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Chronicles of a fish: the days of surf and turf
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Outdoor Trainer
The original plan today was to get The Mad One out and go for a spin with hubby, but because I over-indulged myself in the wanton wiles of the forest yesterday, my legs requested something a little less spiffy. So, after a healthy dose of housework and cooking, I dragged the trainer outside onto the deck and pedaled my little heart out in the sunshine while I just happened to be the Foo Fighter's special guest for their afternoon concert in my backyard. Lucky for them I canceled my original plans. 16 easy, low resistance miles in slightly under an hour, leaving all the fans with lighters lit screaming for more.
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The 17 Bales of Hay Field Run
"Green acres is the place for me, farm livin' is the life for me, land spreadin' out so far and wide, keep Manhattan just give me that countryside!"
The remaining lower section of our field was baled over the weekend, but the bales of hay still remain strewn about....so....on this absolutely breathtaking evening I decided to do a little hay bale obstacle course running. Yeehaw!! I did an easy two mile warmup around my usual perimeter course, said hello to Mr. Smith's black cat (who was tickled to death to see me), then headed into the center of the field do some "do si do-ing" with those freshly fragrant round bales. A bit of fancy footwork was required, but the first time around the 17 bales was a simple weave at a 90 degree or more turn into the next closest bale. The second time around was a crazy zig-zag pinball action around random bales, again employing the minimum 90 degree turn movement around each bale. And the third and final time around was a strategy of targeting the furthest bale out coupled with using the 90 plus degree turn movement. Anything to keep it interesting....and this was quite fun.
As I was running around these hay orbs in this field, I couldn't help but think how fun this would be as an organized event. There are lots of possibilities about how to structure a hay bale event....how to number and place the bales....how to require the runner to run around them....sort of a corn-fed runner's slalom. If the bales are still out tomorrow evening, I will do this again....but I'm also thinking I may try to incorporate a little bale hurdling too!:D
I kept this low key due to my recovery requirements, so no fast stuff for me. I wouldn't have even worn my Garmin but for my desire to track the mileage.
Per Garmin:
5.07 miles in 47:48.98 for an average pace of 9:25 min/mile.0 -
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Kurt Godel wrote: »If those bales are hurdleable, get thee hurdleabling!
They're big round bales with baling twine on them, so if they are still there tonight then I'll wear a pair of gloves and hurdle myself over them!!!
FYI - our very own rock star swimmer Interested is holding a 10 week swim session at Belvedere College in Dublin starting this Friday. I thought of you when he told me...don't know if you or anyone else on these logs has any interest...but in case you do, then my understanding is that they are each Friday evening....and there is a facebook page containing more info - http://www.facebook.com/#!/Sub60Swim - or, obviously, you can send him a PM.
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And here are 15 of my 17 bales of hay....and what a gorgeous day we are having here!! Woo hoo!! The moutains you see in the background are the Blue Ridge Mountains, home of Skyline Drive/Shenandoah National Park - where I do a lot of my running and cycling.
15 of 17 bales of hay!.jpg
And yes, pgmcpq, life is grand post-race!!!0 -
And here are 15 of my 17 bales of hay....and what a gorgeous day we are having here!! Woo hoo!! The moutains you see in the background are the Blue Ridge Mountains, home of Skyline Drive/Shenandoah National Park - where I do a lot of my running and cycling.
15 of 17 bales of hay!.jpg
And yes, pgmcpq, life is grand post-race!!!
Wow, you really need a cross bike the blue sky is just rubbing it in at this stage of the year. 0 -
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They're big round bales with baling twine on them, so if they are still there tonight then I'll wear a pair of gloves and hurdle myself over them!!!
FYI - our very own rock star swimmer Interested is holding a 10 week swim session at Belvedere College in Dublin starting this Friday. I thought of you when he told me...don't know if you or anyone else on these logs has any interest...but in case you do, then my understanding is that they are each Friday evening....and there is a facebook page containing more info - http://www.facebook.com/#!/Sub60Swim - or, obviously, you can send him a PM.
