Chronicles of a fish: the days of surf and turf

Dory Dory

donothoponpop wrote: »

Wow! Thanks for the generous offer of accomodation! It's doubtful I could squeeze this into my tight itinerary- I'm leaving DC for NY on the 6th April- but I've already been looking at Google maps for detours, and checking out the route for "The most scenic marathon on the East coast". Very doubtful I could swing it, but the seed has been planted!

Wow. How could a seed not be planted with such advertising as "most scenic"?? (Figured the marathon would be a stretch...was even going to offer to pay for your registration as a little added southern sweetener.) However, if you do happen make a detour to the Blue Ridge Mountains for a little Appalachia trail running and exploration, my offer of accomodation and guidance still stands.

Odin Drab Firefighter wrote: »

Enjoying your updates and those snaps are class, it looks like a great place to run about.
I can see Slogger Jogger and Dpop salivating with the thoughts of running around there.....two bloody mountain goats they are:)

Thanks!! And love the mountain goat visual.

shotgunmcos wrote: »

I love that picture with the water bottle in the foregound, it makes it more than a scenic snap Quick question Dory Dory, what drew you to logging here on Boards.ie?

The water bottle was definitely scripted by me for exactly the reason you suggest. And, what drew me to logging here?? See above crack about bloody mountain goats salivating. Seriously, the dry humor and sharp wit sucked me in and and got me hooked on this site. You guys and gals are top shelf! Plus, there's such talent at all levels in this forum...and, as I read your amusing and entertaining logs, I realized that I was learning from them too. Catweazle is the connection here - so he really is to blame for all this.

Dory Dory

Lovely and unseasonably warm evening tonight, so I took advantage of one of the few remaining opportunities for a midweek proper run through/in/around the grand metropolis known as the town of Luray. I dashed out of my field at approximately 6:15, and within 15 minutes I had run the entire length of Main Street through it's business district. Yay! Now what? I had over 6 more miles to go...hmmmmm. Because I had to stay on streets with decent street lights, I opted to weave in and out of all the residential side streets (a few times) and take in all the Christmas decorations along the way. My Garmin flubbed up, so other than time spent running, I have to estimate distance and pace based on the information I was able to retrieve from the watch.

Time: 1:20:13
Pace: 9 min/mile
Distance: 8.8 miles

Overall, I felt good....but legs got heavy towards the end.

Dory Dory

The bones were a bit creaky this morning upon popping out of bed...and my thighs and calves were shouting at me in a low rumble; I suspect the shouting was some reminiscing about the trail run over the weekend coupled with my enthusiastic attack of all the hills I could find in town during my urban run last night. Thus, this morning's 90 minutes of yoga was a welcome realignment session for my body. Today's class was only the third I've attended, but I'm becoming a believer in the benefits it can provide - flexibility, balance, muscle isolation, strength, relaxation. In fact, I'm becoming such a believer that I may even have to commit to purchasing my very own yoga mat instead of using one of the random extra mats in class that has a slightly funky smell, dingy color, and conjures up all sorts of scary thoughts about mutant bacteria, rogue living organisms, and toe jam. You know, these yoga folks don't wear socks! :eek:

Dory Dory

Big night tonight....very big night. The likable, Pillsbury Dough Boy-ish coach of the Washington Capitals was fired yesterday due to too many losses after such a stellar start to the season, and tonight is the debut of our new coach, Caps alum, Dale Hunter. Because I wanted to hear all the chit chat about the how's and why's of the situation, I opted out of my usual choice of plugging into iPod tune-age.

