Training Log Archive: Rosstopher

Nice run this morning along commonwealth ave. Autumn is officially here, which means that running is colder but it smells nice. I personally don't smell nice, because even though it's cooler I still sweat in a rather unpleasantly profuse fashion, but the leaves have the deeply satisfying rake-into-piles-and-jump-in smell. Sam went off to run with Hill somewhere this morning but I think that the 50 minutes I did this morning represent about the perfect distance for me, and they are looking for something more around the 2 hr range. Still coughing up lot's of phlegm, so I can use that as an excuse right?

Went Apple picking with the Roommates and Hilly. Highlights include kettlecorn and apple turnovers plus really excellent raspberries. Oh and we picked some apples too, of course. Hilly is an apple-eating champion, so she was really dominating. Afterwards I fell asleep on the couch and Sam decided getting me up to go running was going to earn her only grumbling and grumpiness so she went out for a run and I continued my nap until it was fully dark outside.

C • sounds like a lovely day! 1

was really looking forward to some good exercise after work on Friday, but at 5, when I headed out to change into short for my trip home, I realized that I left my shorts at home. oh well, I took the T home and was disappointed to find that the Boston NOW daily paper had printed the wrong crossword puzzle with the days clues so I did the sudokus instead. I think that I will try to reverse engineer the puzzle by trying to solve the clues and then fit them into a framework.

Today I took a sick day, my throat still hurts from whatever sickness I picked up over the weekend, and it hurts a lot more in the morning when I made the decision not to bother going in to work. After breakfast I felt kinda like a wuss for not sucking it up and going in. I spent the next 8 hours cleaning the house and trying to organize my life ( I assume some sort of penance for my guilt at malingering) this gave me time to photocopy Jeff's map of the Newton Streets, and make some pizza crust. CSU training was attended by Pia, Lori, Brendan and Jeff. we got a late start and headlamps were necessary for map reading ( and also with some of the sidewalks too) I just followed Brendan which was hard enough in itself since he was running faster than I would have given the conditions, but it was really fun.

afterwards, there was much pizza 'sumption facilitated by the lovely Sam and Hilly and Judy.

C • pace 3

short run around the reservoir with Jenn. I felt pretty gross today with a sore throat that was unpleasant and made swallowing a chore. I went to work because I felt obligated to collect blood samples from all the experimental mice, and that gets done on wednesdays. Needless to say I felt a bit bitter about missing an opportunity to use a real sick day. after work went running with Jenn and then played pictionary at game night. Jenn and I were trying to hold our team together, but we were no match for our opponents. in truth we were trounced.

whoa, my legs were a bit resistant to the idea of running to work in the morning. it took me a couple of miles to feel like I had a real stride going. My heels were a bit sore still from the callouses that built up from my feet sliding around in my o-shoes during the highlander and I was also feeling the onset of a sore throat and the remnants of a muscle knot in my left calf muscle. after the first couple of miles my legs relented and felt great again ( perhaps abashed that they had been so whiny for the first bit).

No running, in honor of Christopher Columbus and his quest to reduce the prices of top quality furniture, automobiles and mattresses. Also the highlander was pretty physically demanding and I was still tired.

Event: Hudson Highlander 2007
 

Highlander. In short I was super excited for this race but did not have the greatest success with the physical aspects. I raced well for the first map, making my goal of winning the king of the mountain leg and recovering from a pretty big mistake on the third control. I took the trail on the way to control number 8, and the map exchange and my feet were starting to hurt. Like I had rocks in my shoes or like my studs were coming through the bottom of my shoes. I was disappointed to find myself unable to keep up with Piutepro on the trail leg and was very surprised when John came down the trail after us. he passed us and I tried to stick with him for a little bit, but fell back because of tired legs as well as the sore feet thing. Daniel was running well though and kept with him. I headed out onto the next next much slower and really slowed down a lot on my way to number 18, getting into that horrible gear known as walking. I was just thinking to myself, at least I'll get to the parking lot before Sam and Hilly pass me.... and voila they pop up right after I punched 18 and breezed past me ( with the cadets coming along too) to the parking lot. I took the opportunity to change into sneakers, but I still found myself walking a lot of the last map. Had a nice chat with Jon Campbell as he passed, and felt that I was at least finding the controls fine. Going into the last control Peter Grollman showed up behind me and that was a very nice reminder that I should be less wimpy and I ran pretty hard into the finish, to break 4:30.

next year I will figure out a good way to win the King of the Mountain and also race well on the rest of the course :) Great meet, congrats to HVO!

HH XII - Splits

yay wedding. Kim and Brian were excellent hosts, and the wedding was really beautiful. The girls all looked great, and someone was handing out bubbles. I got threatening looks from one of the bride's maids (her name rhymes with Samantha Saeger) for forever blowing bubbles. The wedding festivities lasted a really long time, but we did get to bed by about 10. with the plan to be on the road at 4am.

no running. instead driving to cohasset for a wedding on saturday. went to a restaurant where I ordered a pizza that was advertised as "Duck Confit with Cheddar and Caramelized Shallots" on one menu and "Duck Confit with Cheddar and Caramelized Onions" on another. I'm not sure which version I got, but it was yummy.

running with Sam. She had a busy day so I hung out until she got home, and we ran around the block. tried to stay where the street lights were dense enough that running wouldn't risk ankle injury. The run was excellent. Then I made dinner, which was excellent. Then we watched the Indians absolutely destroy the Yankees, which was excellent. I feel like I should use this string of luck and close out my evening with something else that is excellent.

C • Excellent 1

C • Excellent 2 2

Running with Jenn along the river. Jenn has moved to Brighton, which is a pretty sketchy place. The biggest upside is being close to the Charles, and she's even far enough out from Downtown that the river path is quiet and pretty .

After running we had a game night and my team dominated at Cranium! I am a champion guesser !

Butt is pretty sore from the Hills on Monday, I guess that means that the hill workout is working :)

C • I've got a hill for you!!! 3

Running from Longwood, thought that I would go explore a new area and after consulting google maps, decided to do a hill workout on Summit Ave. The hill is actually quite large, and I ran loops up and around the hill in between reps. I did 3 x 2:00 going up the hill. Each time this got me from Beacon St. to the mailbox on the corner of Jordan.

Hill workouts I think will be key for real improvement in orienteering, I think one of my current weak points.

C • Boulder Dash 9