Training Log Archive: iansmith

Event: NEOC: Nobscot
 

I strolled around the Nobscot Green course. It wasn't a completely clean run; I lost contact on my approach to 11 (the fourth split I took) and had to reconstruct my path. I only jogged after 11 in an effort to finish in under 1 hour.

Presto made a friend, Luna.

I wandered around Mt. Tom, vetting control locations for my meet this Saturday. When I began at around 5:30 PM, it was warm and sunny, and I was shadowed by a small number of mosquitos, whose tentative prods I could avoid at walking pace. They were but the vanguard of the main body, though; after I had traveled several kilometers, as darkness fell, the swarms emerged and sprung their trap. I seem to have encountered a legion of mosquitos who haven't eaten anything in days, and lightly toasted Ian was the main course. They were insatiable, they did not fear death, and they could taste my fear.

When I finally decided to bail out in the interest of retaining blood, my plight was dire. Had I twisted my ankle, tripped, or even stumbled, they would have had me, and drained my blood in moments. Had my car not been equipped with a remote unlocking mechanism, I would have met my doom frantically trying to get the key into the lock. Even after I climbed in and closed the door, the horde hungrily and vainly probed the exterior of my car, seeking more tasty morsels. Next time, I will bring insect repellent, a tastier friend, or a flame thrower, but I fear these demon mosquitos would reach out to bite me even from the depths of hell.

Mt. Tom has some exquisite technical areas, and the woods are lovely. The running, even this late in the spring season, is magnificent. Twice while I was out, I heard crashing through the woods as though a bear, moose, or Tyrannosaurus Rex were punching through a thicket with some cymbals. In both cases, a squirrel emerged from the chaos to nonchalantly meander about the woods. Whether the squirrel caused the noise or devoured some behemoth is unclear.

C • Nice 8

Green - Splits

Candlepin bowling with Jess and her friends Erin and Matt. I was modestly encumbered by my right leg. We played two games; I varied my approach, and found a modification of my ten pin 4-step approach most effective. A stationary release was very inaccurate. I scored no marks, but managed at least one frame in which I knocked all ten pins down. I failed to print the scores before I left, but I bowled a 55 in the first game and a mid 60s (64?) in the second.

C • bowling 1

I went to my orthopedist yesterday to diagnose what is wrong with my right calf. The x-rays didn't reveal anything conclusive, so I will have a bone scan on Tuesday 7 June. The scintigraphy will better diagnose if there are abnormalities in my bone (like a stress fracture) that can account for the pain. I will injest some radioisotope (like Technetium-99, sweet!) and have pictures taken over a three hour period. Until then, I am not allowed to run.

My orthopedist thinks it is unlikely this is a direct consequence of the fracture of my left tibia, since my increased reliance on my right leg should have strengthened it.

C • Tc 7

Early morning strength training. I woke up without an alarm.
3x20 crunches
1x20 oblique crunches (each side)
24 pushups