Trail Mix 25K

Well, I finished my first Trail Mix!

Thanks Wayne and Rick (and many others) for talking me in to signing up. Now to resist the siren call(or is that arm twisting?) to run a 50K. Hard to do with one running right through my proverbial backyard this fall!

Prior to the start of the 50K the race director was apologizing for the nice weather, and hoping for a change. The dry spring made for a firm trail, other than in the sandy and wood chip spots. For a Duluthian the temperatures were quite balmy - low 50's at the start and not much wind. This was probably the largest race I have run in since the three years I ran the Garry Bjorklund Half marathon (shudder - road races!). The start was so low key I pretty much missed it and clued in when people started moving.

I ran with Wayne (see link above) for the first loop which was helpful in understanding where the course was going. I had puzzled out that it was a bit of a figure eight, with some extra loops stuck on, by looking at course maps and listening to explanations. My plan was to run conservatively during the first loop - trying to remember landmarks - and then decide what to do for the second loop based on how I was feeling.

While I heard some of the Twin City runners describe this as a hilly course I found it to be more rolling than steep - with the exception of running down the ski hill. That was fun! I have made it a personal goal in the last couple of years to learn to run downhills better. I think I did okay with this on Saturday (and have not had to pay too high of a price since then).

The first loop went by pretty quickly and then next thing I knew we were approaching the finish area where I could see my sister and another friend waiting. Jenny had her camera ready and caught some nice shots (that is Wayne in the black shirt, me in the blue):


Hollered at my friend Jim to cheer for me as I ran by(resulting in others joining in and his meeting my sister - they had arrived at different times so hadn't been introduced). Came through the first loop in 1:15 to 1:16 - right where Rick had predicted I would be.

Some time after passing through the parking area Wayne and I parted and I headed off alone. Met up with friends running the 50K and ran with them for a short while and saw some other Duluthians down for the race. At this point my feet were starting to hurt and I was rethinking my decision to run in the old Saucony's. The cushioning is shot, which would have been okay for a softer course (ie: typical Trail Mix) but was hard on me with the dry conditions. I was also having some pain up near my left big toe - knew that meant a blister - but was not overly worried as it wasn't too bad.

As the morning progressed the wind picked up and by the time I hit the ski hill for the second time it was strong enough I was not very worried about falling forward on the descent. The wind was blowing straight up the hill, allowing me to lean into it for support on the way down (yes, I was that kid that was blown backwards and off her feet in elementary school by a strong gust of wind).

The second time around I had a better sense of where I was so was able to think about things like "When is the next aid station and port-a-potty?" Trouble was there was a line and I was unwilling to stop, thereby losing time. Kept figuring on stopping at the next one if I needed to, but then again, didn't want to take the time and then the next thing I knew there was only about 5K left and, well, why stop now?!?

Somewhere in the last 5 miles I decided I would no longer check my heart rate monitor and just run at what felt like a good pace. I did need to remind myself not to pick it up too soon as I did want to finish running. The nice thing about this race being a loop course is that you know what to expect at the finish line. And like many trail runs, it is uphill(though hard to see that in the following photos).

Heading into the finishing chute:


My sister did a great job of getting some action shots and was able to capture both me and my time in this one:

Yup - even splits! I was pretty happy about that, and with my time overall. It was 31 minutes faster than my only other 25K (Superior 25K last May - much hillier course and on single-track).

After walking back along the race course a bit and cheering on other runners I knew it was time to watch for friends Rick and Shelly running the 50K. This was Shelly's first 50K and she looked pretty good coming through the finish area. I jogged along with them a bit until we reached their drop area, visited and then wished them luck.

It was time to get my shoes off at this point and see what was going on (and let them breathe). Removed my right shoe and sock - not too bad. Removed my left shoe and sock and found this:


Surprisingly it didn't hurt all that much (but was good for grossing out friends and family ;->). Will need to figure out what exactly is the problem with my left shoe before Superior - or just cover the area with blister pads and hope for the best. Needless to say, no shoes were going back on that foot for awhile.

The other problem I had was extreme swelling of my hands and fingers. Not sure why this happens - diversion of blood from my arms? Over-hydration? Dehydration? Electrolyte imbalance? Not sure - but my hands also swell a lot when it is hot, so it is not limited to exercise. Knowing this I keep my watch band loose at the start of a long run and try to shake my hands and arms out occasionally in hopes of decreasing the swelling. It took a long time for the swelling to subside and by then I was so chilled that the Raynauds kicked in and I had fat, colorless hands. Yippee! By the time we headed out I was wearing three long sleeve layers on top (including a fleece coat) and fleece pants - on a 60 degree day. Getting into my car, with the heat on and solar gain was the only way I warmed up and got circulation back into my hands.

I really enjoyed running this race. Thanks to O.C. Williams, the Race Director, and all the volunteers for your efforts!

This and That

Off to the Twin Cities this weekend to run the Trail Mix 25K. Will leave after work and a meeting tomorrow, stay at my sisters and head over to Hyland Park to see what kind of shape I am really in.

In the past week this is what I have been up to:



Removing straw (a bales worth) off of my garlic bed.

My garlic growing mentor stated it was safe to take the straw off last weekend. It was a two day process. A bale is a lot of straw and that handrail is between waist and shoulder height on me. So, every forkful of straw (which was pretty wet= heavy) had to be lifted over the railing. Then the cart had to be hauled either up - or down - our steep hill to dispose of the straw. After a barely averted disaster in the woods below my house (even steeper slope than my yard) I opted to haul the straw up to the backyard and dump it next to the compost bin. Slightly shorter journey, but meant I had to fork the straw out of the cart too. Took about 5 cartloads to clear the bed completely.

I know you can't see the garlic sprouts, but there were at least 35 garlic plants with pale shoots showing, some as tall as 5 inches once they unfolded. A week later, they are turning an interesting color - mix of yellow tips, reddish coloration and a bit of green showing at the bottom. Even more sprouts are showing up too. I am excited to see how much garlic we get! Some will get saved for replanting (biggest bulbs).

During my breaks from hauling straw I wandered around the yard checking on the other perennials. No sign of the hops yet, but once they start growing they seem to shoot up a foot a day. Rhubarb is poking it's head out of the soil and I am contemplating putting more in. We never have enough for freezing despite the three or four clumps we have (over-harvesting?). Daffodils are coming up as are the autumn crocuses (no flowers until September)and the star of bethlehem. Chives are up (they share space with the hops). Looks like it could be a good plum year - tree seems to be full of buds - lets hope for flowers and not just leaves. Last year was an off year, so hoping that we have a bumper crop this year. I have 100 strawberry plants on order with the intent to plant at least half of them. Rest will go to friends. Our strawberry bed had pretty much died off so it was time to replant. This time will try to plant in rows to make harvesting a bit easier, though we will not reap the benefits until next year (need to pinch the flowers the first year). May need to expand the strawberry bed. We also have a lot of seedlings coming our way and will need to expand the garden plots to accommodate the plants.

Thursday's are run to work days. I have adjusted my route a bit to include a run down Lincoln Parkway. This includes passing under the 10th St. Bridge. This has been the sight of some serious ice as the sun does not reach under the bridge very well. I took this photo last Sunday:

The ice was still there today - though less extensive. Fortunately it was covered with some sand so the footing was better than last week. I tried to remember that today's run was to be "easy". Think I did okay with it. Started out with temperatures in the low 40's, sun shining and no wind to speak of. Immediately stuffed my hat and mittens into my pack - too warm before I had left the house! Found myself grinning as I ran because it was such a beautiful day!

