Training Log Archive: Linear Ice

River Road to ASP visitor center and back from ASP
Snow, hills, slow
saw pfc on the way back (driving to balloon event in Hudson). I never see anyone... so this was fun!

I figured it would be a perfect snow/hill workout to go and get the controls from last week....
It was indeed a good workout, more than I bargained for. It took forever.
(I was tempted to enter 2400 ft of climb, as per pwentz3l's calculation, which would have at least somewhat accounted for the slow time)

The snow was deep, seems like there's a large fresh layer and still the deep under-layer, so it was very slow going and I really could not run through much of this terrain. With the hills, the snow... I resorted to a lot of walking, but tried to keep up the heartrate.
I stopped a few times, to dig snow out of Alice's paws... to talk to a park ranger who was lecturing me for being with a dog near the ski trails, with no leash (I had one when he "caught" me, but he had seen me earlier). I assured him that I was trying VERY hard to stay off the trails, and that I would be going off trail for the remainder of the time..... he was actually okay with that. As long as I kept her on leash. Fair enough. for today

And also stopped to talk to the nice delinquents who were busy shoveling snow off the main path. What an big job! Good thing there's an endless supply of community service "volunteers".

It was a pretty quiet day at the oval, the ice was too warm for the really good skaters. I like it warm, though. And since i forgot to sharpen my blades this morning before work... it was perfect (since I still got grip).
I did most of my miles at about 3:40 min/mile, with some social rests in between.

Also had fun talking to a fellow who actually knew some of my older teammates from StL...back when we all used to skate short-track.
His tactic has just been to keep skating until all his competitors retired from competition... and last week he was natl age group champ. (60+ or 70+?).
Maybe I should have competed... it was RIGHT HERE and not too many competitors, and probably much harder to get lost than with an orienteering USC event....

A short early afternoon run with a lot of contrasts-- my favorite kind!

3M Bldg 220 (the one with the BIG 3M) to Battle Creek Trail (across from Battle Creek Park), down along the creek to the Mississippi RIver and by the river bottoms. Very nice break from the day. This trail is very much like Afton but not as dark (because it's daytime). And it certainly got me out of the corporate space for a while.
Battle Creek Trail Run down down down on the way out, up up up on the way back. Not too steep though.
But... it wasn't all bad to get back to corporate facilities with showers, food, mountain dew and a nice nurse in the medical center who gave me a Nexcare icepack for my AT (precaution) without asking questions or giving me a lecture =)
Now... back to work.

C • Nurse? 2

With Snowgaine right around the corner... Team Midwest Ice needs to get in shape! But, I haven't been able to run much (slight AT issue). Hence... a variety of machines this week to TRY to keep from going crazy and maybe get some x-training without aggravating AT.

But as of today.... I THINK.... my AT is better. yay. Maybe a long run this weekend.

Backwoods.... walk/jog. More later, I hope.

Good run, but again....another dark one with headlight.
Winter is beginning to feel long, already.
I've been seeing signs that it's affecting the wildlife around here. Today, Alice found a fox-tail, and was proudly carrying it around. Bet the fox wasn't feeling too good. Starved? And last week, putting out controls, I saw numerous spots of raspberry-blue snocone colored snow.... a sign that the deer are resorting to eating buckthorn, with all other food gone. .