I hoisted myself onto the saddle to spin for 75 minutes and immediately realized how fatigued my thighs were. Omg, this was not going to be a pretty session. Ugh! I started out slowly and decided I'd just push at a pace that I was comfortable with - I figured that any time at any pace in the saddle was better than nothing. The first 45 minutes were spent watching the pre-game analysis and spinning at a steady pace with intermittent bursts of speedy revolutions. By the time the game started, I was desperate for a gimmick to get me through the next 30 minutes for I was spending way too much time watching the clock and thinking about how miserable I was, so I came up with the brilliant idea that I would spin at a mad clip whenever we had the puck, and I would slow it down whenever the St. Louis Blues had the puck. A bit frenzied, it was, and I wasn't sure if that was the best strategy....meaning, I wondered if I should spin fast when the Blues had the puck and slow it down when we had the puck....but I knew I had made the right choice when Ovechkin bolted down the ice and made a sparkling pass to Backstrom who put the puck through the pipes with an exclamation point, all the while I am working up a wicked sweat with each push of the legs. Caps up, 1-0. But their lead did not last long as the Blues tied it up before my session came to an end just as the first period concluded, 1-1.

Fast forward....
Only 6 minutes left in the game, and we are down by one.

3 minutes, still down 2-1.

1:10 left...still down, but will probably pull our goalie.

Goalie out.

19 seconds, power play Caps.

Caps lose. Crap.

Dory Dory

Urban running on the streets of Luray tonight, and because I had a buddy with me, we trotted into some of the darker recesses around town. Lovely evening - a bit crisp at 37 degrees, but with my new cold weather running pants on (and they are uber cool), I was extremely comfortable. The moon was nearly half full, the stars were brilliant, and the sky was clear...all combined giving us just enough light to see in front of ourselves when we were off the beaten path. Easy run....to give the legs a rest.....felt great....never a pant....knee is definitely better. Yay!

8.16 miles, 1:20:53, 9.55/mile

Dory Dory

Treadmill session tonight.....without iPod.....Caps playing the stinking Penguins. Didn't have a plan when I started, but what evolved was a solid session that pushed me and really worked my thighs....and one in which the fast paces felt less crazy with each set that was completed.

5 minutes each of the following pace/mile:
15:00/13:20/12:00/10:54/10:00/9:13/8:34/8:00/7:30/7:03/6:40

Then 5 sets of the following:
1 min each pace/mile: 15:00/10:00/7:30/7:03/6:40

Last 20 minutes I just stepped it down starting at 7:30 min/mile.

Summary: 100 minutes, 11.17 miles, 8:57 avg pace/mile

Caps lost again. Better hustle and snarl from them, but it's still a painful loss.

Dory Dory

A gorgeous day for a proper run around the field. I consulted my marathon plan pace calculation charts and tables, and determined that I should do a long run at an 8:45 - 9 minute/mile pace based on my desire to go a sub 3:50 in April....so on with the long sleeved super wicking top and uber cool windbreaking pants (and a few other layers I won't bore you with)...and off I went to gallop with the bunnies and squirrells and deer around my field 18 times. (Good thing I don't mind repetition.) I felt as good as I have since my last half marathon with respect to pace, comfort with pace, distance, comfort with distance. Physically, other than my knee giving me an oh-so subtle reminder that it's nearly healed, I am in pretty good shape at the moment - translation: I think adding yoga and spinning to my weekly routine, and omitting one or two days of concussive running has helped reduce aches and pains. My average pace was a pinch faster than planned, but at times this run was so effortless that I just allowed myself to let the body be happy.

Run summary: 12.33 miles, 1:46:45, 8.40 avg. pace

Here's my garmin summary, so you can see my field...and my 2 lane lap pool in the back yard....hello swimmers!

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/132455751

Tomorrow may be another trail run....hopefully fit for a mountain goat, or two.

Oh, and after 14 months of waiting, I received an envelope yesterday from the Irish Embassy informing me that I am now an Irish citizen. Dual citizenship. Yay.

donothoponpop

Dory Dory wrote: »

Oh, and after 14 months of waiting, I received an envelope yesterday from the Irish Embassy informing me that I am now an Irish citizen. Dual citizenship. Yay.