Tuesday I also ran to work taking a slightly longer route. From my house I climbed up to Skyline and headed west, descending on a steep and windy road with minimal shoulders. Fun times as I headed down past work trucks with trailers grinding their way up the hill. Only got scary near the bottom where the road got quite steep and was covered with gravel and then taconite pellets from the trains that pass across the road. Opted to run on the very slanted soft shoulder vs risking a fall on the gravel and into traffic. Should be ready for the ski hill Saturday!

This week has been a taper (after the aborted long run last Saturday). My original plan was to run the Trail Mix as a "supported" training run, not as a race. Now I am leaning more towards seeing what I can do at this distance on this course ;->

I have not been back to this part of the Twin Cities since I was about 15 or 16 years old and lived very near this park. I am sure it has changed a lot in the past 25+ years.

OKC: Working on the lace scarf again. Set aside the socks as I need to knit the heel now which takes as much concentration as lace. Not sure which project will be packed for this weekend, though the scarf does have a deadline...

Next post: race report

Why I bailed on my long run...

Today's plan - run 14. Carefully figured out a route that would allow me to run with the Proctor group and get in the additional 9 miles and had a ride arranged so I could run home. The morning did not start well. Part of my plan involved getting out to the meeting point early enough to get 3 in before the rest of the group showed up. A late night and slow morning conspired to make that unworkable. No problem, can tack on 3 later in the run or.... acknowledge that I am participating in a race next Saturday and call 11 miles "good enough". Headed out nice and easy (goal was to actually run a LSD run) and within a quarter mile stopped to adjust my sock. Within a mile of that I stopped to adjust my shoe (left foot only). Finished the 5 mile loop knowing I had progressed from a hot spot to a blister to open skin. Ouch! Brought back memories of last spring when I battled blisters on one heel from my running shoes. Why now if all has been fine the past 8 months?

New shoes (I can hear the gasps already). Yesterday I had the time to get new running shoes and today - seeing as they were the same model I have been running in for years (and my current pair were desperately in need of retirement) - I decide to wear the new pair for the run. Didn't work out so well. Like I said, had a pair that did the same thing last year. The whole time I ran in them I had to pad my heel. Not sure what is up as the next pair (my current shoes) are just fine. Aggravating as all heck. Can't trade them in as they do not have another pair in my size. Consensus at the running store was to get a pair of pliers and soften 'em up in the back. the left shoe is noticeably firmer at the achilles notch then the right.

So - no long run today. But a good reason to break out the Chacos and initiate sandal wearing for the year!

Purchased (for the first time ever) two pair of running shoes yesterday. In addition to the evil heel eaters (other wise known as Saucony Grid Stabil 6 wide) I picked up a pair of Montrail Hardrock '08's. My first pair of trail shoes! I hear these are as close to stability shoes/motion control shoes as one gets in the trail running world. (I can hear a lot of talk of how you don't need that on trails but let me remind you I use orthotics in the Stabil's ;-> ).

Thought I would give these a try and see if I can wean myself into less motion control. Last spring and summer I ditched the orthotics (they are 3/4 length and slide around when wet) for trail running and did well until the week after the Half Voyageur when I ran 13 on the SHT from Silver Bay to Mt. Trudee and back. Too much, too soon and paid the price for most of the summer and fall with a crabby IT band and lots of pain.

If I can fix the heel problem it will be nice to have shoes to alternate. So far, no trail running yet. The snow and ice are just clearing from the trail and we are entering a time when the trails are quite fragile. The frost is a long way from being out of the ground and a lot of damage can be done by hitting the trails too soon. Trail Mix may be the first trail running I do this year. Hopefully I will be able to get back to running the SHT soon though as that is the only way to really be ready for the Superior 25k and, in July, Half Voyageur. Plus - trails are so much kinder to my joints and better for my soul than the roads.

OKC: The lace scarf is languishing in favor of the socks - which aren't making lightening progress either.

Other stuff: Reservations are made for the Isle Royale. I am excited to be out there in the spring and see what is blooming. Will have to carefully consider which field guides to bring along. I have a great guide to Spring Wildflowers in Minnesota, but it may not be of much help on the island ;-> May have to dig out the handheld magnifier... There is a weight limit for the ferry, 40 lbs per person, so will need to be careful about what I pack. The new tent is 5 lbs lighter than my old one so that should help ;->

Once done here I am heading out to peel the straw off our garlic bed and see how they are doing. This is our first attempt at growing garlic and I am excited to see what happens. 18 square feet ought to be enough don't you think?

It will be hard to come back indoors and focus on house work but I need to make some attempt at it. Since our friends accident we have not attended to the house much and it shows. Since I don't have the excuse of being tired from my run I think I have to actually do something about the house.

Enjoy the sunshine and warming temps!

What is that bright orb in the sky???

Finally the sun has come out in northern Minnesota! Temperatures reached the low (very low) 40's at the Wildknit's homestead. A benefit of being perched on the hillside with a southeast facing slope (offsets having to haul all the groceries, etc up 36 steps).

It has been quite grey and somewhat snowy around here. Tuesday I wussed out - just could not face running in heavy wet snow and high winds. I know - managed all winter, but... well, I just couldn't face it. Wednesday I was out for a 6 mile run with the usual group - and as always - with a wicked headwind on the way back.

I run with folks who are faster than me, much faster. They are kind enough to keep things at my pace, which over the winter has improved greatly. I owe them all, especially one person who even runs with me on long runs, for my increased speed this year. Wednesday they took off and I finished the run on my own (which is okay with me, sometimes I just need the folks at the start to get me going, then am happy to putter along on my own). As I said the headwind was strong and I am not much for running into the wind. I set myself the goal of keeping them within "a block", then it became "two blocks" and then... well, I was happy to be able to see them around corners ;-> The run ended up being the fastest of the year for me - with even splits. I don't often push myself really hard, but I decided to see if I could hang on to the pace for the whole run.

Thursday (which is for running to work, you know) I decided to try and take it easy. The road conditions made that a good idea. Just enough melting and freezing occurred over night to make some sections of road a skating rink. Of course, this was all on the steep sections and the ice covered the whole width of the road - which was slanted towards the creek and a ravine ;-> Wish I would think to bring my camera (really, it is more about getting going sooner so I would have time to stop and take photos) as the first mile of my route takes me along Miller Creek which runs through Lincoln Park and some pretty fantastic canyons. The ice formations and high water are pretty cool right now. Made a point of checking my heart rate frequently during the run, aiming to keep it below 160. Did pretty well (avg 152, peak 167). For what is essentially a downhill run, there are some pretty significant uphills on my route, which explains the peak HR.

Saturday I joined friends for the 5 miler. This time I had agreed to run a nice easy 5 with a friend. Felt easy to me, but apparently it was nice as easy as it was supposed to be. Saturday was also the first day we had blue skies and sun in far too long. It was nice to just stand there and soak up the rays after the run. Spent the rest of the day puttering around, running a few errands (new sock yarn found it's way home with me, not sure how THAT happened!) and paying a visit to a friend in the hospital.

Sunday has turned into my long run day for the past couple of weeks. Today the wind was gusting up to 13+ out of the north. After having my running plans change mid-morning I ended up plotting a route that had me dropped off up the shore a bit and running into town and then down Park Point to Sky Harbor Airport. Essentially I ran part of the Grandma's route, then onto the Lakewalk and across the Lift Bridge onto the point (thankfully no ships were going out so I did not have to wait for the bridge). Why end at an airport? Well... Mr. Wildknits had some work to do down there so I could get a ride home (and miss out on a wicked last mile if I was to run home - from about 650' to 1200' or so). Bonus - it was nice and sunny still and the hangers blocked the wind off the lake so I could sit and stretch in the sun, out of the wind. Took advantage of another opportunity to expose some more skin and generate some Vitamin D.

