Training Log Archive: PG

I had a client this week, he used to race cars as a hobby, gave it up a few years back after one day hitting the wall pretty much head on at a good rate of speed. He walked away from the accident, no broken bones, no internal injuries, just everything very sore. Partly he figured he was just lucky, partly he figured that it must have helped that just before the race, for some reason he doesn't know, he really tightened down his 5-point seat harness. The sorest places were probably where the harness was holding him, but it prevented a lot worse damage.

That was several days ago.

I fasten my seat/shoulder belt probably about 95% of the time. Always when on a longer trip or the interstate, but often not on shorter trips, just too lazy. I decided that day I was going to shoot for 100%. So far I've just missed once, realized it after half a mile, buckled up. It would be nice, and smart, if that was the last time.

C • 3.5 miles 13

From the car over to the start.

At Mt. Tom, the section along the southeast edge of the map next to I-91, nice because the woods are pretty nice, it's not rocky, and the hills are modest. An inch or two of snow, but light stuff so no problem, and no ice because it was all off-trail. 25F, sunny, very pleasant.

This was planned to be 2.5 loops (NE, SW, NE, SW, NE), which I managed to do. It was also supposed to be the long run for the week, which I suppose it was, but at this point I'm shooting for at least 90 minutes for them. But as I considered doing a third trip to the SW, that consideration taking place as I was going up a hill on the NE section and breathing harder than I wished, the spirit just wasn't willing. So success in one aspect, and a wimp in the other.

The good part was I made it up the hills with something in reserve. And the pace was steady, as good at the end as the beginning.

Splits: 5:32, 5:30, 9:51, 8:21, 5:23, 5:23, 9:49, 8:12, 5:11, 5:08.

Map

Back to the car. Thought about adding another 15 minutes, but wimped out on that too.

Training - Splits

Training - Splits

Just an easy run on the treadmill. 9:33, 8:35, 8:35, 8:35. With Fresh Air interview about cyber crime, passed the time.

I think tomorrow I will go see what the woods are like at Mt. Tom.

C • Mt Tom 4

Pretty cold outside, so I stayed in, time for another of my "one hill" efforts on the treadmill, 4 miles at 6 mph, this time upped the elevation to 6% instead of 5%. Made it a little harder but less so than I thought, always in control. The hard part is how slowly 40 minutes goes by when you're chugging uphill. And when you discover your ipod battery has run down.

But there should be a benefit if I keep this up, partly physical, partly just more mental toughening, no reason at some point in the futire on an O' course to give up running because I will know that I've managed 40 minutes at a time. At least that's the plan.

Also a flat mile easy before and after.

I believe this is 45 days in a row of running at least 30 minutes. I'm not sure why I got started on this silliness, but it actually has rarely been hard to get out the door, with the question each day (or more accurately each week, because I try to plan ahead a little) being how and where am I going to train rather then just am I going to train. And so far things haven't been hurting.

I suppose I will just carry on and see what happens.

Warm-up. 305 was telling me my heart rate for the first few minutes was about 180, so (unlike George) I just ignored it. At some point it suddenly fixed itself.

With Dave at the Smith indoor track. Same as last week, 4x800 with 1:15 rest in between. Legs felt sluggish, but got around OK, just the usual suffering. And the usual pleasure to be all done by 8 am.

3:14.2, 3:10.9, 3:10.0, 3:07.3.

And it is really good to be doing these workouts, hopefully I can keep doing them each week.

A mile afterwards. Lega were a little tired.

Back to the usual trails on the ridge. The ice was a little harder, so there were more places where I had to edge into the bushes to get good footing. But still no falls, or even slips.

After yesterday's disappointing This American Life, opted for a Fresh Air. Rejected the first couple of offering -- I have about 100 shows stored on the ipod -- then settled on one about the trial going on in California about the constitutionality of Prop 8 (gay marriage ban). Excellent interview, both the questions and the answers.

Also a short discussion of a case in Massachusetts, where gay marriage is legal, and appears not to have destroyed any heterosexual marriages in the 5 years gay marriage has been around. This case is about the matter of a spouse's access to a variety of benefits that are available to heterosexual spouses but not gay spouse because of the Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA.

All interesting, except at the mention of DOMA my mind wandered a bit and settled on the fact that a number of orienteers are now storing the maps on a DOMA, which I think stands for Digital Online Map Archive, though I'm not sure. It does seem like an unfortunate sharing of an acronym.

The other such unfortunate sharing, depending on your point of view I suppose, that comes to mind is the CIA, perhaps more commonly assumed to be the Central Intelligence Agency but for gourmets and Eglinskis known as the Cullinary Institute of America.

I would imagine there are quite a few others.

C • Acronyms 8

Seemed like a good speech.

Traditional route in Greenfield ("13 hills"). Conditions seemed perfectly OK after all the rain, maybe 2/3 bare ground and the rest a mix of ice and rotten snow, though I suppose most every other runner in Greenfield would consider the trails unrunnable at this point. The ice isn't bad at all, a little bit soft and you just have to choose your spots; you can tell a lot about the traction just by the color of the ice. Actually, I think the places to be most concerned about are the bits of ice you can't see, under some leaves or under a thin veneer of mud. Any, no falls, nothing close, though I have to remember that the worst thing you can do is get cocky.

I did take a few falls in yoga class but that almost always happens when we are asked to do something impossible, like stand on one foot.

No data for the 305 yet (I'm at the office PC), but making progress. Downloaded the plug-in successfully, but forgot to bring the CD that came with the 305 with whatever has to be downloaded from it.

Legs seemed shot going up the early hills but made it around in a not truly awful time.

A lousy TAL show with Christmas stories. I suppose everyone is entitled to an off day.

C • balancing 3

Tax season is quickly moving into high gear. The interesting parts, of course, have nothing to do with numbers. Today's highlight (lowlight?), was a discussion with a new client, pretty girl, about 25, works as a landscaper. Did the numbers, then the usual questions about what the future might hold, all as it might relate to future tax returns.

She said she was probably going to get engaged this year, probably not married until the next year. I get to ask a lot of questions as part of the job, but I don't ever remember asking this one before, but it being Massachusetts the question was quite pertinent -- was she planning on getting married to a male or a female?

Was she offended? I think not, not much later she said she was going to get her future spouse to come to me too. And, for the record, it's a he.

It's a tough job but somebody has to do it.

Pouring rain outside (and 55F!), wanted an easy day anyway, so just an easy outing on the treadmill. 9:45, 8:35, 8:35, 8:35, 8:35. Glad I've gotten used to the treadmill (and have the ipod) as today would not have been fun outside.

This American Life, the whole hour one story about two babies switched at birth. Sort of interesting, sort of appalling, but below average for TAL. I'm down to about 4 programs left -- they have to be downloaded each week and I was doing that for Gail most of the summer while I wasn't using the ipod but she was, but I'm almost caught up. Will soon have to move on the something else. Of course, I could also pay for old programs....