Week of 1/23 - 1/29


Besides not getting to NH this week to get some vertical it was a good running week wise.  I did a lot of message therapy to the shin, worked out twice and did a ton of stretching.  I think I am going to get an x-ray and talk to my doctor tomorrow to rule out stress fracture, ugh, can't even think of that.  On Saturday had a solid 14 mile run and it did not bother me, today (Sunday) during a short 6.5 mile run it was bothersome but not inhibitting.

Anyway, this week coming up looks to be great fun in NH.  The plan is to be hiking for 3 days, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  The forecast is calling for some snow showers and avalanche conditions are not looking all the great right now for Right Gully, but, it is WAY too early.  The northeast particularly in the ravines have been getting really light density snow so snow loading/windslap snow is the main issue.  Unusual to have the light density stuff in the Northeast, but at this point it is better than nothing.

So other than that it was a quiet week. Also February, geesh, where did the time go?

Totals for the week:
32 miles of ALL running
3724 feet of vertical

Week of 1-16 / 1-22


Started off as a good week, with a 11 mile run in the Blue Hills that got some good up and down and explored some new trail.  Middle of the week, did some short distance stuff, dealt with weather and had my first snow run of 2012 in Blue Hills.  The Blue Hills has about 6-8 inches of low density snow making the conditions not really ideal for running but serviceable.  I would love for some rain to compact everything and then for it to freeze solid, it would set up nicely for microspikes and then any other snow that falls.

I stayed off the stairs this week as well hoping it would help with the shin, I think it did.

Later part of the week included a Franconia Ridge climb and Blue Hills snow run.  Had very little in the tank at Blue Hills for a 12 mile run but sort of slogged through it with Chris and Mark.

Some pictures from the ridge.

Totals for the week:
40 miles of combined trail running and hiking
6264 of vertical feet

Week of 1/9 - 1/15


Well I had what I would call a dormant week.  I did get to the gym twice and hit 72 flights of stairs up and down 3 times on Wednesday.  I hoped that the dormant week would help my shin, it did, but my stubbornness, pushed me to do the stars on Wednesday.  I should have bagged it but I wanted to do it.  The shin is better, rest, massage therapy and stretching definitely helped.  Overall feeling pretty good.  Saturday (1/14) I hit Cannon, Cannon Balls and N. Kinsman for about 11 miles and 4126 of Vert.  This is basically all my miles and vertical for the week.  It was a great "hike" no running, bitter cold temps around negative 10 with slight wind.  Sunday I did get out in the Blue Hills to log some running miles, 7 total.

It was a good week, got to "relax" clearly my stubbornness, is the culprit of me trying to heal, need to work on that.

Totals for the week:
18 miles of combined trail running and hiking
5000 feet of vertical

Week of 1/2 - 1/8


Well the weather has been absolutely spectacular for "winter" around Boston and NH.  The snow that has fallen in NH has not been much and any trail that you step on is packed perfect like a track.  The track with microspikes is like velcro you stick and do not move.  You can even get good purchase on some of the blue ice if you see any or the hard ice that is still exposed and not covered by the snow.  Temperatures have been mild as well especially over 4k feet.

This has lead to some speed ascents on some 4k foot mountains in NH carrying minimal gear.  If you play it right with weather and trail conditions you can basically fly, faster than in the summer in my opinion.

The middle of the week I had two good days at the gym, 3 descent days in the Blue Hills and one great day in NH, Mount Hancock and South Hancock.

Shin is aaaahhhh, ok(?), I still need to take some time off but things have been so great lately its really hard.  One other fun even of the week was 3 sets of up and down at my building at work 72 flights.  Going to throw that in to the training to mix things up a little over next couple of weeks.

Totals for the week
26 miles of all running this week
4378 feet of vertical

Week of 12/26 - 1/1


Had a really solid week or strength training and training that all sort of happened at the end of the week.  I took some time off to try to give the shin time to heal, it is getting better.  Thursday 12/29 I gave it a go and it was feeling better, the rest and stretching definitely helped this week.  I took Friday off as well which helped going into the weekend.

Chris and I did hit Tecumseh summit in 43 minutes on 12/31 on solid trail conditions, soft ice with 2 inches of crusty snow and packed out trail.  We descended off the Tecumseh Trail off the NW side to Tripoli Road and then ran the slog back to our vehicle.  Solid effort all day for 10 miles.

Mutha and I hit Cannon for a speed ascent on 1/1.  Hit Cannon in 55 minutes and back down in 1 hour 36 minutes for a 41 minute descent on solid trail conditions, probably the best you could ask for.  It was January and we were in Spring conditions both for weather and trail conditions.  I took only a handheld.  We changed at the trailhead for Liberty Springs and ascended up Liberty on 1/1 as well for some grid action.

Pictures by me here.
Pictures by Dan Zucker here.

With all the trips up some 4k foot summits got in solid vertical.  Good start to the year! Hopefully shin gets better sooner!!!

Totals for the week:
30 miles of combined trail running and hiking
8600 feet of vertical