Fri 2/21 - AM 2.5 hours

Chiricahua "big loop" plus a sunrise hike up the Sugarloaf trail. The route that never gets old. Not feeling exactly spry from the get-go this time, and by the end it felt like someone had taken a hammer to my quads, but still worth it. Slept more poorly than I'd like thanks to a malfunctioning sleeping pad, felt flat thanks to that. Before going for the run took a hike up to the top of Sugarloaf for the panoramic view

 Cochise Head

 fire lookout tower, mouse droppings all over the place

 caldera

From there, broke camp and eventually started up the Rhyolite trail. The most sustained bits of running were at the beginning and end, about 40 minutes apiece, heading up to the higher ground and descending back down. Many breaks in between as evidenced by the many pictures taken. The climb up was exhausting, the descent at the end quad-numbing. Quite worn out and sore by the end,

Thu 2/20 - AM 75 minutes

Saguaro NP. Shantz-Pink Hill-Squeeze Pen-Carrillo and back. Tried to stay on the bajada and out of the foothills today as opposed to yesterday. This lasted about 25 minutes or so before I realized the Carrillo trail goes up fairly steeply. Soldiered on anyway to a point just below Wildhorse tank before turning around. Right leg feeling much better today than yesterday, which isn't saying a lot. Picked up the pace towards the end, first modestly then much more insistently, as it started to look like it might be a squeeze to make it back in time for breakfast.

  africanized bees nearby

Garwood dam

In the afternoon, made the drive to Chiricahua where I'll be spending the night this time. Before dinner went for a hike on the Natural Bridge trail, not wanting to do another run before tomorrow morning. Nice hike although the bridge is something of a joke quite frankly

 there's the bridge, as close as the trail gets to it

Wed 2/19 - double, 1:50 total

AM - 60 minutes, Saguaro NP. Out and back on the Douglas Springs trail, to Bridal Wreath falls and back. Right leg felt like absolute garbage throughout. The steepness of the trail, which I had conveniently forgotten about even though it's hardly my first time, didn't help matters. Calf tight as a drum which made it difficult both up and down. This detracted from what was otherwise a delightful morning to be outside, cool as the sun was just coming up over the mountain.

 the falls

 downstream

 a trickle at the moment

PM - 50 minutes very easy. Originally I had planned on doing a loop that would take me by Santa Rita park near the end for some much-needed stretching. While I did make it to the park eventually it was clear the loop was much longer than I thought and so turned back and cut over through barrio viejo to get there. Dark by the time I arrived. Crawling along with right hamstring and calf both firmly stuck. Able to do most of the usual flexibility routine and just as important, some rolling on the lax ball which relieved a massive trigger point near the iliac crest.

Tue 2/18 - PM 50 minutes

Tucson hostel to A Mountain and back. About 15 hours or so from when I woke up in Maynard to when I arrived at long last with the sun about to set. Legs wobbly at the start from being crammed into an airplane seat all day, even more so at the end from the up and down of the road around the mountain. Treated to a nice view of the city below in the dark at least.

Mon 2/17 - PM 50 minutes plus skiing

Skied for about an hour in Area 51, the flatter terrain made it a breeze compared to some of the ups and downs yesterday. Getting the hang of double pole kicking as well, at least a little bit. After heading home and stowing the skis, went back out to Levittown via Rockland Ave for a moderately paced run. Maybe a little quicker than originally planned, and ran out of gas somewhat in the last 10 minutes, but overall felt reasonably good. An enjoyable exercise combo overall. Cold but not too windy. More snow on the way but I won't be around to experience it thankfully.

Sun 2/16 - skiing

Not in the original plan, as I expected to be going for an evening jog before dinner at Catalina State Park. Weather changed those plans and instead I wound up in Grafton VT for skiing on groomed trails. This was quite the experience compared to the more ragged and rough (though flat) Area 51 trails. Some fairly terrifying descents where I was barely in control of both speed and direction, other than that pleasant and low-key. Probably ended up spending somewhere between 90 minutes and two hours total, with breaks scattered throughout. This is as close as it gets to taking a break for me it would seem. An appropriate time for it at least.

Sat 2/15 - double, 75 minutes total

AM - 50 minutes easy. Tiger Drive to Longfellow Loop. Took a while to get out the door, and a while on top of that to get moving at all. Right leg stiff from top to bottom pretty much throughout, unsurprisingly.

PM - 25 minutes, treadmill. Started at 6.5 mph and ticked it up to 9.5 by the end. Total of 3.25 miles, hardly impressive of course but it's the progression that counts. Had all kinds of crazy ideas earlier in the day about skiing and doing another run as well, but more wind-driven snow took all that off the table. In the end it took me forever to gather up the will to get on the hamster wheel. Tired of course, but not unduly so, just lacking in motivation at the moment.