Training Log Archive: Bash

'Bent, BazingaDog and I bushwhacked on snowshoes through private property near our place. There isn't a ton of snow but there was enough, and it was wonderful to be out. (GPS track included in the snowshoe running track.)

After BazingaDog and 'Bent (sick with a cold) turned back, I continued around Palgrave West, mostly running although I did some slower bushwhacking. I guess this is most of my training for the DontGetLost Snowshoe Raid. Sorry, Dee.

Slowrunner's workout #4 plus some extras.

Ski around Palgrave West in a snow squall - slow in the fresh snow but beautiful.

Quick version of Slowrunner's Workout #4.

Year End Review Part 2 - Report Card on 2014 Goals

1) Finish UTMB. - NOPE. Heck, I haven't even finished my UTMB race report.

2) Be Healthy.
- Resolve foot injury - YUP
- Lose 8.5 lb between Jan. 1 and March 31. - YUP
- Average 7 hrs sleep daily but aim for 7.5+ hours. - NOPE (6.5 - but I tried, which is pathetic)
- Be mindful of diet and hydration - MEH, sort of, sometimes.

3) Targets
- 200 hrs of running - build up gradually post-injury, do warm-ups, drills, intervals, hills, etc. - YUP
- 90 hrs of strength training, physio (logged @50%) and yoga - NOPE but this was a very ambitious target, and I devoted much more time to this than in previous years (66 hrs).
- 500 hrs of total training - NOPE, I was 30 hrs short but with Dad's and Mocha's illnesses, there were more important things to do.

I guess I'd have to call that a failed report card with a few bright spots, especially the improvement in my foot due to physio, treatments and time. Mostly though, 2014 was a year when I had to keep reminding myself that life is awesome - because it *is* awesome but it didn't always feel that way.

Another chilly ski around Palgrave West. I skied on ungroomed trails and did some bushwhacking on a thin layer of snow over hard crust, moving a little faster today with waxable touring rock skis. Double poling was still a lot of work though. Maybe I should wait for real tracks and racing skis and just use our weight machine for double poling practice in the meantime. There was no sign of the cougar two people reported in Palgrave during Christmas week. I was not terribly disappointed about that.

This would have been Mocha's (BulletDog's) 12th birthday. So sorry we didn't get to celebrate it together. In recent years, the three of us (two dogs and I) would have steak on her birthday but that will have to wait until BazingaDog's big day in March.

To celebrate, I submitted an application to adopt from Lab Rescue - not for a specific dog, just getting us into the system. We were approved for the next stage, a 20-minute phone interview tomorrow. I used our friend Jan as a reference since she works in dog rescue for the International Fund for Animal Welfare. It turns out she is expecting some stray Labs from a northern Ontario reservation soon, and she is keen to find us a new family member too. BazingaDog has been lonely; we're looking forward to filling the sad vacancy in our two-dog family.

Not the *worst* thing one's spouse could say on his way out the door but it's right up there:
"Oh, by the way... I may have let a vole into the house this morning. See you tonight!"

Easy ski around Palgrave West. Hunting season ended on New Year's Eve so we no longer need bright colours for K-Bash Forest or Wheelie Woods. The snow was sufficient to ski but not enough to feel comfortable on steep downhills - about 5 cm of powder over a hard, crusty base.

I did some legs-only then was surprised when my waxless touring rock skis refused to move when I tried to double pole on the flats. I know they're slow but apparently their glide is non-existent. At -17C + wind chill, I shouldn't have grabbed waxless skis anyway so it served me right. So nice to be out in the woods. Time includes branch snapping and log wrestling to clear the trails.

Based on Slowrunner's Workout #3. I'm working my way back up before starting sessions with her next week again. I added a bunch of Russian Twists in honour of Willderness and DD11.

Year End Review, Part 1:
2014 Training Hours by Activity

Top activities (with 2013, 2012, 2011 totals in brackets):

1) Running + Snowshoe Running - 204.5 hrs (153, 190, 138.5)
2) Strength + Yoga - 65.5 hrs (52, 36, 30)
3) Orienteering + Snowshoe Orienteering - 57.5 hrs (55, 66.5, 73.5)
4) XC Skiing (Classic, Skate, Roller) - 38 hrs (45.5, 55, 28)
4) Trekking - 38 hrs
6) Mountain Biking + Road Biking - 34.5 hrs (60, 77.5, 89)

Total Annual Training Hours = 470 hrs (557, 505, 612)

2014 involved more running and strength training and less of everything else. As the year began, I was recovering from injury so I had to build up my running from scratch, which meant less time for things like paddling and biking.

My only adventure race was in the winter but I still think of myself as an adventure racer who dabbles in other sports. However, I need to get back to doing actual adventure racing!

In the past couple of months, I was focused on family issues so training took a back seat, as it should. 2014 was not a great year for training - nor for much of anything, really.

Truncated run with poles on uneven, frozen-hard snow.

Then I got a text from Crash and diverted to her place just 2 minutes away. She had some wonderful surprises for me so we enjoyed a nice hike 'n' chat as we brought them to our house with SkyeRocket proudly leading the way. It was *cold* but tomorrow will be colder.

My husband is famous now.
http://ar.attackpoint.org/viewlog.jsp/user_921/per...

Came home to Palgrave this afternoon. Brain and heart are fried. Did Slowrunner's workout #2 with higher weights plus some extra exercises. I need to get moving again to de-stress.