doing some good ski-oing!
4 PM
Running 20:30 [2]
Joggeroo with Alex around the neighborhood, dropped by Greg's, chatted wtih Marku and Kestrel for smidge, then met John and Adrian on our way back, friendly run!
Wednesday Feb 1, 2012 #
8 AM
XC skiing warm up/down 10:00 [1]
Loops of warm up around the allowed area before quarantine. Felt fine!
9 AM
Ski-O 14:39 [4] ***
9c
Sprint World Cup @ Auburn Ski Club
Oooh, that's a bit painful. Was doing quite well through the beginning- in 3rd place at control #6, and then mega-mistake. Ended up on the wrong trail out of a junction and then complete confusion ensued, had to relocate by how far away I was from the road.
I immediately knew that it was a race-ending mistake, so heart sank, but then time to figure it out, and finish the gosh-darn race. So I did, although in the process, didn't give enough respect to #8 and took the blatantly wrong route choice, maybe only slightly longer distance, but 2 extra contours, no good.
A good thing- on the hardest uphill leg, only 1 second behind Tove A., race winner of both today and the long. I have the ski speed, just gotta but the ski and the o together a bit better...
Ok, so that's that, tomorrow's another day, and this stuff is fun, glad we have 4 more races!
Oooh, that's a bit painful. Was doing quite well through the beginning- in 3rd place at control #6, and then mega-mistake. Ended up on the wrong trail out of a junction and then complete confusion ensued, had to relocate by how far away I was from the road.
I immediately knew that it was a race-ending mistake, so heart sank, but then time to figure it out, and finish the gosh-darn race. So I did, although in the process, didn't give enough respect to #8 and took the blatantly wrong route choice, maybe only slightly longer distance, but 2 extra contours, no good.
A good thing- on the hardest uphill leg, only 1 second behind Tove A., race winner of both today and the long. I have the ski speed, just gotta but the ski and the o together a bit better...
Ok, so that's that, tomorrow's another day, and this stuff is fun, glad we have 4 more races!
XC skiing 8:00 [1]
Warm down, with Alex, kinda feeling sorry for myself... but snapped out of it at some point.