Got in a nice 3 mile walk afterwards. Resurrecting a tradition from last year. Find it helps with post-long run stiffness. Still battling blisters on my left foot so it was hard to put shoes back on. Will be nice when I can switch to sandals after a long run (maybe by Trail Mix?).

Again, my goal today was to run nice and easy, keeping the heart rate below 160. Did pretty well overall with an average of 159 and a peak of 180 (decided to sprint the last .10 of a mile). This was a very flat route - by Duluth standards. Not my favorite kind of run, but a nice change from the usual and hopefully easier to keep the pace - and heart rate - under control.

OKC: lace scarf is progressing nicely and a new pair of socks have been cast on (needed something simple for when lace is too complicated).

Long Run

Today I was scheduled to run 14. Based on last weeks run I figured it would take 2.5 hrs. Last week's run was pretty flat, this week would be on the hills of Duluth.

Total time: 2:05:18 I am very pleased! Ran the first six alone, then met a friend for the last eight. The route included: uphill from my house to Skyline (first mile), then some more hills on Skyline to Observation Rd to Arlington (and even more uphill running, this time into the wind), then onto Orange St (where there is the coolest 40 ft tall ice structure, naturally occurring due to an artesian spring - I will try to get pictures soon), then worked my way back to Skyline and the meeting place. Headed west from there for another 4 miles before turning around and heading back. Finished with a nice two block descent where I got to practice my downhill running.

Skyline is a great place to run. Built on an ancient beach (Glacial Lake Duluth) it is relatively flat. Relative being the key word. There are some decent hills mixed in. My friend loves to charge hills, me... lets just say hill climbing is not my strength. He would charge the hills, I would putter my way up, eventually catching up and continuing the interrupted conversation.

Lots to see on the run: snowshoe hares, other runners, walkers, bicyclists, three deer crossing just in front of us (if a fourth or fifth had appeared there may have been a news story about runners hit by deer), and kids hanging out at the overlooks.

The weather was great for a long run: low 40's at my house, sunny, the breeze was not too annoying - well except on that one long uphill where I was running directly into it ;->

I am not a huge fan of running in warm weather - why would I be, I live in northern Minnesota. Though, having said that, am looking forward to running in a few less layers and not having my hands swell due to cold (in the summer it is due to heat, so guess I will just get used to swollen hands).

Other stats from today's run:
Average heart rate: 161
Peak heart rate: 174
Minimum heart rate: 93 (turned my watch on after descending stairs from my house)

My goal is to stay in the 142-162 heart rate zone. How did I do? 52.22 minutes in zone. Apparently I am really bad at staying in the target zone ;-> Maybe it is all the hills?

Overall the run felt great, though it was getting tough near the end to keep tackling the hills. But no walking today and only two stops: fix an overly tight shoe (couldn't feel my toes) and the obligatory bathroom stop (always happens in the first few miles when I am wearing a pack - why I choose wooded routes).

Blister on my left foot is no worse, so I am reserving judgement about the blue pads in my shoes. Hard to judge since I had a blister there to begin with. Feet were not as sore, so that is a positive.

Got home to the family cooking dinner: Thai Fish Cakes (made with Lake Superior Herring) and Split Pea Fritters, washed down with an Enlightened Black Ale. Yum!

Ended the evening visiting with my daughter and her boyfriend. Great way to spend a Sunday!

Committed

Well, after much thought and some arm twisting I filled out the entry form, wrote the check and applied a stamp to the envelope. Just need to get to a post office now.

Spent some time during my teen years living near the park where the race is located. Can't say they were the best years of my life, but I do remember that the parks' trails were a place of solace during some trying times.

Today I added in another run (not on the plan): 5 miles. My intent was to go out and just run with the usual Saturday morning group. Have missed these runs since the beginning of 2009 for a variety of reasons (meetings, our of town travel, long runs) and wanted to connect with the folks I only see at these runs. Was planning on taking it easy...

Ended up running the 5 miles (4.88 to be exact) in 41:59. I know - not blinding fast for many, but I think that is a PR for this year, and possibly last year as well. The route has a few big hills that had me wheezing a bit, but overall was able to maintain some semblance of conversation. There is much to be said for running with faster runners!

Some sights from my walk to work on Friday:

Miller Creek/Lincoln Park from the 10th St Bridge

Managed to commute to work by foot 3 days out of 5 (if you don't count driving to Job A on Tuesday so that my daughter could pickup the car ;->).

Other distractions:


REI Quarter Dome T3.

They say this is a three person tent.... yeah, right. I chose to see it as a two person tent with room to move. Set it up in the living room today to see how it went together. Had heard you need to practice with this one. Set up was pretty straight forward, though cramped. As you can see, we live in a small house (some would call it tiny) and there was just enough room to creep around the edges of the tent to get the fly secured. No way I was going to be able to get inside - doors were up against the couch on one side and the piano on the other. Will need to await nicer weather - and a dry yard - before I set it up outside.

This is the first tent I have owned with all mesh walls. Should be interesting in wet weather! In the second photo you can see the ventilation system on the fly. Utilizes a stiffened piece of velcro to prop a section of the fly up. No way to shut it from inside the tent, so could be an issue if a storm blows in. Couldn't mess with the vestibules (no room) so no idea how big they really are.

May will be the first outing for this tent (I think) when I head to Isle Royale for 5 days of wildflower peeping and backpacking. Nice reward for after the Superior 25K. Tried to head out there right from the race, but the ferry schedule didn't work out, so will head out a few days later.

Progress:


Hard to get good shots of unblocked lace. Trust me, it will look better once blocked. "Vine Lace Scarf" - Barbara Walker lace pattern, scarf design, mine. Have a bit over 18 inches of scarf done so far. Not sure what length I am going for... certainly won't have to worry about running out of yarn! I have only used one skein so far and have 6 or 7 more. The yarn is of unknown vintage - Bernat Dainty Fleurette "95% virgin wool, 5% nylon for strength" 1 oz = 160 yrds. It has an interesting texture, kind of nubbly. Doesn't feel like wool. This scarf is destined for a silent auction in a little over a month.

Picked this yarn up years ago through a friend who knew someone who was destashing. I got a lot of yarn (including a basketball sized ball of raw silk) for $25. As you can see, I am still knitting from that stash. My efforts at working through my stash and/or giving away yarn I will not be using vs buying more yarn is going... well, okay. I am having an urge to buy sock yarn right now (despite the 3 gallon bag of leftover skeins). Something about knitting socks and hats is so soothing. But, am also trying to stay faithful to my current project so am avoiding the side of town where the yarn store is located.

Tomorrow I have a 14 mile run planned. Will be joined by a friend at 6 miles. Long runs are a good time to catch up and this friend and I don't see much of each other any longer. He is also a faster runner, so it could be an interesting run! I have been pretty content with my pace on my long runs of late - averaging around 9:00 to 9:30 pace.

Will be trying out a new product in an attempt to prevent the blisters that have been plaguing me of late. They are blue pads (can't remember the products name)that affix to the inside of the shoe. For the past several years I have been getting blisters on the medial side of my forefoot. Really annoying, and painful when they develop under a callus - which I always have due to the blisters. Occasionally I perform some surgery and trim back the calluses, but they will continue to return as long as the cause remains.

Tomorrow there is a promise of sunshine and temps in the low to mid 30's. Sun will be nice after a week of grey skies, rain and snow. Looking forward to some warmer temperatures, though first we have the threat of a winter storm to get through.

So this is spring?