That looks brilliant- I live 70 miles away, only for that I'd be all over it. Best of luck with it interested, I'll pass on the details to one or two Dubs who might be into this.And here are 15 of my 17 bales of hay....and what a gorgeous day we are having here!! Woo hoo!! The moutains you see in the background are the Blue Ridge Mountains, home of Skyline Drive/Shenandoah National Park - where I do a lot of my running and cycling.
15 of 17 bales of hay!.jpg
And yes, pgmcpq, life is grand post-race!!!
I can't be the only dreamer here who has looked up real estate prices in Luray? Dory, you live in a great part of the world!0 -
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Hay Bale Hurdling Run
It just keeps getting better and better.
Gorgeous evening...deer were frolicking in the upper field so I headed down to the lower field to do an easy warmup and plot my hay bale strategy. Little did I know until I was about a half a mile into the run that there was a lone deer watching me. I altered my path so I would not disturb this lovely creature, but she seemed not to be bothered by me at all. She watched my entire 2 mile warmup, and then about 5 minutes into my hay bale antics she either got bored with my running or unimpressed with my hurdling and left.
I was sorry to see her go - I was enjoying the company.
But speaking of my antics, what a blast I am having with these 17 bales of hay! Holy crap, hurdling these round bales is a gas! I started with a few graceful twists and turns around the bales, then tried my first hurdle. It wasn't very graceful but I got the job done. A few more zigs and zags, and then my second hurdle was a bust - I got to the top but didn't have enough momentum to get all the way over. Next two hurdles were good, but they didn't have a whole lot of style. I took a break with the hurdles and just rounded the bales and then ran the perimeter for about a mile, then headed back into the heart of the field and embraced the art of the hurdle and owned those bales. Seriously. I found my mojo in the dusk out in that field, and I cracked the code to proper hurdling technique. Pick the proper line of approach...speed up......bounce off the ground.....fly through the air like a super hero....and let the momentum propel you to the other side. 8 out of 9 bales hurdled. That was the bomb.
Again, I'm not running by pace but rather by enjoyable feel. Loving this style and phase of training. I really, really needed a break.
Per Garmin:
5.05 miles and 8 bales hurdled in 49:15.34 for an average pace of 9:45 min/mile.0 -
The Gotta Hurdle Hay Bales While the Sun Shines Run
After a nice and easy warmup around the field, into the maze of hay bales I went. First time around was a simple weave employing right turns and left turns, 180s and 360s, all the while analyzing the bales and computing in my head the distance, speed, velocity and trajectory I needed to leap frog these round bales without incident. Second time around it was time to put into play my fancy calculations and hurdle all 17 bales one right after the other. Job done. :cool: Loved it!! But I learned that hurdling 17 consecutive bales boom-boom-boom tires you out, and I learned that as I tired I had to rely on my upper body more to help me fly through the air like a super hero to get me over those bales, and I learned what it feels like to run with hay stuck up in my shorts, and I learned that I might want to wear long pants next time to avoid all the scrapes and scratches I endured for the cause. Third time around it was another simple and slow weave. These hay bales are a blast. I may have to do a fartlek tomorrow if the bales are still in the field, unless someone has a better idea of an interesting hay bale session.
I forgot to recharge my Garmin last night, but I probably put down ~5 miles in ~50 minutes.
Have not updated SBR challenge data since before the marathon...must catch that up.
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Solobally8 wrote: »Ha ha you're so much fun! I wish I could run round fields jumping hay bales. My neighbours think I'm mental already running up and down the road to add a few metres to my runs. Yours must think you're mad altogether. Or are you that lucky that you live in a place where your nearest neighbour is a mile away?
Yes, you definitely have the right "personality" to embrace the true spirit of hay bale jumping! Can the neighbors see me?? That's hilarious you ask that because that is the first question everyone asks when I tell them about my newest craze!! (so funny!) And the answer is...quite possibly so. But they already know I'm nuts - running round and around in the field for hours was a pretty good tip off for them. Krusty_Clown wrote: »See if you can get an extra 'hay-hurdling' column added to the SBR challenge spreadsheet. You'll have a massive lead (cos it's as mad as a bag of cats).
