Training Log Archive: bl

Nottingcook bower loop, 13F, cold at first but once I got interested & in motion a bit, it felt 'normal'. Followed someone's footprints & thought they would go to the trail cam from last week. I didn't see the camera but was close. Found the Hope La connector & took it til I could see the lane. Prints in the snow and 3:30 sun on a bright Jan day were the major entertainment. Saw porcupine fur/skin but no blood. Getting outside was key.

305 parsed just fine this time, this computer, this browser but not yesterday. It did seem to delete old data earlier today except for approx 20 outings starting mid-Sept. Maybe it responds to intensity of intent.

QR took too long to do this but have not tried QR in months, now with new OS & version of Parallels to keep me guessing.

The stream coursing thru the yard today.

Memorial Field to try out yesterday's promise but it had changed - not much of a surprise in NE. HFA, found an opening into the baseball field which was untracked & more out of wind. The wind really came up this pm, blowing snow devils across the fields. After, I was sitting in the car & a mom & 2 youngsters parked alongside & prepared to go skiing. I was impressed with the evident hardiness. Very windy & not so good a ski surface have hardcore appeal. Then I noted the individual in an adjacent vehicle had left it. I guessed he'd gone skiing - as my neighbors were about to do. Being curious, I moved the car to a vantage where I could watch. Turns out the young man in the adjacent vehicle was classical skiing w/o poles & went up the closeby hill with ease, making it apparent he was experienced. Then, to shorten the account, more & more young moms & kids materialized. In departing I dropped the window for an inquiry..."Bill Koch ski league, grades 2-6". Pleased to see kids far 'from the couch'.

Went to White Park for a jog out of the wind. Got out of the car, felt the cold
(and the wind) and decided heck with this. Spent rest of the pm's "effort" at the Y. After met Beth at the annual League reception in the Smile building.

Local loop from NHH parking. Seasonably warm. 305 dug its heels in, won't parse.

C • Parsing 4

At BHS - conditions looked very good at noon at Memorial so had to give something closer a try. Not a single print of any kind on the track & infield - mostly supportive crust with 1-2" powder on top. Also tried the cemetery. Kids doing loops on a groomed track and on Turee pond as well.

At Carter Hill. Had the idea of a West parish loop but first went to the orchard to look for the nordic trails. The large parking lot was well plowed but not a car in sight. No obvious sign of nordic activity except I’d read that it was part of Capitol Ski trails. Then I saw a SM with small groomer and then a mailbox - got out & spotted a groomed track. So postponed the run. Groomed was too crusty but it was OK in places between rows of trees - mostly supportive crust with old power on top. Could not see ice in spots which was the occ lose-control surprise. Had fun, stopped a bunch, poles at home being glued (most helpful w/o). Very nice in the orchard: subdued colors…grays, drab brown, dark green, white ground, silence. And no camera. Need useable winter conditions. And can look forward to a spring return to at least pass thru the blossoms.

By then, too late to my mind for the loop but drove it anyway: Carter Hill, Broad Cove, West Parish - 4.3mi, a good running distance (made good in a car) for me given winter mentality, procrastination/dragging a bit.

Saw a flock of robins in departing NHH under a fruit tree. Not harbingers so much anymore, more year-round tenants.

C • Robins 1

Weights & some cardio. Cold again, 0F tonite.

First visit to PCP, first PCP in half a life time or more. Early to mid-40s, liked him, picked him but no input on personality nor did I know he has run marathons but no time to talk about such. Primary reason was insurance change requirement and cataract pre-op PE. He said "if you can walk from the car to the OR, you are ready for cataract surgery", e.g., a pre-op PE was pretty unnecessary which makes sense to me, too. Anyway, it got me on the map for the rest of medical issues I might encounter if we continue to live here. And, I tended to my BP better the past few days. It has been in need of addressing, adding a second med.

And walking into Yeaple bldg was the strangest, having first started there in Concord in May, '95. And to add to the odd feeling, was an old familiar face, Deb W, still working as receptionist!

TRT/White farm, just above freezing. Soft packed snow, under sooty sky made it hard to see surface in places. One other person there. Nice enough.

Went back to Crescent La. Lost a Yak Trak yesterday & went to find it and relook the boundary issue & photograph it more usefully than yesterday. Found the YT 200m from the main jct. Then wound around the trails, stopping at the cave. Then up by Brummett place at end of Crescent, by a huge mapped cliff that I no longer recalled.

305 watch band was broken - nice to find that out in the car, having lost 2 over the years. Worked fine from the fanny pack. Harder & harder to get it to parse though - not sure if a computer or watch issue.

Easement boundary walk with Ken, the Laxes, Donna, Elwood & Z. We were able to find enough blazes and corners to determine that the trail does indeed run thru some 300m of Nottingcook.

Scheme of things

Group shot

Another excellent NEOC dinner party in Carlisle last night thanks to the Parsons. Third one for us - did not get to speak with everyone or sample all the good food!

At the brush dump at twilight. Noticed last night that, with SM use, the surface was pretty good but no time to try. Tonight it was a bit too crusty after the cold day but still fun to make do & enjoy the last of the day and weekend. Made it over to the Arena and around the short loop. Light til 5 now.