Training Log Archive: Swampfox

Weighed in with a longish (2 1/2 hr) run in the afternoon making sure to be out up in the hills to be there for the arrival of the winter solstice. Conditions were perfect what with some decent snow falling, and I ran into a number of folks out on their snow bikes.I gave all of them my best snow biker cheer: "One snow biker, two snow biker, three snow biker, four! All together now ride 6 hours more!" Everyone smiled and no one gave me the finger, which I took as reasonably positive response.

A fine split run at Happy Jack--split meaning half before dark and half after. That's the best way! A mix of (mostly) running on trails and (some) running in untracked snow. I ran into Brian Brothers--out on his bike with his dogs--twice. The second time was after dark, and he has some killer lights. They might not be rabbit roasters, but they did a pretty good number on my night vision, and for a while after that I was running on fumes of memory and hopes that rock dragons would not reach up out of the snow.

It's already very noticeable that snow biking has picked up in popularity year over year. I think it's great, because it turns out that the best winter trails of all to run on are those that snow bikes have gone over a few times, and after the snow has transformed from that use. Plus it's just more fun to see other folks out taking advantage of the outdoors.

C • Rabbit roasters 11

Orienteering at Remarkable Flats was on the schedule for today, and I especially liked the fact that there was still full sun out at mid-afternoon. I was concerned as I was leaving the house that there seemed to be only a slight breeze.

But the alerts sign on the interstate read "50 mph winds, no travel with light trailers on interstate advised" made me pick up hope. Considering it's only a few days from the solstice, there should be better wind than that, but it was better than a slight breeze at least.

And it actually ended up not too bad, once I got started. The longer I ran, the lower the sun sank, and the lower the sun sank, the windier (and chillier) it got. By the end the wind had worked up to a right proper winter roar, and so it was "all is well that ends well." The now increasing length of the afternoon was just enough to allow me to get around the entire course before darkness seized the flats.

Happiness--I've finally figured out and fixed a problem ongoing for months where typing in certain websites (including here) was painfully slow. And it turned out to have nothing to do with Schrödinger's guitar, guitar cases, tuning, or even misshapen pizza crusts. This should be enough to keep me very happy for at least several weeks, if not longer, mainly because I am such a simple swampfox.

C • Oh... 4

Was planning on an O' run but in light of all the new snow overnight, and afternoon breezes pushing the new snow around, I headed up to Happy Jack and ran trails while enjoying the extra minute of afternoon. And just when I thought afternoons would never get longer again! And finally winter is feeling more like winter again, too.

Orienteering at Remarkable Flats, late in the day, finishing after dark. Was reminded how hard it can be to do effective map reading after dark without a light. No wind, so running was a breeze, even in the new snow!

And either I got lucky or unlucky depending on point of view, as I found 3 separate map corrections needed on the course I had laid out, including one pretty large boulder lurking in a now leafless aspen grove, but missing altogether from the map.