Sun 3/19 - PM 56 minutes elliptical trainer

Today would have been a good day for some kind of workout on the roads, ideally the Longfellow loop, but when it didn't get done before lunch I knew in my bones it wouldn't be happening. Too tired from the last few days of travel, walking around the city, and not sleeping especially well in the less than stellar accommodations I picked out for us. Overcast windy conditions in the morning did little to boost my enthusiasm. Wound up spending the afternoon sleeping and doing errands, plus a stroll in the snowbound refuge. In the end it became clear the only way I was getting exercise was on the trainer, which has saved my bacon on multiple occasions when motivation has been flagging. Spent the lion's share of the time, almost two thirds in fact, on the two highest gears.

Sat 3/18 - AM 85 minutes

Another out and back along the west side, this time heading north from the 20th st. intersection and getting about 90 blocks or so up the river before turning around and heading back. Like yesterday, the pace dawdled at first for the first 15 minutes as I had to shake off the cobwebs. After that though, I got bored and picked up the pace and continued to do so for the remainder of the run, in step-wise fashion. The 5k race, an exercise in athletic tourism, that I had entered for today was canceled due to weather concerns. Apparently the city told the race management they wouldn't be holding the event. Hindsight's 20/20 but the predicted snow didn't materialize and even if it had I don't see how it would have made racing unsafe or impossible. Annoying but it wouldn't have been a stellar effort with three weekends in a row of racing (originally not planned for) coming before this weekend. The garbage weather that makes it seem as if February and March switched places has gotten thoroughly tiresome.

Fri 3/17 - AM 45 minutes

Out and back along the west side bike path, next to the mighty Hudson river. Headed south from 20th st. intersection, pace increased gradually throughout the run and finished at a pretty good clip. Chilly and windier than I'd like but what else is new.

Thu 3/16 - off

Spent much of the day traveling to NYC and then walking around after lunch upon arriving there. No time or energy for running. First zero in a while although there have been plenty of slow low volume days packed in there lately.

Wed 3/15 - PM 30 minutes easy plus 40 minutes elliptigo trainer

Futile attempt to try something of substance outside in miserably cold, overcast and windy conditions. Gave up on that and took it indoors instead and did a version of a threshold workout on the trainer instead, with 3 minute reps at the highest gear going pretty good followed by one minute recoveries. A decent enough session and really, more in line with what this type of session is supposed to be than when I try it on foot and inevitably fail to get in the number of reps planned.

Tue 3/14 - PM 60 minutes easy

Late start after another late afternoon spent snoozing soundly. If possible even less energy than yesterday. Put the time in but that's about it.

Mon 3/13 - PM 35 minutes very easy plus 30 minutes elliptigo trainer

Puttering around town before heading in and riding the dork bike. Feeling quite lethargic but still able to throw in 30 second pickups on the trainer at the end of the day. 

Sun 3/12 - AM 70 minutes incl. 5 mile road race

Lowell. Plenty of roll to the course which was used for the first time. Undulations starting at about the half mile mark and continuing to some degree or other until the final half mile. A couple of fairly decent climbs and descents thrown in there. After hitting the first mile in the mid 5:30s everything else was in the mid to high 5:40 range. The nature of the course wasn't the concern at all next to the abysmally terrible conditions, with brutal cold and wind ruling the day. At least 20 degrees below normal for this time of year and getting raked by the arctic gales throughout. Difficult if not impossible to warm up beforehand. Given the circumstances I'll take the result, particularly since I was able to cash in on the bet I had made on myself and win the series as whole. This came as something of a surprise as the age grading tables used to calculate the final standings are an inscrutable mystery to me.