O u t . . . T h e r e . . .: Outdoor Week Ending 4/1/12

This was my second tough week in a row. Three weeks ago I had that high volume week, which felt fine, but the extra time on my feet that week -- 15 hours total -- was more than I'm used to at this point. The week after that included my long run, which took almost 4 hours, but I got through that week ok, if a little weary. This week my legs were better, but I felt like I was playing catchup since I took Monday off. I didn't feel too overloaded, and I don't have a long run planned this week. I will try to do more hiking though, since the weather is great, for now.

Week     Planned    Actual           Long   Long    Hiking       Time
Ends Hours Long Hours Climb Time Climb Time Climb On Feet
4/1    5:55 2:15    6:26   3400      2:37   1700   4:50 2560   11:16

26-Mar   off
27-Mar    run    1:49    1700    3.5    stony brook
27-Mar    hike   1:10    700    2.5    stony brook

I was still a little tired from last week, so it was easy to take Monday off. After a few days with no running and just one very short hike, it can be hard to get the body going, and there are usually kinks that first run back because when the body has more time it does deeper healing than it can when under a more constant load of stress. For days starting up again or on recovery days, I love to start out the activity just hiking for a while and ease into running later. So it was starting again this week.

28-Mar    run    0:43    200    3    ram park
28-Mar    hike    0:34    400    3.5    ram park

Yet another run-hike; this is the perfect outing for me right now.

29-Mar    run    0:27    100    2    ram park
29-Mar    hike    0:25    400    2    ram park

A very easy kind of recovery day run-hike.

30-Mar    run    2:37    1400    4    145    stony brook
30-Mar    hike    0:47    400    4    127    stony brook

I didn't really need to run quite as long, but I felt pretty good so did slightly more than scheduled.

31-Mar    run    0:27        1    118    gym trd
1-Apr   hike   1:54   960   3.7   harriman
1-Apr   run   0:23       3   harriman

This was really easy day, casual hike mostly, with some fun technical running on the white trail going back down the valley. I met a group of Korean ladies at Pine Meadow Lake. I've admired different Asian cultures, and I have to give Koreans a lot of credit for being enthusiastic hikers. I've often seen big groups pretty far out there on the trails where I normally don't see anyone.

Where the white Kakiat trail crosses the red Pine Meadow trail and then runs down along a steep section where Pine Meadow Brook drops through a large glacial boulder field, running the trail is so technical it's like doing some kind of agility drill. It's also so much fun that I have to run it at least twice a week if possible. After that I did a power sprint up -- about 100 meters 45% grade about 35 seconds -- from the lower yellow trail back up to the red trail, just to mix things up and because I enjoy that last part of the red trail more.

Here are some photos from the week:

Looking back the Ramapo Torne ridge from the blue trail.