Training Log Archive: vmeyer

Almost lazed the whole day away, and I wasn't going to beat myself up over it either - slept until 9 AM (11 hours), got up printed the rest of the maps for tomorrow and fiddled around a little, spent quality time with Roger (2.5 hour nap), got up and ate lunch (Fritos, cheese dip, and half a cream puff), loaded the car for tomorrow.

No time left to go somewhere for a trail run, and it was really too close to when I had eaten that nutritous lunch, but I felt like doing something, and we know I don't get those feelings often. So I decided to see if I could run my 4 mile loop without hurling. It was a little close at the end, but I managed. Nasty at about 90% humidity and 70 F.

Ran a mile (943), walked .15 (200), ran mile (1015), walked .25 (350), ran mile (1000), walked .60 (902).

Since October 5, the day that war was declared on the funk, I have run 6 times, and I am feeling better each time I do this loop, though I know my knees probably won't be too happy tomorrow.

Not the workout I intended to do on the day I intended to do it, but I'll take it.

I had already taken leave from work this afternoon for another purpose which had fallen through, so I went for a run, and then a walk, and another run, and then another walk.

Two miles run (957 1020), .4 mile walk (614), 1 mile run (1004), 1.6 mile walk (2340).

The first 4 miles were faster then a couple of weeks ago. Lungs were not as painful starting out, so some sort of progress, I guess.

OK, since I mentioned pictures...there are the only two from the weekend I found on my camera...

Max in charge in 2009:





And, in training in 2006:

Mowed the lawn after work. Got my bags mostly unpacked, and the wet, dirty clothes have been washed and are in the dryer.

Another reason why this was the best weekend ever!

The Sweet Basil Restaurant - which was across from the Baymont Hotel.
For being out in the middle of nowhere, this Italian place featured some superb dishes. I had the special the first night - swordfish with risotto, sweet red peppers, and asparagus. I never eat fish, but I wanted the risotto, which they were willing to serve without the fish, but I decided to give it a try. It was excellent!

The second night, I had the chicken saltambaca (?) thing with excellent gnocchi.

My only regret was that I didn't have room to try any desserts.

I have to admit that Sandy and I were there so long, that we even got awarded our medals there when Susie happened by for a glass of wine, and she had the medals in her car. We are waiting for the pictures from Susie. ;)

The fact that this place was within shouting distance of the hotel was a plus (EDIT: especially to a concerned fan], but the food was excellent. Fortunately, the road we had to cross was only hotel traffic. And, very, very fortunate that is was where I dropped my wallet, and it was only a 60 second trip back to retrieve it. Whew, talk about the angst not having any ID would have created.

Doesn't this whole weekend story getting more interesting?!

C • And the story is just getti... 10

Running around stupid right out of the start. The mess I made of things is available here. If you have a weak stomach, you may not want to look. ;)

C • mess 4

I would have to say that this was the most fun that I have had at an A-meet in a long time, despite Sunday's failure.

The highlights:

- Seeing the tiny Badger club put on such a great meet!!
- excellent woods, maps, and courses
- a silver medal on the single US Champs day, and oh, so close to the Gold!
- "preformed when it actually mattered." (Thanks, J-J for reminding me of that.)
- one of the best start/finish/parking arrangements I have seen in a long time - everything close by, well, except the bathroom which seemed SO far away at times.
- taking PG for a wild ride
- talking to more people then at recent A-meets
- working on stressing less, and I think I was somewhat successful.
- hanging out with Max, having lots of (virtual) cakes made for me.
- The results/download A-team of Sandy and Valerie preforming flawlessly, and still managing to have a "good time" - photos coming soon.

There is probably more, but yes, it was the "best weekend ever"!

C • re: Good time 2

Performed way above my ability level... Almost snagged the gold in F50 - 16 seconds back.

C • Results 8

Green Y Day 1 US Champs - Splits

Event: US Individual Champs 2009
 

3x1.8 Easy Middle course

Too nice to stay inside and do the original plan for the day - core dvd...

Nap after work, and then out for the four miles - yesterday's intended distance, which I came up short on.

First mile with the downhill was 951, and then walked a mile in 1437 (the nicest mile through the park. Shins not too happy), ran the same mile back (1003), and walked mile back home including up the hill (1510).

C • Question about not being ranked 5

1040 and 1010 with a short break to retie my shoes about 7 minutes in. Otherwise straight running. Lungs ache but not too badly. No body parts hurt. Thanks for the online encouragement, Cristinha.

Walk home.

So, I started packing tonight for leaving Thursday morning at 7 AM for Wisconsin. I am going a day early to program the controls. I am really getting nervous because, well, I just get really nervous before these things - with "will I get there in one piece?" being foremost in my mind.

