Training Log Archive: AliC

30k White Mountain Classic in Jackson NH

Awesome day! Was super nervous as we drove there from Hanover and the temps were -6 over Crawford Notch. But it was 10 by the time we got there, and warming up quickly, so think it was mid-20s most of the race. Whew, I would have been totally unprepared for subzero temps!

Race went well, I knew if I were doing alright, it would be a matter of trying to keep up with Hannah Dreissigacker (another Dartmouth ski gal alum!). She got ahead at the start, I would have loved to be right behind her and try to sit on her heals, but it was busy with all the men around!! So I didn't close the gap right away, and think it grew fairly steadily, but not too badly throughout the race. She ended up about 50 seconds up and the 3rd woman was another 5 min behind me.

Biggest issue: sooooooo much double pole!! I haven't double poled that much in years. The whole 2nd half of the race seemed to be double pole, and there was lots in the first half too. Wowzer.
Second issue: not sure I was right on the wax. Or I needed more layers. Went with VR40, which the Swix guy recommended (actually, borrowed his, because I didn't have any!). Worked in the shade, not the sun, and not when the snow was transformed. May just have needed more layers though- I think I now remember that about those skis (the YES-NO pair), that the camber is fairly high.

Mini-cool down run with Hannah. We were both sick of double pole, and that's what any skiing right around the lodge would have been...

1st annual burrito run!

So two of the noon-run crowd had a bet that the new UMass Rec center track would actually be suitable for really running on (ie. track surface, banked corners, 200m), while 2 bet against. Turns out, it's not a good running track, no banks and corners really sharp. Poor UMass track team. So losers had to buy winners lunch. While I wasn't involved in the bet, all the group was invited to go run into town to the burrito place too, so we did. Have to say that it was the biggest noon run I've been on, proving yet again: people like food. Especially athletic people. =)

C • indoor track 6

Amherst High School Sprints @ Northfield Mtn.

Classic today, Deerfield didn't show, so just Amherst kids battling it out. Amazed at how much snow there is up there actually, none here in town really. Wet stuff so no kick for most, lotsa double pole. I ran the finish again, than did the coaches race with Nat, Sully and Sanjay. Nat took off again, definitely can't keep up with him in double pole and Sully actually had me for the first half, til the little hills where my herringbone was quicker.

Took the bus there and back, woo schoolbus!

C • Are you coaching with any o... 2

Worried too long about converting counts/sec to erg/s/cm^2, so had to run home in order to meet one of our PhD students celebrating being post-oral qual.

Run over to track from work, ugly slushy rainy weather, blech. Then normal 2 mile warmup, straight into a 6.20 mile (the guys did a second 6.20 in a row, I stretched). Then a pause before 4 x 1mi, which the guys joined me for this week- so so much more fun with company! (They are ultramarathoners, so miles are super short for them.) I was pretty steady, and ran mostly right around Todd, he was a bit quicker the 2nd and 3rd.

5.42
5.46
5.46
5.42

Then a super low key mile warm down. Feelin it.

And ran into a tree with my car. Major oops.

I was heading back from staying in a cabin with some Dartmouth friends down a snowy dirt road. I got stuck on the ditch on the right side of the road, so swerved left powerfully to get out of it, but that sent me into a skid and hit a tree at the other side of the road. In retrospect, should have just stayed in the ditch. I wouldn't have been able to get out of it from a standstill, but at least the car wouldn't have been damaged...

Was nice and slow, no airbags off, but front left side dinged up and light shattered. Dug the snow out from around the car, then a guy with a pickup truck got me back out, no problem.

Hope getting the car fixed doesn't turn into a major headache...

C • Are you OK? And how much da... 2

At Oak Hill, an hour late for meeting Richard and Stephanie because of car crash (see note).

Skied most of the 5k loop before running into them, helped coach them both for a bit before they had to run off for a meeting. Stephanie is still getting the hang of the rhythm, Richard has the rhythm, needs to get his weight forward.

After saying bye, headed back up the hill, did the whole loop, including the Outback, and mixed in 5 x 4 min intervals. Used my rock skis and new snow was really slow, so intervals were tough to go fast.

Got home, phone dead, charger at work, so ran to work to fetch it. Far too warm.... snow melting all around me. =(