Monday, June 29, 2009
4? miles: Lacy the long way, not sure how long.
This afternoon after getting out of lab, I ran Lacy the Long way with Perrin. She was wearing these awesome psychadelic shorts. I felt like my form was weird - I kind of bunch up my shoulders while running, and I don't really know what to do with my arms exactly... hm. But other than that the run felt pretty good, it had cooled down a bit, but was still fairly warm. We were literally dripping sweat while standing in the training room afterward. They turned off the crushed ice machine - poo! I ate a delicious piece of strawberry cake afterward.
I think my quads will be a bit sore. That's so strange - biking doesn't make my quads sore, but hiking and running does. I attribute this to the fact that I rarely walk anywhere, and hop on my bike even if it's from Avery to Steele house... heh.
I'm on the road, to who knows where?
Bike: 44 mi, Mt. Wilson (8:45am-1pm?)
Today, I climbed Mt. Wilson with Julian. I got to the 2nd ranger station, where the road to climb the final 5 miles began. I drank a fair amount of water (my waterbottle, then I refilled by stealing some of Julian's) and then refilled again at the ranger station where we turned around. Hopefully the water was ok - Julian said his mother got Giardia from water at a ranger station once.
While climbing, I noticed that my hams seemed tighter today than they are when I rode before. When we stopped at the first lookout, I got off my bike and walked around while Julian took a picture of a rattlesnake. I felt an acute pain in my left hamstring, pretty high up. It wasn't too bad though, and was just annoying when I pedaled. So then we kept going, until reaching the road to the top. Also, I'm considerably more sore from hiking yesterday than I was sore from biking. Now, my right knee is being bothersome. Oh em gee, I feel like I am such a whiney bum.
This ride was pretty nice - the slope was more gentle than up Chantry flats, albeit longer. But the turns are also nice and wide, so coming down was much more fun and pleasant. I did not ride my brakes the whole way down today - only for small sections. I also got very hungry in the middle, so I ate a powerbar - and boy, did it taste good. Keep in mind this is a powerbar that I had tried, and tasted really gross before.
Padded shorts are pretty awesome - Stephanie lent me a pair. She was supposed to come, but she was too tired. Sounds like she did a not as exciting elliptical workout =/. I got a bit sunburned - I have a hairtie tan! It's kind of ridiculous... I woke up at 6:30, went back to sleep, woke up at 7:15, went back to sleep, and then finally got up around 7:50am. I should get more sleep :).
Today, I climbed Mt. Wilson with Julian. I got to the 2nd ranger station, where the road to climb the final 5 miles began. I drank a fair amount of water (my waterbottle, then I refilled by stealing some of Julian's) and then refilled again at the ranger station where we turned around. Hopefully the water was ok - Julian said his mother got Giardia from water at a ranger station once.
While climbing, I noticed that my hams seemed tighter today than they are when I rode before. When we stopped at the first lookout, I got off my bike and walked around while Julian took a picture of a rattlesnake. I felt an acute pain in my left hamstring, pretty high up. It wasn't too bad though, and was just annoying when I pedaled. So then we kept going, until reaching the road to the top. Also, I'm considerably more sore from hiking yesterday than I was sore from biking. Now, my right knee is being bothersome. Oh em gee, I feel like I am such a whiney bum.
This ride was pretty nice - the slope was more gentle than up Chantry flats, albeit longer. But the turns are also nice and wide, so coming down was much more fun and pleasant. I did not ride my brakes the whole way down today - only for small sections. I also got very hungry in the middle, so I ate a powerbar - and boy, did it taste good. Keep in mind this is a powerbar that I had tried, and tasted really gross before.
Padded shorts are pretty awesome - Stephanie lent me a pair. She was supposed to come, but she was too tired. Sounds like she did a not as exciting elliptical workout =/. I got a bit sunburned - I have a hairtie tan! It's kind of ridiculous... I woke up at 6:30, went back to sleep, woke up at 7:15, went back to sleep, and then finally got up around 7:50am. I should get more sleep :).
Chantry flats again
Hike: ~5 miles, 2 hours?
I hiked a loop up at Chantry flats with Eric and Alex today. It was pretty toasty outside, but the trail was really nice, and mostly shaded, after descending this obnoxious concrete pavement that we eventually had to climb back up, to get to the parking lot. But the trails is really pretty and soft - it would be perfect for a run, with some hill work :). The inside of the back of my left knee started to get a little irritated (aftereffects of the valley crest half marathon - this was one of the reasons I've been staying away from running). But I think it should be okay.
I hiked a loop up at Chantry flats with Eric and Alex today. It was pretty toasty outside, but the trail was really nice, and mostly shaded, after descending this obnoxious concrete pavement that we eventually had to climb back up, to get to the parking lot. But the trails is really pretty and soft - it would be perfect for a run, with some hill work :). The inside of the back of my left knee started to get a little irritated (aftereffects of the valley crest half marathon - this was one of the reasons I've been staying away from running). But I think it should be okay.
Climb Every Mountain
Bike: ~20? miles, Chantry Flats
I did my first climb today! ~11:15-1:45. I biked to the Ranger station with Eric Tai. A police car drove by and said "you guys are crazy". I'm terrified of going downhill fast - I think that's my least favorite part... I might need new brakes soon, because I was pretty much breaking the whole way down the 4 miles... whoops. Stopped for lunch at In and Out.
