Hi Everyone!
Hope you are all well!
How's training going for you? Any recent races or coming up (virtual or IRL)? Any other outdoor adventures?
This was week 19 of 20 'till the Valley Forge Marathon for me. One week to go!
My Week in Training:
Sunday the 20th run is in the previous week's post. Sunday after my run, road trip! Off to Vermont! State number 29 visited for me! Off to check out the foliage, a hike, maybe a cidery, a syrup farm, and perhaps a brew or few, etc.
Sunday tourism: stopped in Woodstock and Taftsville, VT. Which is about an hour away from our destination of Waterbury (just outside of Stowe), but has noteworthy scenery to check out. IG pics: Sleepy Hollow Farm, Billings Farm, and Taftsville covered bridge. Late lunch at Worthy Kitchen before resuming our road trip. Once at our destination, did some scenic drives before dinner and calling it a night. Stopped by the Von Trappe Lodge. Very pretty grounds and lodge, and cool farm/cows nearby, including a few highland cows.
Monday: 5 miles. Excellent night's rest. Was in bed shortly after dinner, and up by 5 coffee, 20 min core workout, and out the door by 6:30. Before heading back last night, we did some driving around to find possible routes for me. The hotel is on a highway. Bicycle lane, but is pretty much just a highway shoulder. Asked the concierge for any nearby trails, all would require a drive. So.. I have about .4 mi before I get to a sidewalk. Left on a narrow bridge and I'm on the sidewalk. Down a steep decline. This road ends at their main street. Main street has been torn up! Completely! Dirt and rock. The construction crew was just showing up. I went down the main street and back. Got plenty of looks from the construction crew and the sheriff that's redirecting traffic. lol.. Towards the opposite end, see a road to a large building with a nice back drop, did a couple loops in there, snapped a pic and head back. Found that the building is government, saw a sign for Corrections, etc. Head back, the steep decline was a tough incline. Kept my pace comfortable most of the way as I was exploring, but felt the struggle in the incline. Stayed on the highway back to my hotel, but noticed I could have an option in the parking lot nearby to reduce time spent on the highway. Oh, and the temps were in the 30's today! So refreshing! Looking forward to a few morning's of brisk temps!
-Gold Brook Bridge/Emily's Bridge: The bridge has a few different stories, but most notably Emily's. The bridge is supposedly haunted by her!
-Nebraska Knoll Sugar Farm (link directs to their site)- Vermont Maple Syrup! Straight from the source! A free sampling of their very tasty syrups. My fav was the dark! The farm sometimes does tours, walks through the process, but today, they weren't in the shoppe! Honor system of sampling and purchasing their products.
-Cold Hollow Cider Mill (link directs to their site)Cider donuts, cider (cold, hot, hard, etc), and many other tasty options!
Tuesday: 1 mile. Plans in a bit, no set schedule, but still wanted to get out at a decent time. Up around 6. Coffee, 30 minute core workout, and out the door by 7. Hiking later, keeping it to a streak day today, didn't bother with exploring. Crossed the highway, start my watch, and did a few laps around the grocery store parking lot. Usually do a speed day on streak day, but feeling it and need to be ready for some hills later for hiking. Maintained a comfortable pace. During my run I noticed there may be a back road out of the parking lot that is slightly closer to my hotel. On my way back, found a dam/waterfall! Set in the corner of the side street from the highway. Couple houses there, including a wooden bridge that is a private driveway!
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| Waterfall video on Facebook |
Starting from the Pinnacle Meadow parking lot. About .5 mi up a mostly gravel trail, lined with several feet of wildflowers before the forest borders. Pinnacle Meadow (link to facebook video). a "false" summit. Beautiful view of the meadows with a backdrop of the mountains and lake across the way. Beautiful, enjoy, but now it's time to really go into the woods. At the top of the meadow there is a sign to enter the woods. Trail was well marked with blazes. Easy to moderate for a while. But as you got higher and higher, it got more technical. Some light scrambling, but mostly technical. Already thinking we were almost there, there is a sign when you get to .62 from the summit. It was a long .62. But well worth it. 360 degree view! Going back down required effort as well. Definitely felt it in the knees and quads since your legs are catching themselves for the 1604 ft descent.
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| 360 video on Facebook |
Tuesday tourism:
-Ben & Jerry's ice cream factory! Located about .25 mi from our hotel. Walking to it is not ideal though.