Pictures from Tuesday morning, standing on my front porch and looking south. If you embiggen them you may be able to see the 1/4 inch of ice encasing the branches. My front porch is about 10-12 feet above the yard, with 12 steps leading down to the sloped sidewalk and then another 24 steps to the road (again, who needs a stairmaster?). The hand rail was coated with ice, the steps were coated with ice.... made it to the yard only to go sliding down the sidewalk towards the long flight of concrete steps. All of this to get to the car and head to work (Job A for the day).

Ditched the car at work (daughter needed it) and commuted by foot to Job B. Roads were pretty good overall and I had the wind at my back (a blessing as it was quite strong and off the Lake). Nice break from the last two days of running which have involved a lot of running into the wind. Sigh...

Even my long run last weekend in the Cities involved wind - though much warmer temperatures! Saturday it was so warm I thought I might have to pick-up a pair of shorts for my run Sunday morning. No worries, temps were in the low 40's and the clothing I had brought along was appropriate. It was busy on the trails Sunday morning - more than I had expected (can you tell I come from a relatively small city?). Ended up running just over 13 miles in good company. Thanks Jim! Nothing like conversation to keep your mind off the blisters and the pain of running flat for so many miles ;-> Even the "flat" routes in Duluth are hilly in comparison and I was reminded how much I dislike running long on a flat course.

I have managed a few inches of knitting on the lace scarf. May even get it done and blocked in time for the silent auction. One of these days I will get some photos taken and uploaded, really I will ;->

Another project I have to get going on is a poster of local wildflowers for this springs Superior 25k/50k. Last years display of flowers was pretty spectacular and I was asked if I was willing to create a display to help other (interested) runners identify what they were seeing. The other night I sifted through my digital photos looking for spring beauty, dutchman's breeches and other spring wildflowers. Looking at the pictures reminded me of all of my hikes on the SHT with Porter. He didn't always appreciate all the photography stops - liked to keep moving more than sit around and wait for me to get just the right shot.

Still have to plan my workshop on trail running for the SHTA Annual Meeting, too. So far I have gotten a few good quotes and am always looking for more! Need to at least get an outline down and then will worry about fleshing it out later. I will be volunteering at an aid station at this years Chippewa 50K... might be a perfect opportunity to gather inspiration and information for the workshop?

Am one step closer to signing up for Trail Mix - printed out the race entry form. Leaning towards doing it, but.... any advice?

Loooooooong week

Realized it has been over a week since I posted - and what a week! Saturday headed out in the sunshine and warm temps for my long run (10 miles, step back week). Had packed my cell phone along with water and a snack. Why the phone? Mr. Wildknits was at a fly-in up north and I figured he would be checking in while I was out on my run.

He did... and it was sad and somewhat scary news. A friend had been in an airplane crash. As I ran all I could do was send thoughts (prayers) towards our friend, hoping he would be okay. Finished the run, changed and headed to the hospital to be there until more family could arrive.

It has been a hard to describe week. It is difficult to focus on every day life when faced with concern about a good friend.

Though I have spent a lot of time in hospital waiting rooms this past week I have not found it to be productive knitting time.

Have persisted in running my usual schedule as it is one way to work through the emotions generated by this incident (moving meditation/prayer).

Last time I posted it was -12 F on my morning run. This past Tuesday it was close to 50 degrees! Wednesday a bit cooler and with the obligatory wind (in my face both ways). Thursday still colder with a brisk east wind (off the Lake). Friday is my day off from running and instead I walked a fair amount, into a damp wind and snow. From home to work B and then from there to the hospital for a visit. Roads were pretty icy and I think I was moving faster than most of the cars ;->

Today I am in the Twin Cities for a visit to REI, amongst other things. Had a 20% off coupon and dividend burning a hole in my pocket. We've been looking for a lighter tent for backpacking trips and I decided I would take advantage of the coupon to lessen the financial blow. Since REI is a bit like a candy store it can be hard to get out of there without buying more than originally intended. Did okay today - picked up only one unplanned item - bottle brush for my Sigg (and camelback bladder).

Tomorrow will head to Lakes Harriet and Calhoun with a friend for a 12 mile run, then to the American Swedish Institute to catch the Bohus exhibit.

Have been contemplating heading down for Trail Mix this year - using it as a long run prior to the Superior 25K. I race fairly infrequently, but have had a few folks mention this race to me as a fun one. We shall see....


Happy 18 to my daughter Sarah!!!(proof that you can fit 18 candles on a cupcake)

Almost the middle of March and subzero weather

So - this week has seen the winter storm that wasn't and a return to subzero weather. Typical March in northern Minnesota.

Sunday was an hour and a half of soccer. Legs were pretty tired at first from Saturday's long run, but quickly warmed up with all the sprinting back and forth across the gym. No major injuries, though kept rolling my ankles (despite taping the right one) and chose to sit for a bit in hopes of not really hurting myself. Ended the game with a mild bloody nose from a chance meeting with another players shoulder - at least it wasn't a ball to the face this week!

Monday was a well-deserved day off, though I was tempted to get out and run after seeing the weather forecast for Tuesday. Supposed to get 10 to 15 inches of snow and howling winds off of the Lake. Opted out as my shins hurt - not only when they are touched but also while running (some times).

Tuesday I wasn't able to run from job to job. Had a board meeting in the evening, so only working one job. Wasn't even sure about driving to work as it can be difficult getting my car back up the hill when the roads are bad, but got up too late to run. Board meeting was canceled (due to the storm) and I was "free" after work. Roads weren't too bad and it was still light out. Hey, I could get a run in! Got home and headed out into the storm. Hardly any cars on the road due to the weather so I was able to enjoy the run without too many worries about vehicles sliding into me. Threw a headlamp into my pocket (where it stayed) as I was not sure what time it got dark. Ran 45 minutes through a few inches of fresh snow, with more falling all the time. Wind wasn't too bad, temperature a balmy 30 degrees. Perfect!

Wednesday was another story. Winds had picked up overnight and were pretty strong out of the northwest. Funny, but during the run they seemed more west to south west. Nothing like 2.5 miles into a headwind (out and back course). Shins were pretty sore intermittently during the run so was rethinking Thursday's run due to the rapid descent at the start. Ended up deciding to run as: 1) no other way to get the miles in and 2) daughter needed the car.

Thursday I woke up to -12 degrees. Quick peek outside and check of the weather showed calm winds, so not too bad of a day to run to work. Slammed down my two cups of coffee, bundled up, strapped on the pack (this week including two books of poetry by Bill Holm for a co-worker), and headed out the door. For some reason it felt really cold and it took almost a mile before my fingers were completely warm. Of course, by then the frost was accumulating around the opening of my balaclava and on my eyelashes. Shins felt okay (lots of icing the night before) and traction on the roads was pretty good. I only hit one spot where the footing was slippery. I have a four block section of downhill (no way around it, roads dead end into a field) on this route. The grader had just finished on this street and it was slick! Caught me by surprise and I am sure I looked funny as I ran down this street taking tiny little steps. Found that if I ran in the soft stuff on the side I was fine, but couldn't step out where the grader had been or I would slip. The grader and I met at a corner at the top of the hill and then he turned around and headed down past me. Roads in this part of Duluth are not very wide.... one way to get the heart rate up! Shins felt okay during the run but will take tomorrow off before the long run Saturday and last soccer game Sunday.

OKC:


Zander's Hat

Turn a Square pattern by Jared Flood adapted to fingering weight wool. Hard to see the stripes, but they are there. Two different colors of variegated yarn (left overs from all the sock knitting). I really like the look of the shaping on this one - will post a picture when it is finished.

Scarf for the silent auction is waiting for me to get back to it - birthday in a few days trumps annual meeting in two months ;->

Commuting via running

This has been a good week for running. Got in all of my planned runs and managed to leave my car at home (really in my daughters' hands) for two of them.

