I did better this week! Monday was President's Day, so I was able to return to the mountain for a little more snowshoeing. I just did the entrance loop--I had a report of a tree down on the trail. I wasn't able to clear the tree, but I did remove the pesky branches that were sticking up. It was about a three mile loop; I followed it up with a short hike at Feryn Ranch Conservation Area. It's so pretty out there! I really need to do more exploring on that property, but today I saw more pheasants than I could count, one bald eagle, and a bunch of red-winged blackbirds (I love their song!). The ground was pretty wet and I couldn't figure out a way to cross Peone Creek, so I probably only covered a mile.
Tuesday was a day off; I had a meeting in the evening & couldn't fit in time for a run, too.
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday were all running days--first the Foothills loop, then to the Dishman Hills, and finally to Iller Creek. I think they were all about three miles.
My weekend plans got changed late in the week, and it turned out that it was just as well. My Thirteen Mile hike, car camp, and Sherman Peak snowshoe turned into a snowy weekend at home. I woke up to light snowfall and a bare yard on Saturday morning; by 3 pm I had a foot of snow on the ground. My exercise for the day was afternoon snow removal: First I shoveled my yard, then my brother and I cleared the snow from my parents' driveway and pathways. On Sunday I couldn't resist a snowshoe outing, so I went up to Mount Spokane. I intended to try for Day Mountain, but no one had snowshoed past Bald Knob. I was sinking in knee-deep even with the snowshoes, and was pretty exhausted by the time I got to the CCC cabin junction. It also took me an hour to do the last section of the hike! I knew I needed to check on the chalet, so I headed back. I then spent an hour shoveling the chalet deck, and only managed to clear half of it! The snow was even with the top railing on the deck--somewhere between three & a half and four feet. It was a little overwhelming, and certainly hard work. It had all fallen since last Saturday when I was there last. I heard that the mountain got at least 21" yesterday alone. Crazy!
Totals = 8 miles snowshoe; 1 mile hike; 9 miles running. Plus so much shoveling.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
More of the same
This week I'm healthy again, but I'm still having trouble finding the time to get out and get a workout. I had meetings Monday and Wednesday and paperwork to finish on Tuesday, so after the school day ended I was busy with other things and didn't have a chance to run. Thursday I finally managed a short three mile run in the Dishman Hills. It was perfect--still snowing and two or three new inches on the ground, but nothing underneath to make it icy. I did a couple little loops, including through the Enchanted Ravine where there were awesome icicles on the rocks. I want to try to go back next week to see if I can get a picture of it, but it will be tough to get the lighting right.
Friday night I headed up to Mount Spokane to stay at the chalet. It was a chalet open house night, but no one else showed up for it. I must admit, I wasn't sorry that I had the place to myself! I originally intended to go out on the Nordic trails after I got the fires going, but it started snowing outside & I decided I'd rather sit by the fire and read a book. It was a nice, relaxing evening.
On Saturday I woke up to four or five new inches of snow on the chalet deck. I was there to lead a Mountaineers snowshoe hike, so that was perfect. The snowshoe hike was my favorite big loop from the chalet down trail 100, up trail 110, on the Kit Carson Loop to the CCC cabin for lunch, and then across trail 130 and back to the chalet. We finished the hike with hot cocoa in the still-warm chalet. I think the loop is about seven miles.
Today I took Blaze to the Nordic trails for a little skijoring--even more snow fell last night and today. It was tough skiing, and Blaze wouldn't pull, so I got a good workout in today. I think we went about five miles.
Weekly mileage: run = 3 miles; snowshoe = 7 miles; Nordic ski/skijor = 5 miles. I'm nearly positive I'll do better next week!
Friday night I headed up to Mount Spokane to stay at the chalet. It was a chalet open house night, but no one else showed up for it. I must admit, I wasn't sorry that I had the place to myself! I originally intended to go out on the Nordic trails after I got the fires going, but it started snowing outside & I decided I'd rather sit by the fire and read a book. It was a nice, relaxing evening.
On Saturday I woke up to four or five new inches of snow on the chalet deck. I was there to lead a Mountaineers snowshoe hike, so that was perfect. The snowshoe hike was my favorite big loop from the chalet down trail 100, up trail 110, on the Kit Carson Loop to the CCC cabin for lunch, and then across trail 130 and back to the chalet. We finished the hike with hot cocoa in the still-warm chalet. I think the loop is about seven miles.
Today I took Blaze to the Nordic trails for a little skijoring--even more snow fell last night and today. It was tough skiing, and Blaze wouldn't pull, so I got a good workout in today. I think we went about five miles.
