Training Log Archive: vmeyer

A rest day. Plan for the rest of the week:
Wednesday - Treadmill run
Thursday - Core workout
Friday - (Use it or Lose it day off to use by June 30) - Trail run in Prince William
Saturday - Bike ride
Sunday - QOC Chase

+ ~15 minutes in break time.

Goal was to be out of the door by 5:30 AM, but 6 AM would have to do. I had been awake since 2 or 3 AM, so I was hoping that maybe I would fall back to sleep, but I couldn't. I would have just lain there awake until it was too late to hit the trails, and I wouldn't have gone at all except Roger called up at 5:30 to tell me that the sun was coming up. So, up I got.

Went to the Humpback Bridge first, since I knew this section would be busier later on. Then back through Old Town Alexandria and across the Wilson Bridge. Lots of walkers coming towards me. Up a really long hill, maybe Oxon Hill itself? Over to Oxon Hill Farm and down a long hill to the bike path. Path was not in great shape, but it was along the river, and there was a deer, ducks, and lots of geese, some with newer batches of babies.

This trail was empty except for one guy digging up some sort of green along the flood plain. I went to the end, and only then did I realize that I was ending up in DC, by the infamous DC Village. Back the way I came, now dreading the return trip up the hill. Made it about 2/3 of the way and then had to walk the rest.

Back home without incident, though the trail, which was very peaceful earlier, was now packed.

Two GUs, a diet coke, water, and G2 while I was out there. Big breakfast (eggs and scrapple) and a nap when I was done.

It was very unusual that I was out yesterday morning until almost noon, but Roger didn't leave the house to do his usual Saturday morning errands.

So, since my legs were tired from yesterday, and it also seemed like Roger wanted me to do things with him today, I deferred the bike ride to tomorrow.

We headed off to Clinton, MD to pick strawberries, but we were a day or two late. They were all picked out. So, we headed to Upper Marlboro to a feed store for bedding for the piggies and then to Andrews AFB for shopping and lunch. Swung by Oxon Hill Farm to check out the access for the bike trail there. Then home for a nap. After that we drove to Severn, MD, sitting outside DC in the rolling thunder street closings related traffic jam, then dropping the controls off at Ted and Darcy's for next weekend. A side trip to the mall in Columbia and then home. Roger picked up dinner while I posted RG for the TT event.

Exciting day, eh?

Event: US Team Trials for WOC '11
 

Map with tracks

A somewhat early start to the day to try to beat the worst of the heat. No way around the high humidity, so I decided not to dwell on that.

I wanted to check out the the course for the 12-HR run I signed up for in PWNF in September. I had been on all of the trails before, but the race course has linked together a nice variety of trails/fire roads together, and it was really quite interesting. Started at Pine Grove instead of the actual S/F since that area was closed to vehicle traffic.

Carried the orienteering map and my new compass (needle wiggles all over the place, so I need to trade it in for something more stable).

Pleasant downhill to start, and then up North Orenda RD to Scenic Drive. Down Pyrite Mine RD to Cabin Branch Trail. Connected to North Valley Trail and followed it across the creek and then south to private property. Cross the creek back over to South Valley Trail to the bridge. Trail back west to the Birch Bluff Trail to the Telegraph Picnic Area parking. Back on Birch Bluff to the point where it crossed over to the yellow blazed trail back to Pine Grove.

Advertised distance is 6.5 mile loop. My 6.9 included a little redo to figure out the correct route on the Cabin Branch Trail, but not that much distance was added. If I ran the loop correctly, there is no way is is less then 6.75 miles.

Took a break of about 11:00, and though I really didn't think that I had another loop in my legs, I decided to set the virtual training partner to 14:30 mile pace and try to stay below that. After struggling to breath at times during the first loop, this one felt so much better, and I pushed whenever I could only giving up on the <13:00 mile pace near the end. This second loop made it worth the drive. I was very pleased with this effort. Dripping buckets after.

Lots of people in the park today, which is always nice to see. And no dogs to speak of except a little beagle who licked my dirty leg near the end of the loop.

Saw a turtle on the second loop... It had some nice markings.





Gear news - wore my new very lightweight Salomon Trail Runner II shirt. Love this shirt for the fit, design, and because it is so darn lightweight. However, I can't seem to locate the "2 stash pockets store energy gels, keys, a debit card, or whatever other small items you might need to take along on your run."

On the bottom, I wore a new pair of Danskin Tri shorts with 5" inseam and a "soft, microfleece padded chamois." Despite ideal conditions, I suffered no diaper rash afterward like I normally get. Yeah.

C • Excellent run! 3

Back and forth on the bike path mostly staying in the shade. Temps around 80 with a pleasant little breeze. Especially pleasant when the sun tucked behind the clouds.

Back home via the hill behind the house.

Weight 170 when I got home despite a double cheeseburger and very salty fries for lunch. Need to drink more water.

Ride to work. Added a little extra on again this morning.

Ride home, via the DC border, as well as a stop past the house to pick up a special order for work. Hot - 94 F - when I checked at home. The sun was very intense, and I totally appreciated the shaded portions of the trail. I sorta even embraced the wind, though it was pretty hard to push against at times. Really should have put sunscreen on, but I hate to, because it makes me all wheezy and hazy, so I thought I could get away with not. Sunburned. Oops.

I stopped at the gas station for a cold diet coke, and though I thought I was drinking enough water, I weighed in at a dehydrated 170 when I got home.

Any thought of a little run quickly flew out of my mind.

Tentative plans for the weekend:
Friday: walk for an hour
Saturday: Prince William - test run the 6.5 mile loop for the 12 hour run to get an idea of how long it takes me. Hope to do the loop 2-3 times.
Sunday: Ride bike 35 miles
Monday: Do whichever of Saturday or Sunday I didn't actually get around to doing

Took a little bit more of a scenic route from the house to the bike trail. Just cruising along this morning, not working too hard, or at least it felt that way. Must have been a favorable wind.

Walk to the metro station behind work. Took the Yellow, then Blue line to the Franconia/Springfield station. Messed up and got on the Yellow first thinking it was the one I needed, but I was able to transfer at the next station, so no time wasted.

Ran from the metro station to the car dealer to pick up Roger's PT Cruiser. It needed $1400+ of maintenance items and $400 for a part that controls the turn signals/lights. It had been quite a while since anything, even an oil change had been done on it. Maybe a year. Oops. Running much smoother now.

Traded cars with Roger at the central office and drove mine back to work for the rest of the day and to get my bike.

Sweaty anyway, so I did the core dvd. Yeah!

And, to really make the shower worthwhile, I mowed the lawn after work.

I signed up for this 12-Hour race today. A freebie since I was "owed" for them using my race clock three times.

I had originally thought to do the one the weekend before near Reading, PA, but once I saw how much climb was in each 5 mile loop, I thought better of it. May as well stay closer to home, all things being equal otherwise.