Training chronicles

08/07/2009 Haw Ridge run 7 miles 83min
08/10/2009 bike to and from work
08/13/2009 SWA7 trail run 4.2 miles 49min

08/28/2009 H-H trail 17.5 min

08/30/2009 H-H trail 15'47" Yeah!

9/3/2009 SWA7 trail 44'20"

9/10/2009 road/trail run 6 miles 1h

11/1/2009 Point trail 20'49"

03/14/2010 Point trail ~19'00" (in rain with natural stride, celebrating the DST!)

Haw Ridge 7-Mile Trail Run

I got a note from Hiram announcing a trail run held on August the 7th. I was debating whether I should participate. It started at 5:30 pm Friday at Haw Ridge. Can I do it? I haven't trained for months.

It was a hot sunny day. The 7-mile course had a steep uphill start and wound through the woods. People passed me left and right. I was barely able to keep up. I was feeling hot at first several miles as I wore pants to ward off the poison ivy. Then I got the chill and worried about hitting the wall. Quitting was not an option I might as well keep going. The last three miles were not as bad. I was so glad that it was finally over, after 83 minutes. It was my first race after high school and the toughest. I ate watermelon and drank lots of fluid. But I could not take in much solid food other than a handful of cashew nuts that evening.

Climbing

When you climb, the finger tips bleeding, you forget the pain in your heart. When you focus on the next 20 feet of move, you breathe you live in THE moment. I enjoyed the quietness in Grotto Fall. It was a quiet morning, me and the waterfall. You stared at the ice, you felt the ice. The boundary between me and the ice tools blurred, peace filled in the space. I was part of the universe.

What defines an individual? Looking back, I see myself at thirteen years old, searching for the edible herb in spring time in my middle school's backyard.

Karrened Out

I canceled my trip to Salt Lake City in last minute. Too much work. I felt guilty being AWOL while being coPI on three LDRDs.

When I showed up at work and explained my situation to Harry. He called, "Ha, you Karrened out!"