Monday: 0 miles (day off - recover from soccer)
Tuesday: 3.7 miles from job #1 to job #2, may make this a weekly ritual
Wednesday: 6 miles
Thursday: 2.7 miles (usual run to work - this time on a gorgeous sunny morning with no ice on the roads)
Friday: 0
Saturday: 11.2 (commute to a board development/nominations committee meeting)
Sunday: plan is soccer as usual

All of my commuting is done with a pack on my back with the bare minimum for the day. What's the bare minimum? Tuesday it was a winter coat (liner actually), datebook, phone, wallet, empty water bottle, change of undergarments (wore my running clothes to job #1, keep scrubs a work). Thursday the pack contains pretty much the same thing for the same reason. Today was a bit different. Left the date book home, added a change of clothes to the winter coat, filled the water bottle and tossed in some chopped up cliff bar for during the run, and a luna bar and a handful of fig newtons for afterwards, plus the paperwork I needed for the meeting.

When commuting I am using my REI Half Dome pack (size small). It is bright red, so hopefully I am more visible to the vehicles out there. Can carry a water reservoir if needed though that would have been overkill today. Would be overkill for long runs in general, except when you need a change of clothes. Cinches down pretty tight overall to minimize bouncy and is actually pretty comfortable to wear. Today's run is the longest I have ever done with it. Must be some overall benefit to running long with a pack, right?

Early in the run I was passed by two male runners also out for a long run. Quick hello and comment that I must be running long (yeah, with a meeting afterwards so need a change of clothes). I kept seeing them for almost half of my run - always a block or two ahead. Had to watch myself so that I didn't speed up in some vain attempt to catch up (never would have happened). Eventually they disappeared in the Woodland neighborhood.

The run was amazingly flat for Duluth. Hike and run up to Skyline from the house was one of the biggest hills, then gentle rollers throughout until I got out east where after a climb I headed downhill for the next mile or so. Transitioning from that to flat roads was a bit tough late in the run. then out to the expressway and a loop back onto London Rd and the site of my meeting.

Lake Superior was beautiful this morning. Sun glinting off of shards of ice and open water not too far off shore.

The wind was interesting today. Weather service claims it is out of the north over the hill and calm by the Lake. And I would have agreed with that through out most of the run, but heading back into town on London Rd meant running into a head wind the whole way - what the heck?! Figured when I turned back into town the wind would have been at my back and or quartering, not in my face. Oh well, resistance training.

At once point I glanced at my watch and thought - "shoot, I am late for the meeting!" then recalculated and realized that my watch was keeping track in hours, then minutes, not minutes and I had plenty of time (like I could have gone much faster at that point).

All in all a good run followed by a productive meeting.

OKC: working on a lace scarf for the Superior Hiking Trail Silent Auction. Need to cast on for a hat for my nephew who turns two in a week.

Speaking of the Superior Hiking Trail: I volunteered to offer a trail running workshop at this years annual meeting. Any tips??? I have an hour. Other than: "pick up your feet" - what else could I say??? I am thinking:"Let's go for a run". The meeting is held at Wolf Ridge ELC and there are plenty of trails there to run on (though will avoid the one with the nesting goshawk this year).

Socks for Ella

Here they are (note - for some reason the colors are a bit washed out - carpet is more a forest green, socks a darker blue):



Finished these up while catching up on the only podcast I follow: http://knitajourney.libsyn.com

Done by a local knitter who is married to a local biker: http://mnbicyclecommuter.blogspot.com. Covers a range of topics. Check it out. I am finding it a nice addition to a relaxed Sunday afternoon.

While listening to her speak about repetition and learning I thought about how many times I have knit socks and how, due to the repetition of this activity I carry a sock pattern around in my head. I no longer write a pattern down except to note number of stitches cast on, how long to make the ribbing (sometimes, usually if I am doing colorwork)and how many stitches to pick up on the heel flap - and this is only so they will 'match'. Really, all I need is a tracing of the person's foot (assuming they are not for me). Same thing goes for hats and mittens. This can pose a problem when a design has been successful and either I want to replicate it, or someone else would like the pattern. Although I have been known to write down the basics for someone on a scrap of paper ;-> Of course this is how knitting has been passed on for generations - person to person.

Another of her podcasts got me thinking about pulling out the lace curtains and finishing them up - perfect project for a quiet afternoon or evening of knitting. There are fewer distractions around the house now so fewer excuses for not working on this particular project. Still, I will need a portable project now that the socks are done. Any suggestions?

After talking with my running partner of yesterday we are settling on 9 miles for the total distance. I opted not to run today, will play soccer but spent some time looking up taping instructions and will most likely tape the ankle today. It doesn't exactly hurt, but I know it is there. Soccer is bound to put me in a situation where a roll is likely to happen, so will err on the side of caution. This weeks injury has me rethinking playing soccer at all this summer or fall. The potential for an injury that wrecks my training schedule - such as it is - is pretty high.

Off to purchase pre-wrap and tape and run around a gym for an hour and a half.

Long run+recent snowfall+snowmobile trail =

Tired runner. Plan called for 10 miles. Agreed to meet a friend at a local snowmobile trail (middle of her 19 miles for the day) and test the trail out, knowing at the most we would do 1.5 miles before having the option to bail out and hit the roads if conditions were too soft.

Temperature when I got up: -4F. When I left home it was 2F. Not too bad, though the wind was a bit brisk. Good news was that it would be at our backs on the way home ;-> At least the sun was shining! The trail had been well traveled and seemed pretty firm so off we went. This trail is hilly and runs along a powerline... brings to mind a certain section of the Voyageur trail, though none of the hills are that steep, but a few are longer.

All went pretty well, no ankle rolls, sun was nice, and footing was pretty good. Hills were a challenge, but I am okay with a little power walking if that is what it takes. We passed one area where the groomer had gone by; the snow was very smooth and I was expecting it to be firmer... it was not! Plus you never knew what was underneath - inch of soft snow or three. Soon passed out of that area and headed on west, grateful for the firmer footing of the ungroomed trail.

Well... lets just say the groomer was very active that day. After the turn around point, we ran into him again. Soft snow for a mile or so. Got to an area he had not been to yet - yeah, firmer footing! When what do we hear? Yup, groomer coming up from behind (while we were heading up a hill!). So, finished the run on soft snow. Resistance training anyone?

So much for for any attempt at low heart rate training! I was pushing up against my max heart rate more than once and had to walk more hills on the way back then I would have liked.

Stats for the run:
Mileage: 8.4 - 10 miles (not sure of total distance at this point - felt pretty long by the end)
Time: 1:43:58 (49 mins at the turn around)
Avg. heart rate: 162
Peak heart rate: 176 (think this was accurate as I peeked at my watch whenever I had to walk)
Min. heart rate: 89
In zone: 1:12 ( H.R.: 162-183)

So, do I go out and try and make up the missing mileage or do I factor in the effort of running so many miles in soft snow?

This week in running - and sad news

First the sad news: a Minnesota author - poet and essayist - has passed away. A great loss. Bill Holm was from Minneota, Minnesota - son of Icelandic immigrants. Big guy, loud, in your face at times (had me sitting back in my seat at a reading years ago), opinionated, funny... We in the wildknits household are big fans. Own most of his books - loaned out and have had to buy a couple more than once. Coming Home Crazy... about his time teaching in China was my introduction to his writing. Moved on from that to Boxelder Bug Variations, The Dead Get By With Everything and then more collections of essays. Had to search for his latest book The Windows of Brimnes at Christmas.

Went to every reading we knew of in the Duluth area. Even brought the kids to one... not sure they were impressed at the time. I am sure they wondered why we dragged them to see some giant read and play piano ;-> Planting a seed....

