Fri 2/27 - PM 1:45 skiing

Area 51. Bookending the workweek with another visit to the refuge. Perhaps not looking forward to it quite as much as Monday but still the unquestioned highlight of the day. This despite tracks that are quite glazed and slippery in spots. Combined with skis that are rated above my weight this makes for less control and virtually no kick on anything resembling an uphill. Thankfully very little of that of course. Like Monday, I visited the pond although this time taking in the whole thing near the shore and on to the culvert from there. All the blowing snow made for some areas of very compacted snow in places on the pond surface, fairly smooth skiing in fact. Adductors more sore than expected afterward, from the slipping and sliding no doubt. Cold of course, with some wind but not as strong as some days recently.

Thu 2/26 - PM 75 minutes incl. 12-10-8-6-4 minute pickups

Levittown. This in fact was the workout originally planned for yesterday, better late than never I suppose. Happily, I felt much better today than a day ago upon getting home in the afternoon so no repeat of yesterday's doldrums. Still, feeling like somewhat of a fraud given the spottiness of recent training, and not too confident of how I'd be able to manage a session of this length requiring some focus if not turnover. Thanks to the unending cold, some of the usual roads in this neighborhood still aren't nearly clear so I had to do the reps on a loop encompassing Dix, Dana, Durant and Reo. In fact Reo is still an icy mess but for short enough of a stretch to muddle through. I'm guessing the pace of the reps was not at all impressive but it was more about getting through the thing in one piece and not bailing out midway. In this respect at least a success. Also concerned about how the right leg would hold up, some stiffness in the calf but the hamstring held up all right. In fact, what was more noticeable on the cooldown was the left TFL locking up to an uncomfortable degree, something I wasn't expecting.

Wed 2/25 - off

I had a workout planned for today, went so far as to scout which neighborhood would be less treacherous between Longfellow loop and Levittown. Took a nap after this, woke up feeling not a bit refreshed or motivated to do anything. Didn't even bother getting changed into workout clothes. I wonder how much of the fatigue can be chalked up to late winter cabin fever, the punishing conditions of the past four weeks have weighed increasingly heavily on my mood.

Tue 2/24 - PM 60 minutes skiing

Great Brook. First visit here in at least a few years, and first time skiing in a couple of decades. What a difference the groomed track makes in terms of speed, barely controlled at times. Took it slow most of the time, with breaks in the heated barn every 20 minutes or so. A feature lacking at Area 51 and very tempting at the end of a very cold day. Overall a very mellow experience.

Mon 2/23 - PM 1:45 skiing

Area 51. Looking forward to this all day, and most of yesterday as well to be honest. The experience didn't disappoint either, soothing to say the least and nice to spend a good chunk of time exercising. Tracks glazed in many places after yesterday's warmth followed by today's drop in temperature. Got off the beaten track for a bit to cross Puffer Pond from the fishing dock to the culvert, which was slow going in deep untrammeled snow. Picked up the tempo a bit the last 20 minutes or so. Cold and windy as usual.

Sun 2/22 - PM 75 minutes incl. track 3k

Underwhelming (to say the least) end to an indoor campaign that started out with some promise. What a difference six weeks makes, as I ran the same distance 25 seconds faster. Knew going in the edge had been lost but not by this much. As it was, I set out to try to maintain 9:15 pace which lasted all of 3 laps. Ended up splitting 3:07, 3:13, and 3:13 for each km. Felt reasonably smooth and the calf didn't bother me much at all thankfully but just flat and tired. A common theme of late needless to say. Can't bring myself to get overly worked up about this one to be honest. Between the illness that dragged on for weeks, the re-strained calf which I think stemmed originally from attempting to run on packed snow conditions back in late January before we were completely buried, and of course the brutal weather I'm happy to be done with track races for a while. Speaking of the weather, temps were above average for the first day this month, and above freezing for the first day in over two weeks. Celebrated this by going out for a long cooldown around the dingier precincts of Allston. Fun times.

Sat 2/21 - PM 25 minutes very easy

Out and back in bucolic Shelter Harbor, RI by the shore. After snowshoeing in the morning and before a hike along East Beach later in the day. After visiting an outdoor observatory late into the night last night, I was about as flat as I could possibly feel. This along with bitter cold conditions made for a very short and slow shakeout.