Training Log Archive: bl

In Hanover - had to go to DHMC for paperwork, then went to Hanover green to read the Monitor. Needed to try out the leg after yesterday in form of a walk & Hanover/Dartmouth environs proved perfect. Odd re yesterday - no repercussions so not a pull so much as a spasm or similar. Wasn't like I had a stiff leg this morning - nothing, so gradual inc in effort.

Reflected on how unpleasant it is to drive in the metro Boston area other than at the most peripheral of times. It's too much of an onslaught with road rage riding shotgun.

C • Getting around Boston 2

At F. Gilbert Hills SF, site of April A meet. Did the brown long, 4.1k. Plan was to be within 5' of the A meet time. Hadn't gone 0.18 mi of the first leg when my right thigh and upper calf started cramping. It was clear I was going to have to stop/walk which I did for some 5' on a path. I thought I was going to have to quit but had a harder time with that thought. Plugged on, walking and it gradually got better but never went away. Around #5, it seemed "the way out was the way through" and I was going to get thru the course. Was not able to run - a few jog "bursts" for 15" on a few easy downhills. Maybe the "running" I did last night set this up. Picked an object from 100-200 yds ahead & made a point of getting there "fast" though I felt nothing in way of strain. Woods looked good, even given the green. Lots of knee-high stuff though.

Didn't & still don't care for #10, form-line reentrant in green -not a good choice for a point. Kept better track on the way to #8. Still failed to go right to #4. #7 also vague - was not sure I was in correct place til leaving feedback,

Classic Brown Y - Splits

In Matapoissett around 6pm. Last boat visit/check before going to Europe. This was the week we were supposed to sail R to Maine. Mostly walk-jog. Knowledge is powerful but it can also undermine, i.e., ignorance can be a bliss of sorts. This is how I perceive with a prolapsing heart valve and dec’d exercise tolerance. In early spring, this was not quite the case, something was off but cause unclear.

Pretty at the harbor now chock full of boats - a fine summer eve. Have been here every month since last October - finally a truly mellow eve.

To Merrymeeting. Just plain tired, right leg not working well. Like a suggestion of a ham pull from when/where I don't know but stop & go it was. Passed thru the trout hatchery which was interesting. We kept the grandkids entertained for 6+ hrs. while Peter went to Portsmouth. Play, play, play. Helpful to be at a lakefront.

Exeter TF on way back from unexpected visit to Portsmouth Hospital. Parked in small lot off 85. Had a course from 1997 on a v. 1996 map. The first point I selected passed by 4 houses not on the map back then - a dead end named Walters Way. Lots of unmapped boulders - quite a nice and technical forest. Lost map contact & had hard time getting it back 2/3rds way back. Crossed over the biggest mapped path in '96 and it was small enough today not to recognize, given bland terrain in approach. Looking for more training with a bit less than a month to the O-Ringen

BHS track around 5p. Still pretty warm. Family of mom & dad & 4 kids, parents good for 2-2.5mi, dad pushing the youngest in a stroller. Ran the straights on the second mile. Lazy days, poor sleep, Gillmore last night.

Had '82 NAOC from Manitoba. There it was - the unforgettable 800m 180 I made, turning the mind off to save time and simplify. Noted in the results that Leif Akerblom was there, finishing 5th for the two days.

C • NAOC '82 7

BHS track. More sore and tired than I realized from yesterday. Had Lauder sand hills Manitoba COC maps from 8/14-5/1982 for company. The hardest type of terrain I've encountered and considerably above my head then - maybe still. De St. Croix ran a 68' for 11.2k on the first day. I was > 100'. It would be fun to go back - noting probably extensive veg changes and, likely, contours, too.

On Turkey Pond with Beth. Started out shade-seeking but finished under complete cloud with sprinkles. By the time we got home, the sun was out again. About a 75' outing which incl. reading the paper. Serves as upper body
"stimulation", indeed training in quotes.

A runway afloat - not sure of the purpose. Probably to do with SPS rowing.

Back to Harris Center to pick up 16 controls from Sunday. Sky cleared out, became dry & breezy. I had bug spray that proved useful regardless. Went to most but 194 to 193 proved a confusion - should have gone around the black. Relocated on the green marsh to the NW. By the time I was done, I was as much into map concentration as I was ready to escape the forest, as fine a place as it is. A perfect June eve. And I parked in virtually the same place as Sunday but Ernst and Kadley were long gone. Dropped stuff off at Ruutopold's and drove home.

Who should be headed out toward Antrim/9/123 but Corey as I turned right on Allen at 7pm - fishing on a rising moon.

Map

Patch-Rollins ccw. Hot day but ok in largely shade and presence of a good w'ly breeze, with lo humidity. Needed to first walk at 2:30 & then on & off for the entire distance, esp on the big hills of which there are a few. Legs just go flat after too short a distance, so walk briefly then jog, again & again. Actually decided it all added up to a three effort. All 2 & 1's equal three effort. Glad to have done it. Best time is under 45', possibly first time over 56'.

