Training Log Archive: biggins

snowy/rainy and crappy all day, but it finally cooled down enough to turn to all snow, so I snuck out for a run around. my shoes never dried out from last time, and were frozen solid, which was somewhat chilly for a couple miles. maybe I need to start bringing them inside.

C • sounds cold! 1

Long DP from Boca up to Stampede and back. Managed to dp all the way out to the last hill up to Stampede, but then got wiped and had to skate the second half of the steep part. Lots of headwind on the way back. Just think, this is about the same length as our long courses will be this winter, except this had less than half the climb. Sweet.

Also before I left back in September I ripped off the pole strap on the rollerski poles, so last night I tried to go out and get a new one, but the car battery was dead again. Guess it didn't like sitting dead and frozen for the last month. Got AAA back this morning to test and declare it toast, then put in a new one. Considering it was 7.5 years old, and most of that spent in the desert, it didn't do so bad.

Anyway got the new pole straps, and also picked up the freebie pair of Madshus skate skis I split the bottoms off and sent back last winter to get waranteed. Then went to the other ski shop and picked up the two pairs of freebie Rossi boots I ripped the bottoms off of before they recalled them. So I think I'm net positive on the ski gear for once, at least for today. The new boots seem to be way better than the old ones, they've actually got room in the toes, and they finally made a big-kid-size ankle collar instead of just using the one from five sizes smaller, so they might even last the season (and if not, at least I've got two pairs). Also they're a sexy matte black, which should come in handy when I go ninja ski.

C • Geared up 1

of all the training I didn't do in the last two months, I think I missed the road bike the most. its tough enough to make my legs hurt, but mindless enough to clear my brain. not so warm out, and crazy windy, so I was mostly frozen by the time I got down to town, but then it got nice after that. also they've finally repaved the road through town, so there's no longer a 4" crack to ride over every half second.

C • So the handlebars held up t... 2

One more plane home this morning, which despite waiting in line for an hour for the de-icer, eventually did get into Reno. Ola came down and picked me up, which was awesome, and I finally got home around lunchtime. The car battery was very dead, so I waited for AAA to come jump it, then drove around for an hour before stopping at the post office to get the mountain of mail. My po box lease expired while I was away, which I suppose I should have figured out before I left, but didn't. Fortunately they hadn't given away my box to somebody else yet, and also still had all my mail. Then the car wouldn't start again, but at least it turned over once or twice, so it had managed to charge a little (even the clock was dead the first time), which I took as a good sign. Got a jump from the janitor at the KFC next to the post office, then drove around for another hour and a half, which was even less exciting than the first time, but perhaps on par with sitting on a plane for the last day and a half.

But anyway, home sweet home. Went for a lazy jog around the ski trails, which are now officially ski trails again since they've taken down the mtb trail signs and put back up the ski trail signs. Ground cover varied from six inches of snow to six inches of mud, but was trending heavily towards the mud end. Basically enough to get wet, dirty, and frozen, all without trying too hard.

After getting to buffalo late, then spending another hour recompressing all the crap in the car back into the two big bags, I only got a couple hours of sleep before heading to the airport for the morning flight to Detroit. So I got on the plane and fell asleep right away. Next thing I know I wake up and people are shuffling around and getting off the plane. Sweet, one out of three done. I crawl out (it's one of the tiny planes) and stumble into the terminal to stare blearily at the TVs to find the gate for the next flight to SLC. It takes a while since I'm still asleep, but I eventually figure out that there are no flights to SLC. So I turn around to the guy at the gate I just came out of, "Hey I can't find what gate my flight to SLC leaves from?". And he just kind of stares at me. And I sleepily stare back at him. And then he sort of laughs. And then I notice that Detroit airport looks an awful lot like Buffalo airport. Apparently we all got on the plane, idled at the gate long enough for me to have a nap, then they kicked us off because the plane was broken.

They rebooked us all automatically, which was nice of them, but apparently normal people don't fly to Reno, so the couple flights there a day are not easy to get, so more quality time in the airport today.

Ok try #2, this time buf-jfk-slc-rno.
Fail.
So I get on the plane, we pull away from the gate, and I fall asleep. I wake up later, noticeably less tired, and we're taxiing. Not to be fooled twice in one day, I turn to the lady next to me, "are we done and going to the gate?". "Yes". Sweet, one of three done. Though the JFK terminal looks an awful lot like the Buffalo terminal. In retrospect I probably phrased my question wrong. "Are we done flying and going to the gate in New York?". Apparently we drove out to the runway, then it started raining in NY so they put a takeoff hold on jfk and we sat there for an hour, then they gave up and drove back to the gate. Then delayed it by four hours, then cancelled it. There goes the second of the only two flights into Reno today. But at least since the one this morning was mechanical It carries over and I get a free hotel for the night, in SLC. If I get there. Try #3 leaves for Atlanta in an hour or two. Maybe.

C • Good luck 8

Hey look I got somewhere. Or halfway somewhere anyway. Third times a charm. Maybe I'll even get home tomorrow. At least it's snowing here.

a couple more hours of mapping at Amherst in the morning.

C • Amherst Map 4

Five minutes of course setting later and Alex, PG and I had the first sprint race on the fieldchecked part of the map. Pretty fun, lots of campus buildings and a nice foresty hill. I mostly knew where everything was since I'd been everywhere in the last couple days, but I got stuck waiting for a line of fire trucks crossing the main road, so maybe that counts as a route choice mistake.

Then I got to drive all the way out to Buffalo to fly home in the morning, which included such highlights as two hours of downpour where I couldn't see the lines on the road. Also exactly zero of the rest stops / gas stations / trash cans on the NY throughway have mountain dew. How do they survive driving anywhere? Its almost as bad as Canadia.

And if you count the mapping last week I've orienteered every day of the last 17.

Blue Sunday - Splits