"Hay-hurdling" column!!!??? BRILLIANT!!!!!I think this should be in your itinery for next year. That John Wayne Steeplechase will be right up your alley
Holy crap!!! Sign me up!!! But, hmmmm, they've got a more streamlined hurdle technique than I do. Sigh. I guess my upper body uplift/lower body bounce that makes me feel super hero worthy isn't as technically efficient as I thought it was. Back to the drawing board, or, back to the hay bales for me!! 0 -
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Shenandoah Fall Foliage Bike Festival, Saturday October 20, 2012
In spite of the fact that my hubby's very worn single speed bike got more respect and admiring glances than The Mad One did (however, there was one very nice gentleman who did offer a few nice comments about my bike.....AFTER he was all over hubby's) this was an awesome event and awesome ride!
Weather could not have been more perfect, oh, except there was a lot of wind the last half of the ride that tried to toss me about or push me back, but the sun was shining and everyone had a smile on their face. This was my very first proper ride on my new steed, and I was impressed from the very first hill how The Mad One handled - beautifully. I can't believe how much easier churning up a hill is on a well crafted 17 pound bike - I never dropped down into my small ring for any hills - and I only popped off my seat when I wanted to give hubby a run for his money.
I still have a bit of confidence I need to gain on the bike, and that should come with time. I find that I tense up on the downhills and ride the break. I embrace the uphills and find myself really loving them. I think with the downhills it's a little of not feeling in control that bothers me. Oh, and the crazy free falling speed is a little bothersome too....and my eyes watering from the wind, blinding me....and the vibration of the uneven road bouncing me and my glasses and my vision all around adding to the difficulty of seeing what's ahead of me. But I think it may have to do with the fact that I'm not pedaling, and therefore feel like I'm at the mercy of other elements and not fully in control of the situation. I assume more practice/experience will help me with this. It's in my head, and I need to work on that. I didn't fall off the bike at all this time, and I'm getting more comfortable clipping in and out. I'm also getting really good at pedaling with one leg while I'm trying to get the other leg clipped in.
Here's a link to the bike's website in case anyone finds themselves in my neck of the woods next October - it really is a very well done two day event with loads rest stops with food (most of it homemade by local folks) and water available. The big hits at the first rest stop were the hard boiled eggs and bananas - especially the hard boiled eggs. Pimento cheese sandwiches, not so much. Lunch was the second rest stop and that was a buffet of freshly carved sandwich meats, salads, soups, chips, fruits, cookies, etc. Third rest stop was cookies, cakes, fruits, hot and cold drinks, etc. Hubby said he's never eaten so much on a 50 mile bike ride before!! I'll be back next year for sure!!
http://shenandoahbike.org/
And here's my Garmin - 50 miles of fun riding. We didn't stress or push, except when me and The Mad One were trying to teach that stinkin' single speed a few things.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/2355622110 -
Trail Running - Embracing the Hills
While the weather is so gorgeous and while I have the freedom to run however I want in this post and pre marathon training period, I will make good use of the trails that are on my doorstep. Today I decided to do significantly less mileage than I did last weekend (legs were well wrecked after 13 plus miles one week after marathon), but I wanted to up the volume of climbing so I chose to run up Neighbor Mountain today - hard as sh*t run. Ack!!! Good god, I found myself asking why I was running up this mountain at this incline when I will never run this grade in a race....but one foot in front of the other I went....huffing and puffing and reminding myself to relax the body and enjoy the f-ing run. I stopped a few times with the excuse to take pictures of this spectacular forest I was running in (will post photos later) and to enjoy the moment while giving the body/respiratory system a break. And running downhill is no bed of roses either - in fact, I found myself relieved to go uphill for a while after a significant downhill section. And speaking of uphill....it's amazing how any reduction in grade is quite significant to effort and energy - how much easier it feels, even when still going uphill.
