Training Log Archive: AliC

10-ish k

Race was 2 x 4k loop, so skied it once with Stephi to see the course, then half of it to warm-up, then 4k with Stephi and Trina Hosmer (first time really meeting her) to cool down. A nice course, up up up for 1k to start with, then down/flat for 2k and then a bit back up to finish. Also ran into Angus McCusker while skiing the first course-checking loop, he's now working in VT doing mapping for the state gov.

Oh, and Ike Tucker who is back from France, attending UVM, but not racing for them because of NCAA issues. Also ran into Marilyn and Adam who are other Ole's skiers, they were just back from cyclocross nationals in Bend. And Carol Van Dyke and met Steph's friend Ruth. So great to see people!

C • Both your first two names a... 3

8k Race at Bolton (time is an estimate for now...)

Did not feel totally ready at the start, but then took off, and everything was pretty natural.... Turns out I do really remember how to ski! Went up steadily the first hill, felt the legs, but kept it going well, then the rest of the lap was easy. Second time up the big hill, hurt lots more, but knew I just really had to get to the top before lots of down, so made it without losing much momentum, think I paced it pretty well, despite the odd distance of 8k!

Stephi got a split that she was 5 second up on me after the first lap, but then I pulled ahead on the 2nd hill significantly, finishing about a minute up. We were 1-2 in the race though! And she won the U-23 category, which is cool- 6 seconds up on her next competitor. The fastest women were at the Eastern Cups in Presque Isle though, I definitely wouldn't have won if some of them were around....

Ski-O at Lapland Lake! 3rd year in a row I've done this, it's been lots of fun each time.

Things were going really well until some big mistakes on 12 and 13. For 12, I had a great simplification route plan, but took a wrong turn, really should have realized when I was going up hill significantly... For 13, mistook one little track after a mild bend for the little track after a big bend that I was looking for... kept skiing despite confusion, and ended up at 14 before figuing it all out... whoops!

A map board looks like a good idea...

Oh, and I managed to crunch my ankle while map-reading, going downhill, a little lump caught me by surprise. Think it's quite sensitive at the moment... That's a total of 4 days since the last time. I suppose I should keep track in some fashion- then I can see improvement when I have much bigger gaps between crunches.

C • Advantage of the adult course 2

Little classic ski after the race.

Helping pick up controls afterwards. Nice trails!

Run in 4-degree weather to my 8.15 am sports doc appointment.

There are no bone spurs in my ankle!!! Whew. The doc scared me slightly before the x-ray- he was worried as it's been around for over a year.

So, the recommendation is ankle strengthening and priopreceptor training. Toe raises are my friends especially, since that's the strength I need to prevent the crunch.

And, of course, I'm supposed to avoid crunching it. Nighttime trail runs are thus out, because I can't see where I'm putting my foot. Also snowy trail runs, for similar reasons. So that leaves road running, where I still will have to be careful, as my crunch running up Amity this Wed revealed... Plan get-ankle-better, go!

3mi tempo on the indoor track in "The Cage" with Todd.

Was actually supposed to be 4mi, but stomach wasn't a happy camper at 2.8, so just rounded out the 3. We alternated leads, I was first and third miles, Todd 2nd and then went on to do 4th alone.

Miles were: 6.05, 6.04, 6.10, fast but not killer, would have been good 4 mi tempo pace had the stomach cooperated... I blame the biggish lunch I had- the women astronomers went out together for lunch at a downtown restaurant. Nice to have very similar-speed company for the tempo!

Work -> Cage, then about 2 mi warm up, 1 mi warm down? Chatting away during warm-up + down. Run from work was super-duper chilly- only 1 layer of tights, but with down jacket on. Felt like a wimp but totally took up Todd's offer of a ride the 1 mi remaining home! Need to recover some sort of cold tolerance...

Indoor track vs. Treadmill

So, I'm unlikely to be able to ski on sort of a daily basis because while my boss is nice and will totally tolerate me leaving early to ski 1-2 times per week, 5 is not going to fly...Options for hard workouts include two things I don't like: The Treadmill and The Indoor Track.

The Treadmill:
Pros: change in gradient, lower impact, some variety in programs, can read some maps/work
Cons: boring, repetitive, no sense of motion, UMass gym membership ridiculously expensive

The Indoor Track:
Pros: can train with others!, feel like you're actually moving, free
Cons: also boring and repetitive, flat, have heard stores of repetitive use injuries with distance on indoor tracks

I actually liked the 0.1 mi track way more than I thought I was going to! Banked corners make a *big* difference. Still couldn't really do even speedier stuff though... I will likely keep up these tempo workouts, unless I find my body start to become unhappy about them. Don't think I'm going to renew the university gym membership next term, just not using it enough to be worth it... another gym right by my house is way cheaper.

C • gym 5

Amity Hills!

Hadn't done these in about a month, good to do them again. And, there was another gal for the first time- a PhD student in kinesology named Kate. She took off on the first hill, so I followed her up, she was decently quick, although faded on the next 2....

Also, ran in the new New Balance shoes for the first time. They are what the girl in the running store recommended for me- a 'stability' shoe she claimed, but has the phrase 'neutral cushion' under the number. They are 1063s. They felt pretty comfortable and noticeably lighter than the Ascics I have been running in (Nimbuses).

The bad news: an ankle crunch! While road running- argh! So that's a grand total of 7 days (minus a few hours) since the last crunch. Annoyed. Motivated to call to see the sports folks at the university health services now, meant to do that monday...

Jugglers Meadow loop with Sergio. Vetoed the trail running to avoid the ankle crunch, trying to give it a week with no crunching. This was a nice road run, especially the Jugglers Meadow stretch, a bit busy out on East Pleasant and back on 63, but not bad at around noontime. We ran pretty quickly actually. 6.40 pace, which is quicker than I ran just for the 10 min total on the treadmill yesterday...

Lab -> Totman -> Lab

After the run, we actually met up with Glenn and Barry who were just heading out to do a 12.30 noon-time lunch run (both groups missed noon today!) Haven't actually run with Barry yet, and Glenn only once. It's sort of a set of 6ish people that actually consistently come out, I think?

So much blah. Boring times in the gym, I really should remember to keep maps with me at all times for unplanned gym trips...

10 min wave
10 min treadmill
10 min elliptical