My carry on bags are 1) computer bag which weighs 25 pounds with two laptops and 6 download stations (handing off 4 of these to other clubs this weekend) - replacement value ~$5K

and 2) a bag which weights 40 pounds with the following:
165 BSF8 control units
110 SI-cards (50 SI-5 and 60 SI-6)
Epson Receipt printer with power cord and USB cable
Box and bag of control number tags
Misc thingees x 3 (again handing off two sets to other clubs this weekend)
Replacement value ~$25K

I am also checking two bags - $15 for the first one and $25 for the additional one on Midwest. I could try to take just one bag, but I decided that I can't be bothered trying to pare down to one bag. Now, that would be really stressful if I couldn't fit my pillows in...

So, one bag has another printer, power strip, pins, clipboard, office supplies, rolls of paper for the splits printer. And the other bag, I will have to fit in my (rain) clothes (and pillows) for the weekend.

C • What do the security people think 20

Event: QOC South Fork
 

Ran it again before the meet. Took out the 25 minute error, but added on a few minutes of error to controls I did well on yesterday, and did better on a few.

Liking the Inova8 shoes much more since I started taping my right heel, so no more blister.

C • Inov8s 2

Green - Splits

Green - Splits

The White/Yellow controls.

25 minute error from 1-2.

Hanging controls with Sandy - 3 loops of ~1.5 hours each.

EX2 Adventures Race Timing: BYB PWNF

After race timing in the same park this morning, I drove to the S/F to check out the control locations of the last 15 controls.

S/F to 31, 32 (not really necessary, but I wanted to get a bit of a run in), 33, more trail run, also passing by 39, 34, 40, 41 (map may need correction in this area), off trail to 42, 43, 44 (says cliff, but I see no cliffs, or I was blind), 36, back to 44 to look again, 35, 38, 51, 31 trail to S/F.

Very good day!! Race timing went well, with the super bonus that Sarah and Matt were there after having dinner with us and spending last night at our house. A little bit of time in the woods was just the thing to make the day perfect..

C • Excellent! 4

Monster Mash Bike Race Timing @ Wakefield

Sandy designed the courses for the QOC event next Sunday. I hung streamers at 20/35 control locations today, and will do the rest on Sunday after timing a trail run in the same park.

I would have liked to have done it sooner, and therefore been able to revisit some of them, but no course approval until a couple of days ago. So, it is a good thing that Sandy is coming to hang the bags with me and make corrections to where I hung some of the streamers, if we ever find them again - yellow was NOT a good idea...

Original plan was to park at the lot between 63 and 65 and run up to the top (47), and then zig zag my way down. But, I saw the better option of 49, 48, 53, 58, 47, 55, 60, 54, trail to 62, 61, 59, 63, 65, trail to car (7.5 miles in 2:45). Had to slightly modify when I got 54 after 53 by mistake, so I took the trail out of 60.

Better yet would probably have been to park between 49 and 62 and do 2 loops to the car, but I liked staying out there.

After this, I had about an 1.5 hours before I needed to get on the road, so I went to the parking lot where the S/F is going to be and got 46, 56, 52, 57, 45, 50, 64 (2 miles in 1 hour).

I only ran parts of the road and the trail sections, but walked probably half of those.

It was a bit warm when I finished at 80 F @ 2:15 PM, but woods were nice, and, yes, a bit spider webby, but it was good to be out. No ticks sightings.

I was pretty proud of myself today, well, except for the part where I emailed in sick to work.

C • Nice! 7

Could have easily skipped today after I fell asleep after work. It was also very windy, and we know how much I like windy. But, the temps were around 70, and I figured I could brave the elements, since I said I would run today in writing, so I was possibly committed to following through.

Pretty much the same route and routine as two days ago but added a bit on at the turn around. Also ran longer for the running parts. Lungs screaming first 20 minutes like usual, and head draining like crazy like usual.

Ran 15:00 (1.5 m with .3 mile downhill), walked 10:40 (.7 m), ran 12:00 (1.1 m), and walked 10:40 (.7 with .3 mile uphill).

So, another baby step towards busting out of the funk.

C • good 2

A partly successful day with the to-do list as well. Got the rankings posted. Started sorting stuff out for this weekend, and next weekend. I have another PT appointment tomorrow, and then I will try to get to an unpaved place to run a few miles. Don't want three paved days on my legs in the same week.

Then on Friday and Sunday, I will hang streamers at Prince William for next weekend. I work two races this weekend - Saturday most of the day, and Sunday. I also have to get the QOC equipment ready to hand off on Saturday afternoon. So, I have quite a bit to do, but no more tonight.

C • equipment 5

Ran first ~mile (1.06 in 10:50). Deceptive because there is the really long downhill. Lungs hurt. Walked next section to the turnaround (.75 in 11:13).
Ran mile (1.03 in 10:40). Walked the big uphill and around the little longer way home (.85 in 12:56).

Lungs are sore. Rest of the body is not. So, that is good.

One day is not a funkbreaker, but it was good.

EX2 Adventures Race Timing: Day of Endurance Rocky Gap

Event: UNO Boulder Dash
 

I was so ready to run after work. Really, I was! ;) But, I forgot that I was mow after work, since I will be away all weekend (but not at the UNO Meet).

So, after sucking in all that grass mowing stuff, the run was off. Oh, well, at least I thought about it?