Training Log Archive: cmorse

Hiking with the kids - a few FDF's, and an array of tecnicolor fungi...

Easy run out Hare. Cool & humid, fog starting to burn off as I finished. A tree fell on Shenipsit Lake Rd - I was kind of just cruising on auto-pilot (glasses fogged and off, so somewhat blind) and basically ran into this fallen tree completely blocking the road. And it sure as hell wasn't there 15 minutes before when I headed outbound that way. Nice to be done, didn't feel any inclination to push it or to go longer. Family coming home from vacation later today...

Just hanging out, and decided I felt like going for another run. Just down the dirt road and back, nice and easy.

slept lousy past few nights, rhr up. Taking a rest day...

Was planning on going up to Holyoke to run the 5k at the reservoir, but got home from work and saw Peter had posted an invite for some sprint training at UMass, only a liitle further north. Sounded good to me.. Due to traffic I was a bit delayed and got there as they were preparing to head out - Gail was already on the course. So no warmup which might have helped a bit with the heat.

A fine sprint course, a little slow and hesitant on the first couple since there were no flags so I slowed to make sure I was at the correct feature, my confidence level kicked in after a few and was good after that. Some route choices might have been better the other way around, but I quickly chose one and executed it, which is certainly faster than slowing down to rationalize the better choice.

Started running up the first leg of the Ali butterfly, but slowed to a power walk before getting halfway. After getting to the top I drifted a bit left, hitting some fence which I didn't see on the map (until after) and missed by 15s or so, Ali catching me in here. Second time up the Ali-fly, I had to walk most of the hill, and after the top I was once again a bit left (of a different control) and overshot a bit to a series of unmapped knolls, rather than the mapped and flagged knoll on the course - probably 20-25s lost in here with Phil.

Also lost about 30-40s on #17 as I got to the feature and saw a tape down low (but not one Peter put there) but the obvious access from the other side was blocked by unmapped & uncrossable construction fencing - Peter had said the control was 'down' - I could have jumped the 6' down, but it was mapped uncrossable (so I didn't). After casting about for a bit I realized I could run about 20m S, then sneak up along the edge of the unmapped fence and get to the ribbon - which I dutifully did. Upon leaving the control I noted Phil had passed me, not actually going to the control, but merely passing through the circle. I found out after that everyone else did the same thing. Peter said the control was down, but never mentioned that I didn't actually have to go down too... I guess I should study up on WM Rules....

Rest of the course was fun, but uneventful, hitting everything cleanly and choosing nice lines for running. And followed up with an enjoyable dinner with Peter, Gail, Phil and Ali at Bub's BBQ in Sunderland at the picnic tables outside - which was good since I didn't have any change of clothing from my running stuff.

C • Glad it worked out that you... 2

Once around the 'mile' loop..

Got out in front of the masses so didn't have as much of a problem when we hit the narrower stuff going downhill. Decent energy going up the first hill. Opened up a sizable gap back going down the second time and settled into 9th spot - quite a gap to the front, but probably 40m back to the chasers. Down the hill into the woods where my confidence on trails is more advantageous, passed a fading younger kid to move into 8th. Saw my chasers gaining ground as I went back up the out/back trail and tried to push up through the woods, but I think I taxed myself a tad too much as I lost some steam on the final bit of uphill in the field, and got passed by quite a few. Finished up in something like 14th or so. Good run considering the hot conditions, and a minute faster than last week, and something like 10 spots higher up. Only snagged one point in my category this week, hopefully a few more on tap for this week - but John & Brett were out in front of me, so best I can hope for is third, and maybe not that either...

{edit} - damn, still only managed one lousy point again this week. A lot of old guys up in front again...

avg watts 141

Ran a modified Red X course at Gay City. Bruce G & John A along for the run. Started from Birch Mtn Rd, picked up the course at control #6, then did the course in order through the finish. Rather than running up the road and continuing from the start, I opted to cut control #1 and we went from the beach up to control #2 and completed the course from there, heading back to Birch Mtn Rd when we hit the main trail.

A nice day in the woods, many of the route choices were a tad longer as I opted for clean sections of woods rather than areas with heavy fern undergrowth when possible. Very steamy and humid in the woods, glad I went with contacts rather than glasses, no problems with map reading but a number of times I wish I had more eye protection.

Must have run a pretty efficient route as the advertised climb for the course was 170m and John's Garmin recorded 171m climbing, though I usually take Garmin climb with a grain of salt.

John's Garmin