Found out about his death yesterday at work. Got home, dragged out two books of poetry and sat and read in his honor. Reading about boxelder bugs brought back memories of these insects from growing up in the Twin Cities (I have never seen them in Duluth - and we had boxelders in the yard). Today I went to the library and checked out a couple more of his books that we do not own. Only seems right to spend some time reading his work and sharing it with friends.

On to other news:

In the last post I stated I planned on playing 1.5 hours of soccer on Sunday - and I did. Rolled my ankle in the last 10 - 15 minutes, hard. Hopped around for a bit, then back to the game. Didn't feel too bad, no pain but uncomfortable enough that I grabbed an ice pack before heading out the door for home. Iced it at home too. Woke up to a swollen ankle! Now, my right ankle is a bit of a mess to begin with and I roll it on a regular basis - with no pain or swelling in most cases. Needless to say I was a bit surprised by the swelling. What to do. Still no pain unless I really poked at the ankle, but nothing I would describe as excruciating. No pain when walking. Doesn't really fit the guidelines for sprains. Lucky me I work with doctors so asked about treatment. Confirmed what I was doing: RICE. Lucky for me it was a slow patient day, heavy on the phone calls, so could keep my foot up and iced most of the time. Tuesday: still swollen. Opted to not run and give it another day.

Wednesday I ran 5.2 with no pain, then when I got home iced the ankle. Thursday ran 2.7 (run to work day) on icy roads with a dusting of snow. And that may not have been a good thing. Because of the ice and the hill I ended up running on uneven snow in an attempt to not go skating down the sidewalk - rolled my ankle just a little. Ouch. But, again no real pain and ankle felt fine the rest of the way. Glad I had arranged for a ride home as Duluth got a bit of snow and it would have been a treacherous run home. Lots of accidents and difficult driving - no time to be a pedestrian.

Friday was a day off of running, but got in an hour walk (wussed out and hit the skywalk for that - it is cold out!). Tomorrows plan: 10 miles on snowmobile trails. It is time to get off the roads. Hoping the snowmobilers have been out packing the trail - the below zero temps will help the snow set up nice and firm making for good footing.

Getting to the point where I need to bring along food and water. Will be below zero in the morning, so I will get to see how long it takes to grow ice in the water bottle and freeze a cliff bar.

On the knitting front:

Continue to work on the socks for my niece. It is interesting working on something so small. Next up may be a pair for my nephew who will be two in a couple of weeks. Nothing like quick projects!

Take some time to go look up Bill Holm and do some reading (or listening).

Sunday Run

This week was a step back week - long run only needed to be 6 miles(ironically a distance I had already run earlier in the week). This has been complicated by a lack of healing of my right heel.

Saturday's plan was to go on a 4 mile hike (SHTA group hike in Knife River - love this section of trail) and then run later in the day. Well, less than half-way through the hike my heel was hurting. Found a nice sunny spot with no snow on the bank of the Knife River above a waterfall to sit down and take a look at my foot. Not good - a little bit of blood and a nice crack across the back of my heel. Got out the bandage and tape and set to work - wishing I had packed some bacitracin to moisten the skin.

Funny thing about river ice - either folks are scared of walking on it or they aren't. I used to fall into the former group but with more time spent outdoors exploring north shore streams am becoming more sure of the ice and willing to walk out onto a river. And it is worth it - especially if you can be out there on a sunny, quiet day. Stop moving and you can hear the water gurgling under your feet. Hang out near a waterfall and you can see things like this:


It was neat watching the water level in the hole ebb and flow.

Other interesting sights during yesterday's hike:


Notice the 'tracks' - we were theorizing nose prints, but from what????

Found along the trail:


As we came along the trail I thought - interesting fungus growth (no contacts or glasses yesterday) than as we got closer I realized what it was - a skull someone had perched on the branch. Skull of what??? Any theories? Button buck?

Can you tell I had fun with the new camera?

Anyway - about that not-so-long long run. By the time I got home yesterday afternoon I was not too fired up about running - my heel hurt and I was a little concerned about doing more damage and not being able to play soccer on Sunday. Decided I would run Sunday in between church and soccer. Then started thinking that maybe I should space the two out a bit more and decided I could run to church. Got on gmaps pedometer to figure out a route that would be 6 miles long (I live about 4 miles from church) and would not involve too much downhill running - or uphills for that matter. My shins have returned to their usual state of 'tender to the touch' that seems to be a result of too much pavement, complicated by the nature of running in Duluth when you live 3/4 of the way up the hill.

I am fortunate to live about 300 feet off of the Superior Hiking Trail and a few blocks below Skyline Boulevard. So, by heading up from my house I could reach the trail which would take me to Skyline and head east from there to church. Throw in an extra loop up towards the colleges and around Chester Park and by the time I hit the church parking lot I was at 6.08 miles. Perfect. The route included quite a few hills: a nice warm-up climb to the SHT; rolling hills along Skyline (I always joke it is uphill both ways on this road); a one mile gradual uphill about half way through; ending with a steep descent to the church.

Heel felt fine the whole way. My secret: Bandaid blister pad. Yes, same thing that took the skin off earlier this week - but just the ticket for keeping the skin moist and protecting the cracked area from rubbing. I plan on leaving this on for the near future and re-evaluating my heel when it comes off. Though that could change after soccer this afternoon.

Training for the past week:
Monday: 0 (3 mile walk)
Tuesday: 5 in 53.09
Wednesday: 6 in 58.14
Thursday: 0
Friday: 0
Saturday: 0 (4.2 mile hike)
Sunday: 6.08 in 56.47 plus 1.5 hrs of soccer (planned)

More days off from running than on, but all of the runs have felt pretty good and no major aches or pains. Goal is to keep it that way. From here on out mileage will be building. Would be nice to hit the trails again and do more running off of pavement, but the recent melt and freeze has made the trails treacherous - with lots of holes where people punched through on the warm days, now frozen and waiting to cause ankle turns (as happened during yesterdays hike leading to me hopping down the trail for a minute or two until the pain subsided).

On to knitting content:

Finished the half mitts in time to wear them on yesterday's hike - at least part of the time. Started a pair of socks which need to be finished within the next few weeks. Should be easy enough to accomplish even though they are a size 11. Why? Well, they are a child's 11. All of seven inches long! It has been many years since I have knit socks this small. They just fly off the needles.

For the birders out there: our feeder mostly attracts chickadees, red-breasted and white-breasted nuthatches and northern juncos. I thought nothing of this till I mentioned it to a local birder who was surprised I had juncos. Admittedly I did think it was odd I was still seeing them as I thought they did not stick around for the winter, but then, robins aren't supposed to stick around either and we see them from time to time. So, I have juncos at my feeder - think I will make it onto the birder hotline? This week we were visited by redpolls again. They are about the size of chickadees but rounder, with a speckled breast and a red spot on their foreheads. Very cute and I love having them visit the feeder. No owls this year (that I know of). We are still battling the squirrels and I am being reminded how destructive red squirrels are and that I shouldn't tolerate it's presence no matter how cute it is. I nod in agreement but probably will not be as vigorous in chasing it off.

Break

Ran 6 yesterday - not fast but I am blaming it on the north wind gusting 20+ mph and the previous days hilly 5 miles. Yup - it was a bit breezy out there on the Lakewalk last night. Best part: sun was shining and it did not get dark until near the end of the run. Sunset over the hill was fantastic; lake was beautiful - even saw a duck or two out there amongst the bits of ice.

