Training Log Archive: vmeyer

Back to the park to do my revised Yellow and Orange courses, and hang streamers on the last couple of advanced controls. Walked (mostly) the 3.5 Orange course in ~53 minutes, though it seemed a lot longer than that.

Two hours of cleaning leaves from the gardens.
Thursday, Roger and I walked around NYC - many blocks. Hips and knees ached afterwards.

Outside of NYC after spending a nice Christmas day with family and friends in Philadelphia.

Did the treadmill because there are just too many car fumes from the highway around the hotel. Felt like a wuss, but it was dark and raining by the time I got done anyway, so it was a good choice.

Thought about a bike ride today, but a run worked in better with the plans. Actually, no run would have worked in even better, but I was sort of excited about getting out of the house while Roger did some cleaning and prepping in the kitchen.

Thought I would run to Bluemont and back, but that didn't really appeal. Decided a run on the track would be good, but it was closed, thankfully. So, out and about. Windier than I realized, though I was comfortable in shorts and short sleeves. Had hoped the return trip would be less in my face, but it wasn't! Looked forward to stopping at the light for a break, but got the green in both directions. So, I walked for 1:30 after the first 3 miles, and then did another 3 miles. Last mile was a bear - into the wind and tiring quickly, but I toughed it out. Yeah, I am so proud of myself! ;)

Lungs burned for first 20-25 minutes, and then top of foot was painful under the laces when I walked up the hill to the house. But otherwise, body is doing fine.

Now, I am hiding in the basement while Roger does more work for this evening's dinner. :)

C • Painful foot 2

C • Tell Roger "Thanks" 2

I did a bit of house cleaning today, and I was reminded about what Roger's brother found while cleaning their basement before Thanksgiving - some very aged wine that Roger brought home while he was in the Navy. I don't think we will open the white, but it may be interesting to see if the bottle of red from 1968 is at all drinkable.

Course setting at PWNF today. Meet is January 13. This is probably my one and only attempt at doing this, but it was good practice for me. I am not sure how things will flow together. And, I hope I get them in the right place...

Beautiful day in the woods. Traffic coming back up 95 was horrible though, but not enough to ruin the day.

Was out for 2:50. Remembered to put slick stuff on my blistered areas, and the feet held up just fine.

I got a package in the mail from Janet T yesterday. I couldn't imagine what it was!

It was Peeps for my Peeps collection. Janet sent the snowmen, trees, and cookie flavored men. The pumpkins and ghosts are from maprunner (Mary), and I added the stars (peppermint flavor - yummy).

Thanks, Janet. It was a nice surprise.

And a belated thank you to Mary for her contribution.

C • You're welcome.. 2

We adopted Crystal just after Thanksgiving. She is a strange piggie. She remains a statue when you take her out of the cage and put her down, whether it is on paper or a towel.

I call her Little Bit, and Roger calls her Chris, which is just too weird because we know too many people name Chris/Cris/Kris.

Here is our family Christmas portrait.

C • Little Bit 4

Today, I did take a nap after work, but felt like I wanted to run. And, when I get that feeling, I better take advantage of it! Home to Walter Reed, to Shirlington, to George Mason. The car fumes and cold weather make my lungs burn. Carrying water bottle to sip on helps a lot, something I didn't do last night. Just seems stupid to do for a short, cool weather run. Wore my headlamp, so I felt more comfortable. Don't see (m)any of those on runners in my area.
Beautiful evening.

At the end when I had enough of the running...

Managed to stay awake after work, and dragged myself away from the SVU marathon to get a run in just as it was getting dark. So, stayed on the lighted sidewalks. Wished I had the head light with me for some of the unlighted spots... Yes, I am a wuss.
House to George Mason, to Four Mile Run, to Walter Reed, to Culpepper.
Lungs hurt, and top of left foot where shoe was tied, but noting else hurt. Yeah!!

Event: QOC: Manassas
 

Picked up three controls.

Hips are sore, and shoulders from carrying the pack. Left knee very painful when I tried to jog in from picking up a control. Blisters? They are still there.

Event: Valley Forge Battle to the End O' Marathon
 

Measured distance covered 30.9 miles - a smidgen short of a 50K. Hmmm, I guess I don't need to train to do one of those again. :)

Barb and me at the first aid station...

Started with Barb in the dark at 6:10. She had agreed to stay with me until it got light since I am afraid of the dark. And man, was it ever dark out there.

We fumbled getting to #1. Barb thought we had reached the bend in the paved path which was our attack point, but I waved her off. So, we went too far and had to cut across the field. I commented that I wondered if we would flush out any critters, and yup, there was a deer in front of us who ran off. Saw lots of deer today.

