Training Log Archive: bl

BMS/BHS loop, spitting snow. Still some on the ground. Hay Creek & Letchworth maps for company. Screwed up T/D in turning 305 off.
Came home from rounds this am & got stuck for a bit in driveway, maybe 3” fluffy snow making it wintry pretty & slippery. No teeth in it though being nearly April.


Found an Elk Neck SP map earlier, stamped day 2, Sunday, 3/29/98, so 17 years ago now. Recall the day before (today). We drove 10 hours to the meet site by NYC, Phily, Wilmington, got out of the car to a chorus of spring peepers: died & gone to heaven kind of thing. That Saturday night it was 70F at the tent site (“stars thru tree branch canopy as in winter”), got to 80F during day (“hot SW wind that got up by noon”). ENSP was a new map & enjoyable on that first visit. Recall less so subsequently, more briars & blood noted, post honeymoon I suppose. Dinner on several occasions in the nearby town of North East. Some nice moments on the Chesapeake, then the long drive home. Back 3/31/01 and 3/16/02, the latter apparently just for spring fun (note about surprise daffodils in the woods), a DC cherry blossom look-see followed by Harriman’s Tiorati, Kanawukee and Sebago Beach for O in snow (“grey, chilly, weak sun”). Think twice about such long drives now - Beth still a trooper for it. Partly cost of gas a factor but a distance inertia, too.

C • Elk Neck 2

Event: Flying Pig XIX - U.S. Individual Champs - Sprint-Middle-Long
 

Patch-Rollins ccw, calm, grey, early spring-type day. Went there after work, wanted a brief snooze at the wheel on arrival but thought of getting going
made that desire fade away. One car, one runner (first ever I think) on Patch.
Some new & different views with the leaves gone and distant slopes white.
No 305, distance & climb from another time, same exact run... one of several reasons to like 'search location'.

Had intended Patch-Rollins loop but it was raining more than I cared for so went to the Y.

Weak training entry but what the heck. Spent 20' at yesterday's field, got there just before 8a on way to work. Temp was 35F so a bit too soft a surface, sank even to 2" in a few places, generally under 1". Otherwise a nice field with potential. Maybe it will get suitably cold w/ useable snow one more time. Cut up with some passable fences, surrounded by an electric fence, off as expected. In addition to not being needed w/o livestock, it probably couldn't work with one of the wires partly in snow.

SPS visit, parking at Audubon. Temp was hi 40s, so shorts were de rigueur.
Had 4 in mind but kept to a full campus circuit which added a half mile. Maybe a third of a mile was on the bike path which was covered with snow. Walked on Turkey Pond ice but just barely. It seemed firm and skating on the bit of slush had appeal but for the fear of breaking thru as happened at Turee a few years ago. Lots of SPS kids jogging or on their way to lacrosse. First run of any length (used loosely) in a while. Almost like relearning how to run or the process of 'work hardening' in occ health. Noted a clean white field that calls for a skate visit in the am but rain may interfere.

C • shorts were de rigueur 2

TRT in early pm & a bit late at that. Thought it might be firmer being fairly cold but was somewhat slushy. Middle field pretty good, west not so.

No Billy Goat - decided that 650 miles driving for one 3 hour run was not in the cards, been there done that in action. Living in western MA offers much better access in all directions. Living in Maine would be "for whom the bell tolls".

On Concord streets, gps battery quit. Finally more like spring, NW wind subsided.

TRT to see what it was like which was icy. Skied some on the crusty scalloped field. Old groomed track too hard. Maybe ok tomorrow as it's supposed to get to 40F.

Good DPs recently with the supporting crust - can go virtually anywhere out back. Also a foot taller than usual which is noticeable. Dogs spend time eating deer feces, candy to them & hard to make them stop.

SPS around 1 p. Never got above 25F today and became windy NW in the middle of the night. Crust was hard but ok most everywhere. Could pass over with very little trace behind & thus pretty effortless. Windy in the open, though openness is what’s needed…open area, clean enough, with settled enough snow but with less wind. The fields have been “diced up” in attempts to reach or clear baseball diamonds, tennis courts etc. Had to take skis off a few times; once stepped across grass.

Met Frank M with wife about to walk their dog. He said “TRT was groomed this morning”. I looked closer & recognized him under the hood. Still nice @ SPS for a change and each time I learn something new about conditions. Could also ski through the reasonably open woods between some of the fields as the crust totally supported everywhere.