I had bundled up as the temps were in the single digits with windchills in the subzero range and I have (well-documented in previous posts) issues with the cold. The whole time I was thinking I was overdressing, but didn't really care. Layers included: long running bra, Sporthill 3SP top, sugoi hoodie, fleece vest, wind jacket; Warm Skin lotion to face and hands, balaclava, hood from hoodie, wool hat, polypro gloves, thin wool/silk mittens, wool mittens; tights, Sporthill 3sp tights, wind pants; large bandages for heels, Darn Tough thick wool socks, shoes. Turns out I was not overdressed. Didn't remove the top layer of mittens until the turn around, unzipped a bit then also as the wind was kind of at my back. Kept waiting for the wind to be truly at my back and push me along the way it had slowed me down on the way out. Never felt like that happened.

Have to admit that I get tired of the wind, but keep telling myself it is resistance training ;->

Right heel felt pretty good until the last couple of miles when it would 'catch' occasionally and I had to resist the urge to change my stride to avoid causing pain. Walking uphill/upstairs was a bit uncomfortable later that evening.

Got home to a fired up sauna - nothing like 180+ degrees to get you right with the world. Great place to stretch too (and browse through a new knitting catalogue that had arrived ;-> )

So - break from what??? Running to work. Had gone to bed planning on getting up early enough to eat and run to work. Woke around 4 am with my heel hurting. By the time I got up and limped around the house a bit I decided that a run today would not be a good idea. My plans for the weekend include: Saturday - 4 mile hike on the SHTA; 6 mile run (step back week); Sunday - 1.5 hours of soccer. None of this was going to be pleasant if I did not allow my heel to heal. There is a small crack that goes through the layers of skin and I decided an extra rest day may be the only way I was going to make it through Sundays' soccer game. Bandaged up my foot with a little bacitracin and headed to work where I have 'modified' my Birkenstocks to be clogs for the time being.

Tonight Northland Runner (www.northlandrunner.com) was hosting movie night at Lake Superior College. They showed Prefontaine. My little heel injury is nothing to running with 10 stitches in your foot! They are hoping to make this a monthly event, rumor has it Chariots of Fire is next up. Keep an eye on the Northland Runner website for updates on movie night.

Took time during the movie to finish up the first half-mitt I started last weekend and cast-on and knit two inches of the second one. Organizers had the lights up just enough that I could even rip back a thumb and pick up stitches during the movie.

Remember those blisters I mentioned?

Well, covered them with blister pads before skiing on Sunday and thy gave me no real trouble. Weren't bugging me yesterday on my 3 mile walk. Right one a little tender this morning, but headed out for a 5 miler anyway. Could feel it a bit on the uphills (which there were plenty of) but no real pain. Got home, hiking up the 36 steps was a bit awkward, but not awful. Took off my shoes, socks and then the blister pads to find:


That ought to be fun for the rest of the day! Will need to figure out another means of padding this for the work day and the rest of this weeks running. Blister pad took off what skin was there, though the left foot still has intact skin.

Funny thing: I am the "foot care" nurse at work ;-> My feet would be a nightmare if I were diabetic! Blisters, calluses, dry skin.... Guess I should apply some of those skills I have learned and honed over the past few years to my own feet.

Weekend getaway

No running this past weekend - actually my last run was to work on Thursday morning - bit icy that one! Glad I took the time to put the screws back in my shoes.

Headed north to Grand Marais and snow for a weekend of cross-country skiing. They had received 5 inches+ of new snow and the skiing was fantastic! Stopped on our way up to ski the Sugarbush system off the Sawbill Trail. Got in 15k of nice diagonal on some hilly trails. Didn't look like anyone had been on the SHT in that area. Photos from that day:





Pretty sure a wolf was using the trail - what do you think? Sorry for the lack of reference object in the photo - but you could consider the ski track your reference. Tracks were almost as large as my hand - not that that is saying much ;-> (hand is 6" from base of palm to tip of longest finger). Look carefully - do you see nail prints??? That would be a distinguishing feature between canid and feline options.

Saturday was also the day I was reminded that skiing beyond a certain distance means blisters. Glad we skied with packs and I had the first aid kit with. Had to stop midway and patch up my heels. Nothing like stomping down a spot in the woods with your skis, then stepping off and sinking past your knees! Ended up 'perched' atop my crossed skis, with boots off trying to tape up the backs of my heels. Of course the hotspots were towards the lateral sides of my heels, hardest to see and reach easily.

Tape applied I climbed back out of the snow and onto my skis and took off. By now I had cooled off just a little bit, but overall felt warm. Unfortunately my glove/half mitt combo was wet and on the subsequent downhill I went from feeling okay to losing all circulation in my fingers. Not good - Raynauds is nothing to mess with out in the woods. Quick stop to switch out mittens (Mr. Wildknits kindly loaned me an extra set of his choppers as I could get to them with numb fingers quickly vs my extra pair buried in my pack). A vigorous ski soon reestablished circulation to my fingers and we finished out the day with all digits intact.

We spent Saturday through Monday at a friends place on Lake Superior just outside Grand Marais. The Lake was just outside the door - and so were the deer. Sunday morning we woke to a little herd browsing the lichen off the birch and the cedars and basically lounging around. View out the window:


Sunday we headed for the Deer Yard Trail. Located northwest of Cascade State Park - we had a fun time finding this trail as the directions we had did not match up with current road names. Great trail system - very woodsy, nice hills (though I once again proved I need to work on my snowplow turns as I "missed" a turn and headed right for a large birch - saved only by the deep snow which stopped me inches from the tree. I am nothing if not a source of a good laugh when skiing) and a beautiful lake that can be reached by a short side trail. We opted not to do the "advanced" loop after my little detour off trail.
View into the woods near the fateful curve

Trail system map:


Instead we headed to Pincushion Mountain and skied the Pincushion Mountain Loop (for a total of 17.9k). Of course, we couldn't drive near an airport without stopping in to see what was up (Mr. Wildknits being an airplane mechanic and pilot). Apparently I missed out on some really cool airplanes when I opted to wait in the truck while he headed into the shop ;->

View from Pincushion Mountain trailhead to Grand Marais Harbor:


Saved my best fall for last. As we were finishing up at Pincushion I managed to trip over my own poles on the flat ground and give myself a slight pull to a hip flexor. I'd like to blame it on the lack of tracks and sloped trail, but to be honest the more tired I am the klutzier I get on skis.

Headed into town to soothe the bruised ego with a beer and some tacos from Hughies Taco's. Then back to the apartment to settle down with a good book, truffles (left over from Valentines Day) and some arnica gel.

Home today to find my porch under attack from the neighborhood grey squirrels. They can't get up to the bird feeder but they can get into the galvanized garbage can we keep the seed in. We keep devising systems to keep them out, they keep outwitting us. Needless to say, we are not on friendly terms with the grey squirrels. But when this little guy shows up....



I stop everything and take pictures. What can I say - red squirrels are rare in my neighborhood, so therefor they are cute and tolerated. Besides, it is fun to watch him/her looking for intact seeds amongst the shoes and stuff on the porch.

Did have some knitting along, though no pictures to prove it. Worked on a pair of half mittens out of fingering weight wool. One (almost) done, one to go. Think I may wander back to sock knitting soon - have a request for socks for a 5 year old - should be pretty quick knitting after the latest ventures into knitting for people with really big feet.

Total training for the past week:
Monday - 0 (no surprise there)
Tuesday - 0 (sense a trend?)
Wednesday - 7.58 m (in 1:09, slow but steady)
Thursday - 2.7 m (icy, 26:10)
Friday: 0
Saturday: no run, skied 15k
Sunday: no run, skied 17.9k

Today I walked three miles. School is out this week so will only have one job to get to which means plenty of time to run tomorrow before I head in to work at 11:30 am. Tested the snowmobile trail today on my walk so think I will head there and run west, aiming for an hour run. The trail is very hilly; a good workout and a nice break from pavement.