Great news! (although you now owe €30,000 to German and French banks...;))

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Nice house, land and pool:)

Dory Dory

donothoponpop wrote: »

Great news! (although you now owe €30,000 to German and French banks...;))

Then there must be some lovely assets, valuable land, or pints of Guinness (MANY pints of Guinness!) with my name on them over there that I don't know about!

Odin Drab Firefighter wrote: »

Nice house, land and pool:)

I'm trying my best to tempt Irish visitors!

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Dory Dory wrote: »

Then there must be some lovely assets, valuable land, or pints of Guinness (MANY pints of Guinness!) with my name on them over there that I don't know about!



I'm trying my best to tempt Irish visitors!

Plenty of hills for cycling and good roads and i am sold:)

Dory Dory

Odin Drab Firefighter wrote: »

Plenty of hills for cycling and good roads and i am sold:)

The door is open.

Dory Dory

A stunning Sunday here, so off for another trail run, this time with my running buddy and his trusty dog, Athena. As I have mentioned before, we live in the Shenandoah Valley with the Blue Ridge Mountains at our back door and the Massanutten Mountains at our front door.....and since I chose the Blue Ridge last weekend, it was hoofing up the Massanutten this weekend. We settled on doing parts of two trails in and around Bird Knob in the George Washington National Forest. The terrain is similar to what I did last weekend, but in parts this route seemed to have a steeper pitch, and it had a few rock scrambles that you had to take your time with (treacherous came to mind while scurriying down these scrambles). I did manage to face-plant while hopping from rock to rock through a stream - got quite wet and muddy, buggered up a finger, and unseated a pin by the face of my garmin watch, thus having it come unhinged on one side (I hope this can be fixed with ease - I did slip the pin back into its rightful place, not sure if it will stay there) - but I feel lucky that that's the extent of the damage knowing my downhill speed and trajectory at the time.

Based on the burn coming from my hams, quads and calves, I would say that my legs definitely got a workout....and I am hoping that by conquering these mountain hills, even at a snail's pace, my effort will translate in faster times on the road. Hello marathon!!!

Now...calling all mountain goats (and anyone else who is interested)...here's my Garmin summary....and a few snaps of my run, including one of a rock scramble.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/132711916

2011-12-04_11-32-04_24.jpg

2011-12-04_12-22-17_22.jpg

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2011-12-04_11-28-56_632.jpg

2011-12-04_11-32-17_187.jpg

Bambaata

Sounds like a great run! Enjoying the log, nice to see whats its like elsewhere in the world

Krusty_Clown

Wow, very pretty (and very impressive run!). From the photos, you could be in Ireland (were it not for the giveaway blue skies, and tell-tale sunshine!).
M'eh, think I prefer your neighbours pool. Now if you could lay down a track around that field...

shotgunmcos

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

M'eh, think I prefer your neighbours pool. Now if you could lay down a track around that field...

Feic that, I'll happily make use of the lap pool and grassy track and forest trails I think I might try out some of this off road stuff in the new year..

insinkerator

Those pictures are really good. The second pic is really Irish looking!

Dory Dory

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

M'eh, think I prefer your neighbours pool. Now if you could lay down a track around that field...

There's just no pleasing some folks, eh? ;)

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Feic that, I'll happily make use of the lap pool and grassy track and forest trails I think I might try out some of this off road stuff in the new year..

And good use you would make of the pool, track and trails!
I had forgotten how much fun (and challenging) trail running was. Definitely give it a whirl - it's a nice alternative that adds a new dimension to your workout repertoir and can help keep things interesting. Plus, because it's at times a fast paced balancing act, it can use more core muscles and upper body strength than road running.

Dory Dory

"...shimmy, shimmy, strut, strut, give a little what, what...."

I was reunited with my iPod tonight for a spin session that transformed my trusty trainer into.....DISCO BIKE! The choreography in my mind was brilliant, but the total expression of the artistry was understandably restricted.

I decided on a brick session tonight after being inspired by a few other threads. It felt good...good spinning with periodic bursts-til-they-burn...then decent sweat-inducing trotting on the treadmill after I convinced my legs that it was okay to start running....all the while letting the music do the work to carry me forward.