But I seriously think I need to drink more water - I think I'm constantly dehydrated =[. But I'm not sore at all from the ride.
Wednesday, June 24:
Evening ride, ~7PM. Rode to the Rose Bowl - going down Walnut is pretty nice, because you avoid the railroad tracks, and the road is pretty much pothole-free. Went around the 5k loop 3 times. My legs were more tired today, so I rode more slowly on the flats. Uphill was as usual... eh, pretty slow.
I did my first climb today! ~11:15-1:45. I biked to the Ranger station with Eric Tai. A police car drove by and said "you guys are crazy". I'm terrified of going downhill fast - I think that's my least favorite part... I might need new brakes soon, because I was pretty much breaking the whole way down the 4 miles... whoops. Stopped for lunch at In and Out.
But I seriously think I need to drink more water - I think I'm constantly dehydrated =[. But I'm not sore at all from the ride.
Wednesday, June 24:
Evening ride, ~7PM. Rode to the Rose Bowl - going down Walnut is pretty nice, because you avoid the railroad tracks, and the road is pretty much pothole-free. Went around the 5k loop 3 times. My legs were more tired today, so I rode more slowly on the flats. Uphill was as usual... eh, pretty slow.
First dates with my bike
~45 minutes, to the Rose bowl, around, and back. We started at 7:30 ish, so it was getting dark, and we couldn't go much further. I really enjoy flat or slightly downhill parts. I am really bad at going up hills :(. This seems to echo my running patterns =O.
Sunday, June 21:
Rode to the Rose bowl with Eric Tai, around 3 times, then up this road at the end, past the Arts center, and then back down, and finally back to Tech. 33 miles per hour! I was excited about that, because I'm quite afraid of going down hills too quickly. But it's pretty exhilarating to get up to higher speeds.
Friday, June 19:
Tested out my bike with my brother back at home. We rode to the BART station and along the trail there for a while. It was about 1.5 hours. But it was more like a leisure ride than a work-out. I also got new running shoes while at home :).
Sunday, June 21:
Rode to the Rose bowl with Eric Tai, around 3 times, then up this road at the end, past the Arts center, and then back down, and finally back to Tech. 33 miles per hour! I was excited about that, because I'm quite afraid of going down hills too quickly. But it's pretty exhilarating to get up to higher speeds.
Friday, June 19:
Tested out my bike with my brother back at home. We rode to the BART station and along the trail there for a while. It was about 1.5 hours. But it was more like a leisure ride than a work-out. I also got new running shoes while at home :).
Valley Crest Half Marathon
~13.1 miles, Valley Crest Half Marathon, 2:32:??
Oh man, that was a slow one... Bad race.
Complain, complain, whine...
1. I started out this run with a stitch from the banana I ate in the car, and the first few miles were downhill, so that wasn't very helpful. I was just trying to jog and not exacerbate my stitch.
2. I also decided during this race that I needed new shoes - I thought that my old old ones (from track last year, that I also ended up wearing for xc this year because the new ones I bought weren't comfortable) would be more comfortable than my most recent pair of shoes from track season, but alas, I was wrong, and walked away with blisters.
3. It was pretty warm and sunny.
4. I walked.
I was much less sore after this half than the one in SF a few years ago. Perhaps it is because I ran a bit more (though not nearly enough...) before this one. Or perhaps it is because I walked during this one. My quads actually didn't feel it very much, but my calves were a little sore.
Clara, Perrin, and Stephanie also ran in this event - Stephanie won some zebra arm-warmers, and Clara won some snazzy socks.
I'm sad that Stephanie won't be here, because she's getting back into shape and is quite speedy. But I think I'm really excited for Clara in this upcoming XC season. Yayyy!
An Original Run
4.7 mi, Huntington, 40 min
I ran Huntington in the afternoon today, it wasn't too warm :). The weather has been kind of wacko lately - I really wanted to go run when it was raining yesterday, but I was too busy with work :(.
I ran Huntington in the afternoon today, it wasn't too warm :). The weather has been kind of wacko lately - I really wanted to go run when it was raining yesterday, but I was too busy with work :(.
swimming, running, and looking at biking
1 mi swim, ~6 mi run, Manhattan Beach
Today, I ran a mile, swam a mile, and then ran 5 miles at 8-minute mile pace.
The swim was surprisingly short, and swimming in the ocean is so different from being in a pool. It's also cold and salty, but it felt good except for chafing around my neck from the wetsuit. We jogged a mile along the beach to warm up, and them jumped into the water.
There was also this nice trail that was completely paved with wood chips - the soft ones, and it was really well-maintained. It's 4 miles one way, so you could do a full 8 on it. I was getting hungry by the time we got back to the car, so I didn't explore the other way.
I also finally went to open road - third time's the charm. Steve didn't have any used bikes, but he had this bianchi. I'm still looking around, though.
Today, I ran a mile, swam a mile, and then ran 5 miles at 8-minute mile pace.
The swim was surprisingly short, and swimming in the ocean is so different from being in a pool. It's also cold and salty, but it felt good except for chafing around my neck from the wetsuit. We jogged a mile along the beach to warm up, and them jumped into the water.
There was also this nice trail that was completely paved with wood chips - the soft ones, and it was really well-maintained. It's 4 miles one way, so you could do a full 8 on it. I was getting hungry by the time we got back to the car, so I didn't explore the other way.
I also finally went to open road - third time's the charm. Steve didn't have any used bikes, but he had this bianchi. I'm still looking around, though.