Training Log Archive: PG

A little tired, a little sore (except for the ribs, which hurt more than ever, especially at even the slightest hint of a sneeze or a cough), so took the day off.

Had a very pleasant visit chez Charlie and Rhonda, delicious food as always (including two strawberry pies by Gail), plus fun to meet father Per and brother Oskar of their exchange student Erik. Oskar is quite the musician, plus as long as he is around I fear that, due to the competition, Erik's reputation as an amazing chick magnet will be tarnished, not that second place is all that bad. Gail and Rhonda were drooling....

Northern Nipmuck trail race, 16 miles, out and back, reasonably hilly and rocky. Cool and gray to start, mid 40s, started to rain after about two hours and the temperature dropped (39F back at the car when I was leaving). For the first hour I'd been thinking I had too much on -- shorts and a long-sleeve synthetic top -- as I was sweating quite a bit, but towards the end I was feeling chilly, especially the hands. Got back to the car, changed, warmed up, went to get some food, they offered chicken soup, it was delicious but by the second spoonful both hands were shaking so hard I could hardly manage, so I beat a retreat to the warm car and things improved greatly.

Saw my old ultrarunning/rogaining partner Fred Pilon. That was real nice, it's been a while. A bit of a chat beforehand, and a longer one afterwards. Good to catch up.

Oh, and the race. I'd run it before, I think always between 2:35 and 2:45, but this time my expectations were much lower, maybe in the 3:10-3:20 range with a worst case 3:30, on account of both advancing age and not have run more than an hour for many months. Realistically, I didn't know how I'd manage. I set very tentative goals for the 4 segments of 45, 50, 50, and 50 -- 1 and 4 are a little shorter, though 4 is a bit uphill and by then the legs are usually toast.

Gail asked me afterwards if I raced or loafed. I's say I raced, though carefully, more just trying to monitor my energy output so that I would last the full distance. Walked lots and lots of uphills and didn't charge the downhills.

Splits were 39:55, 48:29, 50:15, and 43:50. 3:02:30 total, delighted.

Best part as usual was the last 3/4 mile or so, all downhill, some good footing and some rocky. I got to the top with three guys right on my tail, but I knew I would dust them -- they had been stronger going up but slower going down, especially when it was rocky -- and I did. Was by myself pretty quickly, really cruising, felt great, about a 1/4 mile to go I spot a guy maybe 100 yards ahead, don't think much about it but I am moving really well, diagonally downhill, a little rocky. And before long he's only 50 yards ahead, and then I see there are two of them, and then there's the last little pitch, 50 yards of rocks, and they're tentative and I'm going full speed and I'm by them 20 yards before the finish.

I guess you never lose the competitive feeling. But given how slowly I'm usually moving these days, it was a rare and, I will admit, totally enjoyable moment.

Just correcting my history for Northern Nipmuck --

2001 - 2:37:54 (age 56)
2004 - 2:35:47 (age 59)
2005 - 2:35:54 (age 60)
2006 - 2:37:15 (age 61)

So my spread over the previous four tries was pretty narrow. And today was a PW by 25 minutes. And, of course, also a PR!

C • Nice! 11

Just a very pleasant short outing with a visiting JJ, have in mind to go to Northern Nipmuck tomorrow if the weather is not too bad, so no reason to do more today.

Another very fine day at work, learning among other things that a boa constrictor over 8' long is best handled by at least two people.

Only downside was that my ladies have replenished the supply of chocolate under the front counter and as the afternoon/evening goes on it is impossible to resist.

13 hills loop, PR for the year! Still a crappy time if I look back a ways, but why do that?

Seems like I've run every day for the last month. Not by plan, it's just happened. But when the legs aren't hurting, it seems silly not to be out doing something.

Ribs seem to be hurting more every day. I sure hope that's a trend that reverses itself pretty quickly.

Getting plans made for after Independence Day (April 16). West Point (still need to get a room), CSU (need to enter tonight, maybe the Iron Horse trip?), California/Team Trials (still need a couple nights reservations), Arizona/rogaine (plans are getting there). So what should come next? A little O' in Ireland (Shamrock O'Ringen), just an idea, we've never been to Ireland.

Life is short, got to keep moving....

Trails north of Route 2 in Gill, longer hills. Ribs seemed sorer than ever. But still got a good workout in. Route.

A frustrating morning, making no progress at all. Including one woman who just came in to sign and pay, and somehow got let into my office, and just liked to talk. And talk and talk. And I was giving all sorts of visual and verbal clues to discourage her, and they had no effect at all. So after about 10 minutes, during which I was telling myself to relax and be mellow, I finally said excuse me and walked out long enough to ask one of my ladies to call me in 30 seconds. Which she did, and then I said I had to go take care of someone else, and the old bag in front of me signed and paid and wandered off, totally clueless.

I continue to get a greater appreciation for the variety of humanity, in both its good and its bad aspects.

Upper body was suffering a bit, passed on the headstands.

Didn't really have a plan, but after a while I decided a little faster running would be useful, so ended up doing a couple of miles at 6:58 pace with a half mile in between. Pace for the slower stuff was about 8:30.

Ribs are quite sore, except when running. :-)

Cold rain outside and the ribs hurt (but not terrible), so I took a couple of Tylenol and set the treadmill at 5%, the uphill allowing for less pounding that would transmit to the ribs. 3 x 1 mile at 10-minute pace, 5 minutes before and between and after.

Thr running segments actually felt a bit like yesterday, the same sense of getting too tired to carry on for too long. In this case I had a goal for each section of 10 minutes, so that kept me going, but it was a struggle. Shouldn't be.

But good to get something done.

9 days to go.

Had a guy today, self-employed painter. How's business? Not much this winter, not much lined up for this spring/summer, though he assumes things will materialize. And his wife is a teacher and they have a little money in the bank (even if the retirement accounts have tanked).

Concerned? Not really, he really preferred not working most of the winter, didn't want to work 12 months a year as long as there was enough money to pay the bills. Time was more valuable than more money.

Interesting. There certainly are many folks (law, Wall Street, medicine, high tech) where working many many hours and making huge amounts of money are what it is all about, and taking the winter off would be severely frowned upon. Are they happier?