Training Log Archive: iansmith

Lori and Sam are in town, and they orchestrated a group hike in the Whites. In attendance were Katia, Giovanni, Pia, Leszek, Sam's friend Steven, Dave Yee, Geoff, and the Swedish exchange student, Isaac. The group ascended Mt. Washington either via Tuckerman's or the Boott Spur, and we descended via Clay, Sphinx, and Great Gulf. I diverged from the group and ran alone to the nearby Mt. Munroe on the ascent (total ascent time 4:30).

We departed Boston at about 5:15, and started hiking around 9 AM. Ultimately, we didn't arrive at the parking lot by the Great Gulf trailhead until 9:50 PM; fortunately, we had adequate flashlights (with cell phones in reserve) that the trek out was not unreasonably dangerous.

So what happened? I think three factors contributed to our unexpected adventure: 1) the group had a wide range of hiking speeds, and it was difficult to accurately estimate how long it would take us to travel to certain points. A group of eleven also moves slower than any one person in that group because of yo-yoing and congestion on delicate sections. 2) Great Gulf (and Sphinx, especially) was treacherous, slick, and laden with deadfall. We departed Clay before 4:30, and it took over 5.3 hours for us to descend to the parking lot. In 2014, bgallup and I made the descent - while hiking leisurely, in daylight - in about three hours. 3) We didn't set sufficiently aggressive deadlines, nor did we move with much urgency. I reached the summit of Washington at about 1:30, and my group preceded me somewhat. As I recall, we didn't set out from Washington until about 2:20. Part of that was underestimating the 10 km Great Gulf trail.

Logistics are harder with a group. I've done much of my hiking/trail running lately solo, and as I'm always the limiting factor, I can go as hard as I'm capable. Traveling with a group is great fun - for instance, I chatted with Isaac about the four Tiomilas he's run and neat orienteering opportunities in the US while he's here - but invariably slower.

I felt very strong throughout the trek, and my equipment was perfectly adequate, with 3L of fluid, over a thousand calories of munchies, the standard emergency gear, and a headlight. For most of Great Gulf, I elected to hike at the back of the group - as our group stretched between intermittent regrouping periods, it gave me peace of mind that no one had been injured far in the rear. It's a little frustrating to take so long on what would have been more straightforward alone; still, it was a very pleasant outing, with great conditions, good conversation, and very good spirits even at the end. I added Munroe and Washington to my list of 4000ers.

C • Coincidence (nearly) 2

C • Not quite Meru.... 3

Washington to Clay and down via Great Gulf; total time of about 7:20.

I volunteered at the CSU Saturday Fresh Pond 2.5/5 mile race, which just consisted of writing runners names down in the order they finished on my clipboard. Diane McLaughlin and Joe do a great job organizing, and I got to chat with a few CSU running regulars - it's certainly a great group. Afterward, I ran three loops of Fresh Pond, my circuit of which measured 3.7 km; my splits were 18:30, 16:30, 19:00. I tried to push the middle loop to tempo pace, but I just felt sluggish and lethargic. Breathing was a bit labored.

I'm not quite sure I understand what it means to be human; the human condition is inscrutable. Certainly there are times when it seems to make sense, but they are fleeting and so limited in scope that they must be illusions. It's partly because of this challenge that I'm so grateful for my musical training; whether innately or as a consequence of my development, music seems to unlock wholly unexplored facets of being. My feelings and response to music resonate more completely with certain human experiences more than anything else. Rach 2, Liszt's Liebestraum No. 3, the First Contact theme, Alpine Symphony, Death and Transfiguration, Mahler 9, Copland 3, Brahms 1, Firebird, Death of Ase from Peer Gynt, Smetana's Moldau - all of these speak to aspects of existence I can't otherwise articulate. I suppose my brain is nothing but a collection of self-organizing molecules desperately trying to make sense of the world around it before entropy dictates its oblivion, but it's comforting to find something to grasp like flotsam in the ocean of time.

Maybe an existential crisis from time to time is a beneficial thing for perspective. And wow: Moldau.

Lori and Sam are in town to visit; after picking them up from the T, we went to Border Cafe and Berry Line. I ate more than I should have (remember this), and because of my heavily taxed digestion, running was slower and more labored than I would have liked. Still, I plodded on, making an effort to keep good posture, good form, and a steady effort. I listened to Fear the Sky, which has been interesting - though not nearly as good as Ready Player One, which made up my trip to and from Canada.

My throat is still sore and my respiration somewhat labored, so I'm not dissatisfied with this effort.

C • Eating and running 2

Still feeling sick - upper respiratory infection - but I was getting antsy and needed to go for a run. I felt ok during the run but was considerably congested at the end. I'm looking forward to Corn Maze.

A number of my peers were sad BigWillyStyle couldn't join us in the Maritimes, so I created a WillAvatar who could experience the event for him. This avatar consisted of a massage stick, a hat, a handy jersey I happened to have, a map, and a compass.



Wyatt and Giovanni hanging out with WillAvatar
Emily Ross and WillAvatar
Will is leading a pack through the woods!
Post race group photo
The Cascade folks were happy to see their companion
Group photo

C • Photos 9

Perhaps I can aspire to be a superhero in the modern era.

The 10 hour drive back from Nova Scotia was challenging. In addition to wear and tear from four days of racing, including the 2:30 sufferfest during the long, I had some minor cold symptoms. I listened to audiobooks and stopped once for a twenty minute nap, but made it through ok. Maine is a beautiful state with rolling hills, and it was interesting to encounter people and wonder what their existence must be like. Driving alone for great distances lends itself to deep contemplation of the human condition.

The weekend was a delight despite my lackluster racing and conditioning. I hope this to be a clarion call, an awakening that motivates me to greater heights. I hung out with my numerous Canadian friends, played some raucous games of taboo, tossed a frisbee around at the beach, visited some old forts, saw a museum exhibit about the Confederation Bridge, checked off two provinces from my list, and returned rejuvenated for work. Apart from - and perhaps including - a minor existential crisis, it was a fulfilling trip. Still, in the future, such long trips are best accomplished with traveling companions.

C • drive 3