We also lost a little time to #2 being too far off the road, but then we settled down after that. Discontinuing the chatting sure helped the concentration.

At #4, we shed some layers, used the facilities, put away the headlamps, adjusted shoes, etc.

We continued on, and kept speculating when someone from the 7 AM start would catch up. Barb thought it would earlier - at #8. I was estimating later. Finally, J-J and Clint caught up near #14. We kept them in sight for a few controls, and then we were on our own again.

The downhill from 21-22 was painful on my left knee. We wisely took the trail around from 22-23. Came into halfway aid station pretty strong with distance showing 15.5 miles. Sandy was in charge of making sure I didn't do something stupid - like going on for the second half. But, she was out getting "real" coffee (Edit: out spectating). So, off I went after a 10 minute break.

Barb stayed in sight until 26, but then the ball of my right foot started hurting pretty badly. I considered turning around, but I didn't - don't ask me why! I was already getting a pretty good blister on the inside of my right heel. Eventually, the left foot developed the same blister.

I went into mostly walking mode, though I did get some relief on my right forefoot when I sat down and took off my shoes and massaged it for a minute. After that, it was much less painful, but still there. I had to stop and take off my shoes about 4 times over the next hour.

I glimpsed Barb occasionally until #37, but then not again. Ross caught up from the 9 AM start at #35, and a few others before and after #37. Peter and Hillary went between 42 & 43. The Fatlands controls were some of my favorites.

I was sure Barb had pulled away steadily, adding a minute or two each mile, since I wasn't running much at all.

But, I was still convinced that I could do 8 hours if I walked as hard as I could. So, I kept walking, and walking, and trotting 10-20 steps, and walking again. I had a few bobbles - coming up between the 4 lanes on the way to 41, and being really confused. Also very confused how to cross the river between 46 and 47. Figured it out eventually.

Finally, I have the last control in sight, and then there is Barb coming from another angle. She got there first, about ~1 minute ahead. So, now the push was on to catch up before the finish. And I did, and we tied. Thank goodness it was a long downhill.

And, besides the other places I could have saved some time, like not taking off my shoes so much (I was a little obsessed during that period), I would have broken 8:00, if I hadn't stopped on the way to #47 to pull everything out of my pack to get the phone and see who was calling me. :)

It was such a great day - great maps and organization, no rain, not terribly cold, excellent companion for a good part of the course, and the ability to keep going when I didn't want to. Oh, and thanks to Sandy for putting me up, or is it putting up with me? :)

C • Nice work! 13

A picture of the red & green quilt and the label I finished last week. Well, I finished the quilting and made the label. I didn't piece the top...

It was a two hawk today. At lunchtime, driving through the parking lot between buildings, there was a large hawk being harassed by crows. I sat and watched for a while.

And, when I got home, there was a smaller hawk sitting on the railing in front of my house. It was hoping to snack on a wren or sparrow who sit in the holly trees. I sat and watched for about 10 minutes, then I had to go it, so it flew off. I hope it is more successful tomorrow. Those damn birds are pooping all over the steps.

C • Quilt 6

Event: QOC Avalon
 

Few big mistakes. Raw. Slippery. Hilly. Enjoyed myself.

Broke out a new pair of Ice Bugs today. No easing them into a relationship gently - just right away - slam, blam, here's the mud, man.

When you don't have any training in the last 7 days, you see the entire message below on the home page, and also the "Get started using your log!" message on you log. Man, talk about pressure!

Get started using your log!

Your log can be a powerful motivator, since it helps introduce structure and accountability to your training.

Thanks to Chris and Kris, I got a workout done - the first in two weeks! So, I won't see that message again for at least a week.

The first Chris needed a ride to the airport at 6:30 AM. So, I figured being up and out with my gear would be a step in the right direction.

Then I talked to Kris last night, and she agreed to meet me for a hike - but NOT if it was raining. So, riding back from the airport, and having to pass my exits, and with it raining, I called to say it was raining here, but what about further south. Left a message and looped around the exit a couple of times trying to decide whether I was a wuss or not. I was just deciding, when Kris called back, and we talked ourselves into giving it a try.

And, I am so happy that we did. We started at Pine Grove, took the South Valley Trail to the North Valley trail to Lake One Road. Headed up that to the Scenic Loop, and then hooked on to the Mary Bird Trail to Turkey Run Educational Center (for a convenient potty break). Back down on the Turkey Run Trail, to the South Valley trail, and back up to Pine Grove.

We kept a fairly brisk pace up except for maybe 2 miles just a bit slower when Kris' knee started hurting a bit more. Gabbed the whole time. An excellent workout, as well as great non-wuss company. Unscathed except for one little blister on the top of a toe. Yeah, my last long workout for the half marathon is in the books, and now I can go back to taper mode. :)