Training Log Archive: CleverSky

Decided to go skating at first light, and I laid everything out last night before going to bed so I'd be ready. Just before heading out, I noticed dripping from my eaves, which wasn't a good sign. There was a dusting of snow on the ground, and it seemed to be lightly drizzling, which also didn't bode well. When I got to the lake, I left the skates in the car and just walked over to the ice with a screwdriver, and didn't even bother testing the thickness. The surface was a little slushy, with a few spots of standing water, and my shoes were leaving visible tracks. Unappealing. So I went home, put on some suitable shoes, and went for a run instead. At the bottom of Holman, the dusting of snow was hiding some treacherous ice, and I went down. No problem from the fall itself, which was kind of a baseball slide, but the backs of both my arms (triceps?) got strained from the flailing. Hurt like hell for a couple of minutes.

Slight wheezing, not bad. I need to start doing this on a more regular basis in order to lessen the amount that I don't enjoy it. (And start doing it in the woods again.)

C • running enjoyment 1

Ravenswood Park in Gloucester with Nancy. About half muddy trails, half wet ice. Deducted the time we spent at the overlook scoping out lighthouses. Might make a nice little map if there were someplace to park cars.

15 ring pullups, 60 situps, 30 pushups.

Not much wind, pretty good moon, smooth-looking ice -- seemed like a plan. It was a little dicey getting onto the ice, because it was thin at the edge, but the hole I punched with a screwdriver where I put on the skates seemed to indicate about 10 cm, so that was okay. I had a headlamp, and for the sake of safety carried a couple of screwdrivers in case I broke through and needed to pull myself out. In retrospect, I guess I could have worn a PFD and brought my new ultra-loud whistle. Tentative going, because I was keeping an eye out for suspicious patches. I had hopes for the eastern section, but when I got out past the straits, I found some frozen-over leads (and a larger area) that I didn't feel like chopping through to measure the thickness of the black ice. So I retreated to the western part, which was plenty big enough, though there were occasional areas of air bubbles, and a few spots where there were odd (though not ominous) noises. Never had the confidence to really get up a good head of steam, so I was never breathing very hard. Quit when I did in part because my hands were getting cold (should have brought warmer gloves than the BHT ones). Glad I got out in the fresh air, though.

Plans for a run dwindled to plans for exercises, but then I fell asleep early. But at least I got myself and Nancy signed up for the BAOC meet. I think I haven't been to the west coast since '05 (Oregon), not to California since '03 (Tahoe), and not to the coast of California since '01 (LA).

C • BAOC 1

Snow dealings, round 6: a minute on the driveway. Unlike the excellent timing of some earlier storms, this one looked like it was going to suck. Snow started late at night, followed by freezing rain, and what I hoped would be insignificant was actually enough to keep my garage door from opening. I trudged out through a couple of inches topped with a crust and used a spade to clear away enough to free it up, then headed for work. During the day it warmed up and eventually turned to heavy rain, so I came home to the prospect of having to clear a lot of slush before it froze up into a treacherous mess. I was therefore delighted when I reached the driveway and saw that there had been enough warm rain to clear it down to bare pavement, and I'm hoping it was the same deal at Nancy's house.

15 ring pullups, 60 situps, 30 pushups.

Highland St. loop, CCW. I waited until a bit after dark, and in light flurries, for the additional HTFU factor (or because I was too lazy to go earlier). The strobing of the low beam of the headlamp turned the snowflakes into dotted lines. A little bit wheezy. Not much of a run, but I gotta start somewhere.

(Likewise, though it's not exactly the same.)

30 pushups, 60 situps.