Trainer: 60 minutes
Treadmill: 30 minutes, 3.55 miles @ 8.27 avg pace

(For you, Insinkerator, my transition time was only 26 seconds. )

Dory Dory

90 minutes of yoga in the books.

Dory Dory

Part of the trail run I did this past weekend is included in the Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 Mile Run. This year's run is in May 2012, and here's a link if anyone is interested. Total ascent is 16,200 feet. It's a very difficult run that I've never done...but who knows??

http://www.vhtrc.org/mmt/course.htm

Bambaata

Sure you might as well go for it ;-)

Dory Dory

Bambaata wrote: »

Sure you might as well go for it ;-)

Just need a partner to nudge me! Just need a partner.

By the way....the way your user name, Bambaata, rolls off my tongue, I can't help but say it with a slight Italian accent, inflection and hand gesture. You don't happen to have, um, "family" in New York's lower east side, do you?

Dory Dory

I must have busted one too many moves on disco bike last night for my lower back was giving me a bit of a fit....so, to avoid aggravating it further, I settled on a long treadmill session at a slow pace but at a steep incline. Music of choice had to be something fitting for 105 minutes of strutting on the revolving runway...so I called up a bevy of broads belting and bellowing.....18 chicks with serious attitudes. Tonight's sweat-fest, like the earlier yoga session, is now in the books.

insinkerator

Dory Dory wrote: »

"...shimmy, shimmy, strut, strut, give a little what, what...."

I was reunited with my iPod tonight for a spin session that transformed my trusty trainer into.....DISCO BIKE! The choreography in my mind was brilliant, but the total expression of the artistry was understandably restricted.

I decided on a brick session tonight after being inspired by a few other threads. It felt good...good spinning with periodic bursts-til-they-burn...then decent sweat-inducing trotting on the treadmill after I convinced my legs that it was okay to start running....all the while letting the music do the work to carry me forward.

Trainer: 60 minutes
Treadmill: 30 minutes, 3.55 miles @ 8.27 avg pace

(For you, Insinkerator, my transition time was only 26 seconds. )

26 seconds? :eek: Triathlons have suddenly become a four discipline sport: Swimming, Cycling, Running and Transitioning :pac:

Bambaata

Dory Dory wrote: »

By the way....the way your user name, Bambaata, rolls off my tongue, I can't help but say it with a slight Italian accent, inflection and hand gesture. You don't happen to have, um, "family" in New York's lower east side, do you?

Ha no i dont. I got the username as a child when first signing up for various forums. I basically say Afrika Bambaataa's name on a CD and decided i'd go with it but would drop one "a" at the end. I really should change it but i'm a creature of habit.

Dory Dory

Bambaata wrote: »

Ha no i dont. I got the username as a child when first signing up for various forums. I basically say Afrika Bambaataa's name on a CD and decided i'd go with it but would drop one "a" at the end. I really should change it but i'm a creature of habit.

Lovely story, but I think we'll stick with the mafioso slant to your username.

Did I see that you did like a 17:30 5k? Congrats! That's cooking!

Bambaata

Yeah that was last weekend. Good race, hadnt done a 5km road race before so ill have to start looking for more!

Dory Dory

Holy crap! You rock!

Dory Dory

Swapped out the iPod for men in skates tonight. Good treadmill session. Good hockey game, if the Caps win.

I've been enjoying doing some speed work in the middle of my treadmill workouts - something I have just recently discovered. I have no idea how accurate the calibration on a treadmill is, but at the height of my fast paced intervals, I got up to 6 min/miles. Granted, I had to hold on for dear life, but my little legs were able to keep the pace for 6 one minute intervals.

Intervals were as follows, pace/mile, one minute each, 6 sets total:
15:00/10:00/7:30/15:00/6:00

Total session summary:
100 minutes, 10.93 miles, 9:09 min/miles