UNO meet at Harris Center. Got there early as I had to get home for visitors.
Getting warm but ok in woods. Bugs didn't bother me. Had an accurate run.
Didn't miss any although lost map contact a few times. #10 was the most worrisome but relocated on a large cliff, losing maybe 30" at most. Did not start watch til punching at the first point, oops. Otherwise, slow & concentrated. Chatted with Ernst & Ken W. before & then was off. Mocha had a good time hanging around the car in the shade. A nice UNO meet! Expect to be back Thursday to pick up flags.

C • nice race!! 3

Brown - Splits

Nottingcook trails with deer flies & an O map. Three tickling ticks today.


Morning walk sighting: Mocha passed within 5-6' of his fawn failing to see and not smelling, being upwind

Walk-jog at BHS track. Pleased that nothing is sore from yesterday. Only flat legs. Excellent weather period.

Hike with Peter to Cannon summit via Kinsman Ridge Tr. & then down to Lonesome Lake. Back to parking on Pemi Trail. Hard work, up & down. The right knee was ok – but general soreness prevailing with even 3 miles to go. The Pemi Trail was gently up except near the end when it went too much up. Stopped to briefly chat with a gentleman who was around 80 with a CSU T shirt just apparent under a light windbreaker - to someone familiar with the logo. A rower and said he still rowed. He and spouse were working hard to get to Lonesome Lake.

A perfect June day. Great views of Franconia Ridge to the east and off to the south in general.

Valley view

Kimball Pond ccw. Breezy, wavelets on the pond at parking. Hadn't gone this direction in quite sometime so it looked unfamiliar in places. The dam had more water and junk on it than expected. I was unprepared but commandeered two sticks midway to keep me out of trouble. Up initially, always rocks & roots and SloGo as well.

A prime June moment as seen from the dam

SPS track after Dr's office visit. Breezy, cool. 2.5 mi, run straights, walk curves with days 4 & 5 of 2011 O Ringen for study. Day 4’s map is intricate & takes a particular frame of mind to get into. And then the need to get into a similar forest to make it come together best one can.

In the pm, stopped at BHS for 1.5 mi more, this time with Sutton Quebec maps. A young lady was doing a TT of a 2:53 800 ("sped" by me as I was walking). She looked like she was moving fairly fast acoss the track but a relative observation. She was preparing for the pentathlon with a coach and perhaps her mom.

Best sightings today: an 11 y/o choc lab (along with black lab pal) @ SPS that looked just like Mocha but more bouncy. Same negligible gray chin hair.

Hundreds of small ants in the mailbox that had deposited their ant cases (as if there was any soil there). Picking up the mail caused obvious disturbance. I went in the house to get my camera - was back in about 4' and the box was deserted except for maybe 10 ants and a few cases.

Recent cardiac echo shows moderate to severe MR as well as a severely enlarged LA which is cause for pause. Will see a cardiologist and consider repair risks-benefit analysis.

C • MR 2

BHS track around 5:30. Cool & breezy. Had 2011 O Ringen maps to look at. Reminded of several interesting things worth keeping in mind for this year.
Tired, have been coughing a lot for the past month or so.

O training at Bear Brook. Took a map - from the many options I had - that had points near parking. Went to all fairly straight but going slow too. Thick woods demand attention. Had two maps but it was chilly/windy/rainy when I got to a point where I could start the second part - which was right by the car, so I didn't bother.

How refreshing and pleasant a daydream to be in the middle of a Scandinavian forest/map or the complex contours of a rock-free pine forest by the North Sea. Sweden is not too far away.

Drive north from Burlington to St. Albans and then east on 105 to Montgomery & Hazens Notch Rd. Everywhere were green mountains in their prime. Had been wanting to run on a section of the Missisquoi River rail to trail route that I admired last December but rain & being out of zone for the beeper/cell dampened enthusiasm.

Late lunch with Bob & Eileen at Jay Peak and then cont’d along Havens Notch on Rte 58 to 91S to 93S thru Franconia Notch. The wind-driven clouds were quite spectacular on the notch slopes. Stopped at Echo Lake to feed and walk Mocha. Then a long haul down 93 to Bow. 232 mi from 80 Poirier. We spent two nights in a tent at North Beach campground. Last tenting, and orienteering for that matter, was about six weeks ago but I'm about to rectify that.

Walk to Ethan Allen Park with Jenn, Cai and Beth and two rescue pit bulls and a very cute puppy. Then off on my own, got on the other side of the local parkway & then across sooner than expected into a cul-de-sac neighborhood which turned me around, requiring a "consult" to escape it.

Attended Cai's graduation today. We were able to walk to it from our campsite,
not much more than 300 yards away from the high school.

Briefly in Nottingcook before going to Burlington. Very NW windy. Wandered into woods not much visited anymore.