-Mini road trip to Burlington, VT! Approx 45 minutes from Waterbury, VT. We checked out Lake Champlain, strolled the pedestrianized Church Street Marketplace, and stopped by a brewery.
Wednesday: 5 miles. Road trip in a bit. Woke up a few times, going back to bed each time. Knew I should probably get up by 6. Don't have a set departure time, but it's a long road trip, don't want to dilly dally. Coffee, 30 min core workout, and out the door by 7:30, probably later than I had planned. Walked across the highway before starting my run. Did a couple loops around the grocery store and then head towards the down town of Waterbury. A couple minutes along the highway shoulder, marked as a bike lane, would not want to be anyone running/cycling in that lane! Several cars drifting into the lane. A couple minutes down the highway, turn left across a bridge, no bike lane or sidewalk for a few feet. Down a pretty steep hill heading into town. The main street is still torn up, made a left to run the street parallel to the end of the construction, passed a cool train station and park. Then made left on the main street (going away from the construction), and went a bit towards the end of town (pretty much missing most of the down town due to the heavy construction). Turn around at that end and on my way back did a few minutes on each side street and back. The decline from earlier.. it turned out to be a killer incline! It was tough. Had a few more minutes to do, did a couple more circles around the grocery store. TMI time.. briefly thought about stopping by the construction site to use a portable restroom! lol.. made it back ok.
Thursday: 1 mile. Back home :( But the day off from work. :) Chores and errands planned for the day, but have time to sleep in. Wednesday, was up slightly late, 11pm! Watching baseball, etc. Slept in till 7, almost 8 hrs of rest! Back hurt a bit, but other than that, felt good! Coffee, workout (extra sets all around), missed using those weights! I swear they get heavier after a few days break! Workout done, eventually out the door around 8:15. Worked on breathing, and off I go! Felt good at the start, even though I start out with a hill. First pace alert in the 6:30's! Don't plan on staying there, but now determined to fight through to try for sub 7. Focusing on foot strike and breathing, etc. Took a few min for breathing to get back into rhythm after my start. Few minutes in got distracted by trash cans in my way. Busy road, someones trash can from yesterday in the middle of the sidewalk, slanted grassy area on the left or narrow grass to the right by the road. Carefully around. Pace around 6:50 at the hill at .6, fight through and hang on at the end for 6:59. Best 1 miler in three months! Miscellaneous cardio: 2.5+ hours of yard work. 1.5 general maintenance, 1+ extra things to take care of. Hoping my back is ok for tomorrow and the weekend.
Friday: 5 miles (scheduled for 4). Extra day off from work. Stayed up slightly later than usual, no plans today, sleeping in! Up a few times, but made it 'till about 7 am, almost 9 hours of rest! Very unlike me, usually avg around 7 hrs. A little sore this morning, between yesterday's workout and yard work. Coffee, workout (extra sets all around, 50 minutes). Stretch my back out and eventually over to my trail by 9ish. My trail Pennypack Creek. Park in the middle, Welsh and Terwood Rd. Parking lot almost full! Will be doing the more wooded side to ByBerry Rd and back today. Sun/temps going back up some point today, doing the shaded side. Goal: 8:15 ish. Started out working on breathing and focus on foot strike. First few alerts in the 7's, down to about 7:15. Not realistic for me to try to keep it there, but pushed to maintain 7:45. Felt good at first, but fading to 7:50's before the turnaround. Usually try to split on the decline back, today was more of maintain to hang on. lol.. Wasn't comfortable, but ended for overall sub 8.
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| Full pics on Facebook |
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| Full pics on Facebook |
Sunday: 1 mile. Rest day, one for the streak. RunStreak Day 1709. Decent rest, tried sleeping in, up around 7. Coffee and taking my time. Stretch., and out the door by 8:30. Feel decent, slight tightness to be stretched out further, but not bad. Would usually try to do some speed, going to try to keep it comfortable most of the following week. Up a small hill, level out, pace started out around 7:45. Kept it comfortable on the decline, but pace picked up to 7:30's, down to 7:31. Could have forced the issue to pick it up or maintain there, but relaxed through the hill at .6. Maintained around 7:40 to end. Comfortable, but humid! Did just a few minutes of yard work after, drenched! Will be focusing on recovery today, through next week. Hydration, foam roll, maybe my TENS gadget, Epsom or ice baths, etc.
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| Image from Coach Jenny Hadfield |
10.04.2020 - Valley Forge Marathon
Good luck to everyone with training! Kick some butt!
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