Training Log Archive: kensr

Up to start.

Up to Mud Pond, down to the golf course, then all the way to the highway and back up to the hotel. Lots of climb. About four serious route choice decisions. First was to 1, went high CW and that was good. Then 3-4 went along the mill race and that was slightly slower, probably because it is longer than it looks; was in hot pursuit of a junior and lost a little ground on that leg. Then 5-6 went near 2 instead of 7 and that was an error, may have cost me a minute or two. Finally 10-11, dropped low unlike yesterday and that was good, gained a bunch of time. And going back to the finish, it was just grinding straight up, but people made weird choices like going up the road and that didn't work for them.

Felt good, although famished at end, despite pigging out at dinner and having a pretty good breakfast, too. Ended 1st M-55, doing red today. Maybe 2nd fastest on the course.

Speaking of hunger, went back up to Mud Pond for the food tour, trying to catch Ruthie and Alex. However, got waylaid at the first stop and had the souffle type stuff and the hot cranberry crisp, which was awesome. Then another klick and meal #2 of hot chicken sandwich and chili. Went in the warming hut for that one, as I still had my wet gloves from the race. Around Mud Pond to #3, skipped the soup but had some Poweraide, and on to #4, which had also been #1. So had more hot crisp, which was still great. Fortunately, it was downhill to the hotel and gravity was working for me.

No rest today. Back up to Mud Pond to pick up the controls and stands in that area. Was able to dump them at the hut and did not have to carry them all the way down to the nordic center, which was nice.

Coming back from picking up controls, had this sleek little white weasel dart across the trail and dive into the snowbank about 20' in front of me. First sighting for me of an ermine, beautiful in winter color.

Very fine event! Thanks to Alex for spearheading this and taking care of the details.

Red Sunday Long Distance - Splits

Event: Balsams Ski-O
 

Blue course. Couple tough climbs. Made bad route choice from 10 to 11 around the top, and the extra climb probably cost me 5 min. Temp low 20's, wax was okay with hf6, but 7 would have been better.

Back up to alpine base lodge.

Sprint set up by hotel. Nice simple layout, short and dashing back and forth. Had some extra grooming tracks thrown on top of the main trails and foot trails put in. Made using the map for route choice a little confusing.

Second run. By now blowing snow had obscured the grooming, but herd path went straight to the controls. I just spotted the next control and headed on the best path to it. Much faster. Best time Ali and Scott at 6:08.

Warm up between sprints. Control pickup.

Blue Saturday Middle Distance - Splits

Rough, hard surface, didn't groom. 6 x 10 sec sprints interspersed.

Warmup, then 10 x 1 min intervals flat out going up the Porcupine Trail. Didn't feel like puking, but did want to pass out a couple times. Must be something about the thick air around here.
Bunch of cool off laps.

Back home. Rest week. Groomed trails with about 30" cover, except in front of the garage doors, which is piled quite high. Very cautious going in and out with the 7' high Bombi.