Training Log Archive: Sandy

Hanging controls for the Stumble. Got out early, so beautiful weather for the most part. I didn't do the controls in the order of the Stumble so don't know quite how the racers will see the course, but most of the woods I was in were beauitful, with very colorful fungi growing all over the place. Did all the controls on the Short and a few on the Long plus hauled some water.

My knee was okay. Every so often a "wrong" step would result in sharp pain but taking it easy and wearing an elastic sleeve seemed to work for the most part. It was a very odd feeling though to be favoring my good knee; I hadn't realized quite how often I compensated for my knee brace by always taking the big down or up steps with my left leg. So strange to decide that I felt more stable jumping down onto my right knee or using that leg to climb down an embankment or up over logs.

C • glad to hear that the knee is somewhat better 3

No TNT. First miss ever (and we're almost at a year) when I was home. Going to be hard to keep the weight off if I can't run.

C • Oh no! 8

Seemed relatively easy; perhaps I'm not doing things right or perhaps the instructor started us off easy.

TNT - Jim and Clem went off on their own; Sandy, Dasha, Bob and I started together but we all peeled off and went different distances. Did 4 miles on the drive but started to get some pain so walked a bit. Ran the whole hill home instead.

Left knee very swollen; might have to not run for a few days. :(

Printed maps and programmed epunches for the upcoming Stumble. Really bummed that I can't run. Maybe since I'm helping, I can sweet talk my way into a towel so I can keep my collection complete!

C • No Stumble?! 2

Started a yoga class at school; first time I've ever tried a real class and not just working out of a book. Nice stretches and several poses that worked my arms. Can't bend my knees very far so have to modify a few considerably.

C • Hmm, still 113. I didn't offer... 2

Couldn't figure out why my arms were so sore today until I remembered a doozy of a fall I took yesterday when I caught my foot under some barbed wire and went sprawling. No damage, but obviously my arms must have taken my weight.

OK race. Sloppy in several spots but always knew where I had to be once I decided I wasn't where I wanted to be. Totally ran out of juice at the end though.

Event: CNYO A meet
 

CNYO - middle distance. One bad control (#2) and one leg where I hesitated a lot despite having a huge catching feature (#4) but good after that.

Got tangled up in some sort of flora on the way to #2 and came out of some junk with huge pricker pods matted in my hair. Luckily some folks helped me get them out at the finish. Painful!

CNYO sprint. Not a very good race. Lost time on several controls - just wasn't really into it for some reason. But had fun anyway.

:)

C • Hot damn. Nice work. Now you j... 3

TNT - Clem, Dasha, Eric
Very easy running with Dasha around the soccer fields at the high school since there was a football game on the track. Knees were fine so I'm sticking with the theory that it was my shoes. Didn't want to push anything though.

TNT - with Jim and Bob...sort of...

A totally screwed up workout but I'm bummed enough that I'm counting the whole time I was out of the house...

Ran down to the drive and knees were painful but they often are when I start since it's downhill and on asphalt for a short time. Planned on a slowish 5 miles but within the first half mile I was in severe pain - shooting stabs from both knees. Although sometimes it's very short-lived, this time it was getting worse. I had to stop and convinced Jim and Bob to go on without me. Tried to jog - hurt too much. Walked a bit, tried again, and realized it wasn't getting better so turned around and headed home. Noticed that on the slight uphill, no pain. Kept trying to jog a bit, but after 5 strides back came the pain. Got to the bottom of the hill and decided to try running up it. No pain! So I did 4 hill repeats ( http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=446144 ) but had to walk slowly back down each time. Splits were 1:38, 2:40, 1:35, 2:32, 1:32, 2:46, 1:26. Then jogged all the way home. Have been icing since I got back.

I think the problem was the shoes I wore today, but it could be from not wearing my brace all day Sunday, or any of a dozen other things.

C • oh no, hope this is a strange fluke 3

Even though I have no training to log for the weekend, I guess I was on my feet enough to burn some calories. :)

C • w00t! 5

Event: 2006 Sprint Series Finals
 

Event: 2006 Sprint Series Finals Festival
 

Control hanging for the farsta and sprints. Includes a couple dicey stream crossings - including one where the current was strong enough that it knocked me down. Hopefully the waters will subside by tomorrow afternoon.

TNT - track workout in light rain with Clem and Dasha. Did 3 sets of 4x400 with the fourth a recovery. Goal was to go 10 seconds faster for each of the first 3. I did pretty well considering I've never done anything like this and that I didn't look at my watch while running just tried to run medium, hard and then harder. Splits were: 2:25, 2:15, 2:05, 3:28, 2:30, 2:20, 2:11, 3:48, 2:32, 2:23, 2:10. Rest of the time was a warmup lap and a cooldown lap.

Printing sprint and farsta maps and clues and programming epunch units. What fun! I have a job, really I do.

TNT - felt horrid from not enough sleep and way too much caffeine. Managed 4 miles on the drive at about 11 minute pace and walked all the way home.

Sprint course at VF Fatlands. Felt okay but either afraid to run or running was too hard in all the stilt grass and overgrown fields. Off on a few controls but never by more than 10 meters. Nice to see Alison with a good result.

Score-O at VF Fatlands. Had a plan, stuck to it, executed well. Unfortunately, I missed the obvious strategy of being overtime but getting all the controls since the overtime penalties were completely insignificant compared to the bonuses. Felt like a moron for not recognizing the winning approach of ignoring the clock, but was really pleased that I was able to judge the time as well as I did (finished with 20 seconds to spare) and maximize my points in the time limit.

An easy bike ride in the Wissahickon after printing maps all day for next weekend; didn't push it and walked up a short section of the steep hill home although rode up a couple others on the other side of the valley.

Since I have to eat my own cooking this weekend shouldn't be too hard to maintain this time around.

TNT - run at Tyler. Felt totally exhausted at the start and went downhill from there. Dasha and Bob periodically waited for me for the first half of the run but then they did the Red trail and the big hill while I wussed out and did the Orange trail. Even walked in a few places. Assuming it's just not enough sleep or stressing over the sprint finals or lingering effects of giving blood or the tough run on Tuesday.

Rats. Knew the good eating over the weekend would be trouble.

C • I'm sure it's temporary. Those... 1

Short, easy hill loop in between trying to straighten out permissions for Hickory Run and giving blood.

C • Giving blood 3

TNT - 5 miles on the drive in the rain. Legs felt really good starting out; guess they were happy not to be running in sand again! Like Mary, felt like I was actually running at times as opposed to slogging along tonight. Out on my own, part of the return with Jim E. Splits were 444, 434, 429, 435, 428, 433, 502 (small hill plus talking too much), 422, 458 (small hill plus tired), 450 (thought it was faster so must have just been tired). Despite falling off the pace at the end, this could very well be a PR for this distance. Carried my headlamp but didn't need it since I went fast enough. :)

Jog/walk down to the drive and back home.

Beach run with Dasha and Sandy - this time in beautiful weather. Amazing how different it can be in 24 hours.

Beach run with Dasha. In the Ernesto provided wind and rain so just went down the beach for 15 minutes and then turned around. Although it's hard on the lower calves and ankles, I really enjoy running barefoot in the sand.

Ankle very sore today.

C • That looks like progress, eh? 6