Burlington, from North Ave campground to Jenn's place. Took a peek at a lacrosse game at the HS. Strong west wind by the lake - windy day everywhere. Set up the tent. Came through rain east of Burlington but pleased to see it dry here.

A lakefront with a view

From KRTF parking - took yellow-blazed Boulder Tr. to its end which took 42' - surprisingly long, it went on 10' further than I would have guessed. And back on the snowmobile tr. in 19'. Woods so open, even with June vegetation. Would that lidar contours existed but I think not - not last I inquired anyway. Wished I'd had the 305.

Talked about KRTF at tonight's BOS meeting - the trail and blaze system as well as a new, different name, particularly given that it has another entrance from Robinson Road. Decided to consult the Heritage Commission for options.

Poking around Mattapoisett waterfront and back 40 for most part. Nice day in the making after yesterday & last night's heavy rain, a SE wind right into the cavernous harbor. Legs as flat as can be. Found a coffee shop nearby in the nearly nonexistent town center - so well-hidden I'd not noticed in the car but spotted on foot.

Pre-occupied with engine issue of coolant in sump. The size of a boat is inversely proportional to the enjoyment of it. Imagine an aircraft carrier.

C • Inversely proportional 2

BHS track again, around 5p. Calm, warm, but clouds for shade. Felt lazy being end of the day. Morning taken up, began with rounds, then house stuff. More map reading, this time Northumberland Country Forest, Ontario - says "Ontario Champs, my first blue course, 6/3-4/1978", so 38 years ago today. Never found #3 on second day though…complex contours, no rock features or walls, not many paths. Lowry way ahead of the competition.

Stopped watch to change maps & lost 1.5 laps before I took a look. Map reading has the advantage of distraction.

@BHS track, mostly walk 100, run 100, did 2 200s, too. Legs felt good for a change (49 & 22, the 22 could have been carried on). One stretch of the track was breezy and shaded. Right knee is about to be part of injury history.

Had Canadian Champs maps from August, 1980, Lac Sir John Lac etc., 1/15 scale, tiny boulders, knolls. Made for good company on the walking parts. Days of Ted de St. Croix, Ron Lowry, Gord Hunter. Lots of applied energy back then but not always as efficiently as desired.

@ CHS track. Went to BHS around 8:05 but kids were using it. Pretty much empty at CHS. 2 miles, walk & jog. Felt stiff & not much energy. Goal was to get something in before going to work.

This time, car puzzle was mine. Pressed the open trunk button & heard an obnoxious static sound coming from the back seat area. Turned out to be coming from the rear seat speakers. There were also a few base speaker-type sounds. Engine & radio were off. No matter what I did, this continued. Walked away from the car for track at CHS & when I returned, the static etc was gone and still is.

After work, parked at Audubon & utilized SPS campus for most part. Saw a young woman come out from behind a small car in the corner of a parking lot with what appeared to be a great dane, on the thin side - but still big. Then I saw two others, also tall but more slender. Turned out all three came from the back of the very small car she was driving. I wished I’d inquired more. It was a sight. All work though, this 4.73 mi.

Low voltage day

Had the echo &, by chance, the cardiologist reading echos for the day was someone I knew from college as well as my time at Concord Hospital '95-7. That opened the door to a good bit of interaction, going over the study & making light of alma maters & fund raising. Anyway, a fairly leaky mitral valve whose solution remains to be seen.

Missed any kind of run - came home from a half day of work, took a nap, then did some outside stuff. This eve, we went off for a ride to Canterbury, in part to see the Shaker Village. Was on call, the cell with under 5% charge but Beth had hers. The Village dates back to the early 19th century, very picturesque and particularly on the fine June eve that it was - rustling green leaves and waving grass in the breeze, birdsong, distant views, fields, gardens, dirt roads disappearing into the forests, a large pond, walls and all the stuff that can make a rural NE state like NH look so fine. Coming back, lights started to go on on Beth’s dash, suggesting a battery issue. She’d just had one 3 days ago, the car dying about 1.5 mi from home. I was coming home then, drove by & returned with a portable battery starter & she was home easily. Battery then fully charged.

This was the first outing since. Canterbury is about 18 mi from home. Tonight, eventually same thing - first various dash lights went on, then finally the car engine stopped in the last mile from home. So it was coast & coast some more down the long hill. I turned onto Allen with little brake or steering power & coasted to a stop 25 yds from our mail box. I had the Sears starter in the trunk for this undiagnosed problem should it reoccur. The battery read 10.4v. The car started started readily with the jump start but upon disconnecting the portable starter, the engine stopped again. So I restarted it & Beth drove into garage with the hood up about 18”, the starter battery sitting on top of things doing the work. So now the shop - but how lucky to get as far as we did w/o any frustration. No way one could have driven the car with the hood as it was. It remained the fine eve it had been.

I try to imagine this place in the cold, isolated winter of something like 1825 (the settlement started around 1816)

C • 1816 4