Training Log Archive: Ari-o

Harriman! So, I had a conference in NYC on Friday, and there's a 50k North Face/November Project trail run in Harriman on Saturday.

And how could I not go spend a day in Harriman? So beautiful!

Of course … it was raining. Not pouring (that was saved for the afternoon) but 48˚ and steady rain. Gone were the plans for the singlet: instead wool short sleeve shirt, windbreaker, rollerski gloves, hat.

So we were off. Ran out with the lead group but didn't push the downhills hard (I really don't have the "I'm going to try to kill myself on the wet rocks" way of running you seem to need to excel, and I don't really know how to fix this.) and wound up in about 15th position. The first ten miles was mostly on runnable double track out through Silvermine and as such I ran most of it in sub-10 miles, with the assumption it would get harder.

Around mile 12 we passed some 50-milers, who had started two hours earlier and were slogging through the rain at 3 mph which didn't look particularly fun (or getting cut off at the 15k marker). Some trails on Stockbridge and in to a feed near Tiorati where we had a mile on roads before the trails picked back up.

Back on to these trails I put my hat on and went from a little chilly to pretty happy, but it had sort of turned in to death march territory. I had to fall on hands and knees on one slippery outcrop, and the trail became a barely-cut path through blueberries back through Silvermine. Harriman! I was leading a pack which had caught me, calling out logs to jump over, and then once it turned on to a real trail the pack all ran away from me downhill. Again, downhills. Of course, no ankles were turned on my part.

There was then a nice long downhill run back to the Palisades, across the road, an on to the last section in Bear Mountain. This was a gradual, uphill slog, all alone, and then some steep, muddy descents in to the aid station (we were the first of about 700 people who'd run this section, I would hate to have seen what it was like for later 50 milers, with the trail churned to mud and the rain pouring down). In to an aid station, electrolytes and coke and M&Ms (fed well) then up a painfully steep climb to a terrible, wet, cobbly-rocky downhill which I pussyfooted and then a nice run to the finish. Held off a couple folks a minute or so behind.

Ate lots of food, hobnobbed with NP people, and caught a ride back to the City on a NP_NYC school bus. That was fun.

Went to NP to go slow with races last weekend and this weekend. Went slow for four sections (walking pace) then sprinted one. It felt pretty good, and I wound up making it through 50 sections, although certainly not the fastest 50 sections I've done!

Run over to track for track things.

Strides. At times, one step for every two of Alex's.

Tempo. Started at 6:35 and then dropped ~5 seconds each lap. Watch was a little off and kept giving me splits just before the mile lap. Felt pretty good. 48˚ was nice. Still need to get the HRM fixed. Watch gave splits of 6:33-6:28-6:22-6:17 but also said I hit 4 miles about 100m from the finish.

Cool down around the fields.

Run home

Auburndale meeting because I am overcommitted and can't say no. Decided that biking out was much more fun than spending the same amount of time in traffic. Chose the mtb because the road bike doesn't exactly have air in the tires. Bit of a headwind and with the new gearing the bike can only go so fast (not sure I broke 20 on the way out, but cruised along the river at 18). Pushed hard on Watertown Street to drop a guy drafting me which then led to some stomach knots as I was not long removed from dinner. Legs felt a little tired, too. Gee I wonder why.

Went to bike home via Alex's house and the state rep at the meeting offered me a ride in a bike-swallowing van. I tried to say no six ways from Sunday but acquiesced realizing that chez Alex is up a big hill. Then wound up talking policy for an hour, so it didn't even save any time. But I did get my muddy shoes back!