Hartley Hat

Why is this hat named after a park and nature center in Duluth???

The original Hartley Hat was designed for a silent auction fundraiser back in the days when Hartley Nature Center staff (including me) worked out of the trunks of our cars, offering environmental education programs to school children throughout the Twin Ports area and up on the Iron Range. What was the fundraising for? Programing, equipment and a building. I stopped working for Hartley Nature Center about the same time the building became a reality - went back to school and changed careers ;->

Patterns include: Latvian Braid; Heart Crook, unnamed pattern of my own design for the crown, and i-cord knot to finish it off.

Pictures of the finished hat blocking:





Glass head from Pier 1. Not sure what it's real 'purpose' was, but it is great for blocking hats. Usually sits atop our piano decorated with a green cloth top hat and a tiara. Yeah, we are rather eclectic decorators. Tonight it will sit atop the heating vent in hopes that it will be dry by morning (really want to wear it on my run to work and show it off - did I mention I am in love with this hat?).

This week in running:

Not much to report.

Sunday: Soccer (1.5 hours) where I received a lovely bruise on the medial side of my right lower leg, from knee on down to mid-calf. Took me a while to figure out what caused it: hard blow to the shinguard from a soccer ball fired at me as I guarded the goal. Stopped the shot at least.
Monday: 0 - my day off after a weekend of running
Tuesday: 0 - skipped my run - it was another "ice day/rain day" and a bad day at work - opted for a pint of Beamish and the company of good friends instead.
Wednesday: 7.57 miles - usually do 5.2, but got sucked along into an out and back and out again by the promise of a ride back to my car and the guilt of skipping Tuesday's run. Could also work as my long run for this week if the anticipated ski weekend materializes, assuming all the snow hasn't been washed away.

On the knitting needles:

Nothing yet (hush, we do not mention the lace curtains in polite company!). Thinking about a pair of fingerless mittens in some fingering weight that surfaced the other day. Pattern idea, needles and yarn all packed away waiting for me to cast-on.

Planning on having a couple of friends over in a week and a half for a stash dive. Will open up the bins and 'free' myself of some yarn. The key will be to not go through it ahead of time and hold too much back. Though I am secretly hoping neither of them loves lace weight the way I do. A comment was made by Mr. Wildknits that I shouldn't free myself of so much yarn I have to go shopping. Good point. Will need to find a balance point there I guess.

"Ice Day"

Funny, it isn't even raining anymore...

All Duluth schools are closed (didn't know that as no longer have kids in school, though does explain why the commute to work was relatively child-free).

Opted to get a ride to work today, anticipating ice accumulation and an inability to get back home in the evening with my car (new tires are crap on snow and ice). About 10:00 am our clinic decided to close due to the weather! So, yeah, it was raining when I headed to work but that was all - no ice accumulation. Took us awhile to shut down as we needed to see the patients that were actually present and contact everyone scheduled for today (and tomorrow - just in case). Walked outside at noon: no rain, almost dry roads!!! Granted, it is a little icy up at my house (higher on the hillside) and I did have a patient report ice at his place over the hill; but enough to close down?!?!


A rant could be forthcoming about how wimpy we all are and how I do not remember closing down due to predicted bad weather when I was a kid, but what would be the point?

On the other hand... I have a LOT of work to do for the boards I am on, so will take this "free day" to get at that stuff during daylight hours (and maybe head out the door for a run - once I put the screw back in my shoes ;-> ; and/or fire up the sauna)

Drive safe if you are in the zone of icy weather!

Miscellanea

Not much going on around here, lots of work, lots of board work, some running, some knitting, little housework.

Weather has been variable in the Duluth area. Warm, then cold, then warm again. Personally, I would rather it stayed in the 20's and we got some snow, than the threat of "freezing drizzle"! Haven't cross-country skied since the last thaw (hate using 'peanut butter' on my skis). Hear the local trail is in good shape though, so may give it a try in the morning when it is cooler.

Runs this week:

Monday: 0
Tuesday: 0 (usually run, but between Job A and Job B have only an hour and due to other stressors opted to accomplish a few errands instead vs adding yet another one)
Wednesday: 5.2 miles (amazing sunset over the hills of Duluth)
Thursday: 2.7 miles (Run to work and first time I have used the nano during a run, turned down low)
Friday: 0
Saturday: 7.3 miles (nice, hilly run from home up to Skyline, out to Oneota and back)
Sunday: planned - 1.5 hours of soccer, possibly a ski in the morning.

All of my recent runs have been on pavement. Time of the year - hard to hit the trails right now with my schedule. Do manage to slip in a short section of trail on my way to work on thursdays. This week I really did slip on that section of trail! Had taken the screws out of my shoes as the roads were pretty clear, but with the melt/freeze cycle... lets just say the trails are a bit slick!

The last few long runs have been from my house, heading west on Skyline Boulevard. Leaving my house I encounter a small dip, then it is relatively flat for a few blocks. Have to cross a four lane 'highway' which is always good for getting the heart rate up as I try to predict if a car is coming around the blind corner or not. Another couple of flat blocks and then I need to head uphill if I want to get to Skyline. It is steep and goes on for three blocks before I can take a short reprieve on a gentler slope. Once I reach Skyline I loop back two blocks to meet my running partner (it beats adding those two blocks onto the steep uphill part!). From then on we stay on Skyline, heading west to the Oneota Cemetery, which for now is my turn around point. Skyline is one of those interesting roads in Duluth: uphill in both directions; built on an ancient beach left over from Glacial Lake Duluth; winds around a lot of rock outcrops and creeks; mostly undeveloped on the western portions; and a favorite hangout of teenagers and folks who like to drive fast on curvy roads. All the hills and curves make for an interesting run. The teenagers and other folks hanging out at the overlooks in the summer mean I usually run with a partner or my cell phone - just in case.

On the way back I never seem to notice the downhills as much as I did the uphills - that is until I get closer to home and have the 4+ blocks of straight downhill running. Of course that is all undone by the little dip a block from my house - now a steep incline! All of this followed by the need to climb 36 steps to get into the house - who needs a stairmaster?!

Discussed the Isle Royale trip with my usual backpacking partner (third annual, in September) and may head out there in May to check out the wildflowers. I had been asked about the wisdom of paying the ferry fee to see what I could very well see on the mainland, but confirmed today that there are species on Isle Royale that cannot be seen along the north shore. Settled. Will head out to the island after the Superior 25k and before the vacationing hoards (and black flies) descend. Mr. Wildknits is interested in coming along even though this falls during a busy time of year for him. He has much experience, though none recently, hanging out while I get all geeky over flowers ;->

Got a new camera last week - lighter weight and more portable than my other digital. Plus has a great macro feature that will allow me to zoom in on those flowers! Expect to see more photos from spring runs. In the meantime enjoy some photos of my latest knitting project:




"Hartley Hat" Fingering weight yarns. 180 sts (9sts/inch). Debating how deep I want the hat - over the ears, or a bit shorter so it works better when I wear it indoors (in other words, I can hear)?

Had to go diving into my stash today to find just the right shade of teal to match a friends sweater that I was darning. I am usually not much of a darner, but this was a little hole on the elbow that I had pointed out to her and should have been a fairly simple fix. It was in the end, but it took a few tries to get a decent looking patch. In the process I found all kinds of fun yarn and patterns that had gone missing! I really need to spread all of my yarn out and see what I have. May invite a friend or two over to take away some yarn at the same time. I have a lot (really a lot - like a paper grocery bag full) of partial skeins of sock yarn. Not sure what to do with it. If you have any ideas feel free to post them in the comments.