Training Log Archive: vmeyer

Event: QOC Lake Needwood
 

N - EX2 BYB #2 - Pohick Bay - 9 AM - Tyler

Walk to the start and back to put out radio control.

Looked at the advanced courses, and I just wasn't feeling it, so I did Orange, which turned out to be just right. Ran into Jane L going from 2 to 3. She went high, and I went low, and we arrived about the same time, both walking the whole way, though Jane has a cast on her wrist from Prince William. We trudged up the hill together on the trail partway to the next control, which was enough time to be learn that she is Anne B's sister, which explains why she seemed so familiar to me.

Besides taking a broken branch poke to the upper thigh, I enjoyed the course except for not seeing #7 when I was right on top of it, or thought I was. I had loaned how my garmin, so no tracks. Relocated in the worst possible way - hiking back up the slope through sticker bushes. Agh!

Super epunching team as always, which made for a pleasant day as well. Gave me time for chatting up CHARLIE-B, who with Chun, was visiting from GAOC land.

C • Jane 10

Orange - Splits

The plan was to be up by 6 and out of the house by 630, driving to Caderock for some C&O Canal action before the trail got too crowded. Check on getting up, but as I was eating breakfast, I heard the news about traffic related to the marathon in DC, so I nixed that idea.

Since I needed to run some errands after, I drove to the bottom of the hill, and then headed into Alexandria, deciding on a ride across the American Legion/Wilson Bridge.

Fort Ward Park on the 6/10 mile paved loop. Another beautiful day - 70 F with winds about 10 mph. Started out too fast and lungs were burning, so settled on 4/10 run and 2/10 walk for each loop. Had to walk a bit more of the final loop. Stopped at the car after 3rd for water and a hard candy to suck on. For a part of each loop I felt like a real runner, and then the incline would come. ;-)

Needed a shower anyway, so I may as well go to the pool and use their water. In the interest of not breaking myself, I settled on doing 30 minutes total. Pool mostly empty except a guy in the lane next to the one I like. Did the first 400 yards in 8:20, and then we ended up near each other, so I worked as hard as I could to keep pace with him. He was probably cooling down, but it was an effort on my part, which is good for me.

After sleeping horribly last night, I got a later start to the day than I had hoped. Sort of bummed that the sleeping isn't evening out yet. But, being able to ride to work helped chase the blahs away. Listening to the birds outside the open windows also helps.

Right knee still a little sore this morning. Went to get the brace to wear to work, but I got sidetracked and forgot. Must do the knee exercises at lunchtime!

Forgot that during yesterday's ride that I was drafted for the first time ever! Lady caught up and then stayed behind me, even though the trail was wide open ahead. Then we hit a series of three small hills which I powered up, and she struggled on, then she would catch up and draft again, and then repeat at the next hill. Highly amusing, to me at least.

A quick lunchtime swim. Wore my new suit, which is great - first one I fit into in size 14, which offers so many more options, like pretty colors, than the more matronly 16 & 18.

One thing I noticed at the pool which bothers my breathing - people wearing heavy perfume or other scents. I can smell/taste it in the water.

C • Me too 4

Roger's car is in the shop, and he has mine, so I rode my old bike home from work via Humpback Bridge. Beautiful weather, blah, blah, blah. ;-)

So windy by the airport, but the perfect inbound flight path over the tourists. Planes so close over head.

Right knee a little sore if I did any stand up peddling. Need to do the exercises.

C • still fake? 2

Decided not to try to ride up one of the hills because of my weak knee, so walked up the unpaved hill by the school.

Once home, I challenged Brendan to a bike race, which I barely won. Brendan, being 5, quickly teared up, so we went best 2 of 3. I lost the next two. A good way to end the day.

Slammed by allergies having not started the usual nasal spray regime this early in the season. Pretty miserable during the ride home with head draining. A headache now as well. Come on drugs, kick in!

Fake!

Left the house initially in inadequate shoes, i.e., not Hokas, more like running slippers. Immediately realized that the shoes were all wrong, i.e., knees and feet protested, so turned around and changed shoes.

Out again into the perfectly not horrid 78 degrees and tried to run, but it was not happening, so enjoyed a brisk walk instead. Lots of people out enjoying the late afternoon. No complaints here.

Problems with one of the pools meant that the other one was set up with lanes side to side (about 20m) vs. the normal way of 25 yards. Didn't bother me since I was going for time. Did short push off until about 20 minutes from the end, when I was tiring. Figured that pushing off hard and gliding would be less work, but it actually felt harder. It is something I should do a part of each swim since my ankle was a little unhappy with the pressure at first. So, I am thinking that it has to be good for strengthening my ankles.

Knees only a little cranky from running two days in a row, so yay for that.

It is close to 70 F here today in the Washington, DC area. What's with that?! I want to be outside and not at work! So ready to retire. Just need Roger to do it first. :)