Not too many other folks out today - I only saw 6 hikers, 5 dogs (one absolutely adorable Swiss Mountain Dog), and my Shenandoah National Park law enforcement officer friend. Love the secluded nature of these trail runs. In case any of you peeps are planning on visiting me and joining me on any of these runs, October and early November are perfect times to come - cooler temps with gorgeous colors.
I did lose satellite briefly on this run, so when the Garmin said "5.86 miles" at the end of the run, but in reality I had actually done a little over 6 miles, I couldn't stand it and ran back and forth to get in the extra mileage logged on the Garmin...which begs the question: why are we so manic?? Actual mileage is approximately 6.25 miles. Slow going - trails are rocky and dangerous with streams and logs and ups and downs....blah, blah, blah. You know the story. But, loved the run....loved the run.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/235676881
Trail photos posted in a bit.....
And here they are...by popular demand...cough, cough....TRAIL PICS!!
Neighbor Mt. Trail #1.jpg
Neighbor Mt. Trail #2.jpg
Neighbor Mt. Trail #3.jpg0 -
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shotgunmcos wrote: »Fun weekend sessions there. October eh.. **pencils in need to check probability of future autumn hay hurdling trip with hoochiedoubledee...**
My hay bale is your hay bale. 0 -
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Hay Bale Hurdle Field Run
I stepped out of the house this evening into the glorious sunshine to be greeted by two deer who were foraging along the tree line that separates the upper field from the lower field. After a few minutes of them watching me and me watching them, I eased my way down to the lower field to get my hay bale session started....but....:eek:....to my shock and horror, two of my bales were missing!!! A reasonable person might surmise that the farmer gathered these two missing bales up and took them to their proper place, but I'm more inclined to think along the lines of scandalous hay bale kidnapping under the dark of night and that I should be receiving a ransom note in my mail box in the next day or two.
After a good two mile warmup, it was time to enter the land of the bales. I structured the hay bale section as follows:
First Bale Circuit - each bale circled clockwise 360 degrees.
Second Bale Circuit - each bale circled counterclockwise 360 degrees.
Third and Fourth Bale Circuit - a simple alternating right and left weave of the bales - took two circuits to pass all bales on both sides.
Fifth and Sixth Bale Circuit - alternating hurdling and weaving, hurdling and weaving - took two circuits to hurdle all 15 bales. (I so rock on these bales!! Superstar!!:D)
Cooled it down with an easy trot under the half moon. What fun this is!!
Per Garmin (pace is still not the point....just having fun and hopefully working a little of my core with this):
5.12 miles and 15 hay bales hurdled in 48:04 for an average pace of 9:23 min/mile.0 -
Bales of Hay
In ticker tape format....
Gorgeous evening....off to lower field...2 mile warmup....some love to Mr. Smith's very sweet black cat....hello to the deer....into the land of bales...same circuits as last night, pretty much....nearly knocked my noggin getting my leg tangled in the baling twine :eek:.....avoided all piles of deer poop....zigged and weaved and flew and sprinted....plucked straw out of my shorts......and still loved every minute of it.
I've found muscles that I had forgotten I had. I imagine it's primarily the result of the uphill trail running, but I'd like to think this format of field running and jumping is contributing to waking up these muscles too. Oh, and speaking of the missing hay bales, they are still missing and no ransom note yet. :rolleyes:;):)
Per Garmin:
5.23 miles and 15 bales hurdled in 48:06 for an average pace of 9:12 min/mile.0 -
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Into the Land of the Bales
I left the Garmin home and made a bee line immediately to the land of the bales. After a nice warmup around and diagonally into the land, it was my 6 circuit series utilizing the bales - 360 degree circling, simple weaving, and kick-@ss hurdling. I did finish up with two new additions - sideways running (not sure what it's called
) and a little backwards running. I think these two final gems were the hardest on me, especially considering how dark it was by then on this beautiful evening.
~5 miles in ~50 minutes. Loved the freedom of no Garmin. 0 -
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