Training Log Archive: bl

AM DP, repeat of yesterday. Better crust but more tracks, dog and hikers prints. Cloudless, cold fingers. Stood around some admiring the day. Fell yesterday, edge catching crust, now a right-sided chest pain with any pushing. Beth called from west coast of FL yesterday around dinner: warmth, hibiscus fragrance, a swim, some sun tan. I could only marvel or sigh or cry.

Watched the women's WOC long race which was fun/exciting then ran out of ability to sit still - pester factor was climbing as well. Sounds like they're saying "Flower Ceremony" at the WOC as I type. The terrain looked positively steppe-like barren, windblown snow - but in June it will be lovely.

PM DP at BHS. Their running track is mostly covered w/ snow. Walked around a soccer field with a packed snow oval for nordic - skateable with bare grass as well. 12 buses parked at school, some kind of music festival. Breezy/chilly. No run today.

AM DP, noted 5 predominant colors...blue, yellow, white, brown and green (about equally represented). Cold, crisp but could feel warmth in the yellow rays.

A waning "spring moon" resting on a rim of snow

Gray, chilly. Went south on South, west on Iron Works, started up Langley
but entering the woods to Memorial Field had appeal as well as possibility.
Ran 2 laps on a snow-free track there & then straight back.

PM DP, back to PL, had to try skiing as it was a chilly, preservative-type day. Could step onto snow from car, put skis on right there & skied 0.6 mi away before turning around. Plenty of snow - all shaded trail, nothing bare - light crust, max 2". One old set of wide ski tracks - wider than melt would explain, maybe some backcountry style. Very few pole impressions adding to confusion. Blue with plenty of cumulus. Probably calls for a return in the AM.

AM DP, just dawning after dropping Beth off at airport. Smudgy sky, 2/3rds of a moon. Someone had cut a large hardwood tree, piles of fragrant sawdust and shavings. Mocha all over the place with spring nose.

PM DP on skate skis slithering over soft wet on top of firm. Enough support &/or brown for dogs, enough white to make it fun for me but finally cold fingers in only 37F w/ knit gloves. Got a decent way up the stream but further progress closed off by a hillside. Alot of snow at base of north-facing slope covered with hemlock.

View from a window



A week from an A meet.... Last April 1st I note being at SPS track before work (unprecedented) on a 50F am (sounds perfect), running a 7:03 & 7:01 after a considerably slower warm-up. Like to think I can still do same. So much slow stuff (practically plodding) given winter & necessary cover & usual blahs of the time of the year, albeit fading.

Went to SPS in search of bare ground but not much found. Wandered around to boat house & then thru campus. Bike path was clear at the start but then a half mile slipping on snow so finished on roads except for a half lap on SPS track - inside lane was 85% clear. Saw a few robins, snow showers & bright sun as well. Tired from a night of little sleep..some of Beth's anxiety re being at airport by 0600 rubbed off - as well as being the only taxi driver around.

Noon, Fisk-Little Pond, cw, gray with chilly north wind. Goal was the completing but got a bit more interested in latter half.

White Park after 1pm. No one there but some skate & classic tracks. No bare ground for 1/2 mile track but soft, slushy surface over hard. Would have been better first thing. Was out back on lawn early which was better. Fun anyway. Gray, cloudy.

Faraway series, photos from elsewhere, #58
Spring Reflections, Harriman SP, March, 2007



not so far away or long ago,
a rest on a ledge...

Noon, snowing fairly hard. Luti CW, noisy on Clinton, quiet at SPS. Finally w/o any wind...big lazy, flakes floating down - quite pretty even if pretty much unwanted but not unwarranted. March is like that, a madness unto its own. Wet by the time I got back.

Freedom Trail walk in Boston on a chillier-than-anticipated day. Left two pairs of gloves behind in the car in the Commons garage and no ear warmers etc. Cold in the city canyons but warm pockets elsewhere. Lots of fun to see the sights as well as people. Took the dogs along so as to not leave them inside at home for 11 hours. They were somewhat limiting but fully enjoyed being included. Mocha growled and lunged at more than her share of pigeons. Particularly liked the early spring activity on the Commons, the old burying grounds (Copps Hill, Old Granary), the North End, the Old North Church and the USS CONSTITUTION museum. Did not have time to get to Bunker Hill.

After that, off to a lovely, most interesting dinner in Cambridge with Barb and Dave and their O friends, Katia and Giovanni. Poor Barb was stricken with a backache and occasionally had to stretch or lie down. But that did not affect the creativity in homemade lasagna & apple pie. Dave's crispy fried fish preparation was equally good. A big moon over Boston to the southeast, spring sprung, home after ten.

All said, a memorable day.

State House



A bronze devoted the the Great Famine in Ireland in late 1840s (pigeons everywhere, making sure they had plenty to eat & then poop)



On the Trail

C • I remember a walk on the Fr... 2