Weekly mileage: run = 3 miles; snowshoe = 7 miles; Nordic ski/skijor = 5 miles. I'm nearly positive I'll do better next week!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Sick
I thought I was a slacker last week! This week was terrible for athletic endeavors. I started feeling a little sick on Sunday afternoon, and by Monday I knew I had either a cold or perhaps even the flu. I managed a three-miler in the Dishman Hills on Tuesday, but then felt even worse on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. I finally got a little exercise on Saturday. I went up to Mount Spokane to test my wood skis for Langlauf (about 1 mile and my wax was terrible), then I switched to my (unwaxed since last week--oops!) skate skis for about three miles. I was winded after the three miles! I stayed on the mountain for the chalet open house, and then today I got the wax mostly right for Langlauf (10k, preceded by a mile test ski). I won the women's wooden ski division, which wasn't hard since I was the only woman on wooden skis. I also placed 5th in my age group. Most importantly, I finally feel pretty healthy today. We'll see if I can regain any momentum this week!
Totals: run = 3 miles; skate ski = 3 miles; classic ski = 8 miles
Totals: run = 3 miles; skate ski = 3 miles; classic ski = 8 miles
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Slacker
Monday, 1/30: The start of the new semester and I hadn't even finished my work from the old semester! I stayed in and graded and entered grades and generally panicked about life. No running.
Tuesday, 1/31: Things were a little better tonight, but I still had a handful of essays to grade plus grades to post. I did the Saltese loop & then worked to get the essays graded and the final grades entered & posted. Whew! Run = 3 miles.
Wednesday, 2/1: I needed a run tonight. Life is too stressful right now & I'll be glad when things calm down a bit! I headed out for a run, ran into one of my students in the hallway, and joined her for the first part of the run. She was running less than I wanted to do today, so I did the warmup loop to make it a little longer. Run = 3 miles.
Thursday, 2/2: Tonight I ran Mohawk! It makes a nice loop from the school and has a great hill. It nearly killed me, but I needed it! Run = 4.5 miles
Friday, 2/3: EZ Centennial Trail run--I had to walk the icy sections in the shade. 3 miles
Saturday, 2/4: I had a meeting at Mount Spokane in the morning, so I took my skis and skied afterwards. The snow & grooming were fantastic today and I did a big loop that included Elevator Shaft and The Wall. Today was the first time I was able to ski these trails without have to stop to catch my breath multiple times! Ski = 8 miles.
Sunday, 2/5: Skijor day on the mountain! If I were good I would have gone for a run first, but I was working on too many projects at home, plus I wasn't feeling very well. Blaze was only pulling part of the time, so it was at least a little bit of a workout for me, too. He was able to try out his new harness & chest protector & skijor line for the first time--here's my unsolicited plug for Howling Dog Alaska--they have great skijor gear! Ski = 5 miles.
Weekly totals: Run = 13.5 miles & Ski = 13 miles
Tuesday, 1/31: Things were a little better tonight, but I still had a handful of essays to grade plus grades to post. I did the Saltese loop & then worked to get the essays graded and the final grades entered & posted. Whew! Run = 3 miles.
Wednesday, 2/1: I needed a run tonight. Life is too stressful right now & I'll be glad when things calm down a bit! I headed out for a run, ran into one of my students in the hallway, and joined her for the first part of the run. She was running less than I wanted to do today, so I did the warmup loop to make it a little longer. Run = 3 miles.
Thursday, 2/2: Tonight I ran Mohawk! It makes a nice loop from the school and has a great hill. It nearly killed me, but I needed it! Run = 4.5 miles
Friday, 2/3: EZ Centennial Trail run--I had to walk the icy sections in the shade. 3 miles
Saturday, 2/4: I had a meeting at Mount Spokane in the morning, so I took my skis and skied afterwards. The snow & grooming were fantastic today and I did a big loop that included Elevator Shaft and The Wall. Today was the first time I was able to ski these trails without have to stop to catch my breath multiple times! Ski = 8 miles.
Sunday, 2/5: Skijor day on the mountain! If I were good I would have gone for a run first, but I was working on too many projects at home, plus I wasn't feeling very well. Blaze was only pulling part of the time, so it was at least a little bit of a workout for me, too. He was able to try out his new harness & chest protector & skijor line for the first time--here's my unsolicited plug for Howling Dog Alaska--they have great skijor gear! Ski = 5 miles.
Weekly totals: Run = 13.5 miles & Ski = 13 miles
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