Month: August 2010

Hiking Baldface Mountain in New Hampshire

So no run today, but Elizabeth took me from the cabin out to Baldface Mountain to hike it. Well, more like hike Baldface Mountains, since there was a South Baldface and a North Baldface. We first scaled South, then North, and let me tell you, I’ve never done anything like this. At one point, I actually was scared we were lost and would be trapped when we couldn’t find the blazed trail! But we survived, we finished with a dip in the frigid Emerald Pool (I even jumped from a rock 12 feet up into the water), and in the end we hiked 10.19 miles, taxing our quads, feet, and minds. Here is a map and deets from our trip … and check out the elevation chart! …

I kept slipping or falling during the hike, giving Elizabeth heart attacks here and there but generally escaping without injury. Thank goodness for bringing my hiking boots! And it was so nice to get in Emerald Pool toward the end because its temperature may as well have served as an ice bath for our tired legs.

We lunched at the top of South Baldface, which I had thought was the halfway point before I learned after lunch that we still had North Baldface to hike. Talk about demoralizing! It took so much energy to get to the top of South than North was mentally daunting. But I adjusted my expectations and dealt better.

By about mile 6, Elizabeth and I were pretty dehydrated and rationing our water. We were also pretty over the hike. By this time we were over the mountains, and eventually after some steep descents, we had to deal with a monotonous deluge of hard roots and hard rocks that littered the trail. So annoying! My toes were starting to hurt from being slammed into the front of my boots for the downhill, but finally things started to level out.

Other than wanting to sit, my body felt pretty good upon ending the hike! The weather was nearly cloudless and temperatures were around the upper 70s, topping with an estimated hi of around 81 for the day. It was such a neat experience hiking this with Elizabeth.

Maine Splendor

This evening I did a nice hilly run with Elizabeth in Center Lovell, Maine, while we’re staying at a lodge at the Quisisana Resort. I did 5.35 miles in 40:05 with Elizabeth just behind me. I ended up doing 7:29s, with each mile faster then the prior mile. Here are the deets:

The temperature was quite nice–just about 76 degrees with 60% humidity but it didn’t really feel that humid. The course was a loop away from the resort and back on fast, somewhat remote road. The hills were pretty nice and probably proved to be quite a nice hill workout. The worst, though, was near the resort, which had one hill so steep that finishing on it I actually had to slow down as I went down it!

My legs felt great and it felt great to be back running, and especially to get out after 7 hours of driving today. I just barely missed seeing a deer cross about 180 feet in front of us! That’s all to say for now, other than I wonder how my calves will feel tomorrow because of the downhill jiggle they experienced.

BLAH

Keeping with the theme of ugly feelings during runs, I’ve titled today’s entry “BLAH” because it wasn’t pretty. I had all the ambition to go 10.5 miles today (2 sans loops), but I only ended up doing 5.4 paltry miles. Cloudy again, the temperature was 72 but the humidity was 92%, making it muggy and much worse than yesterday’s weather. Plus, I felt pretty poor, apparently not adequately recovered from yesterday’s run. Here are the humiliating deets for today:

Last night I slept in my black recovery compression socks. This morning I did a 10-minute total body Pilates routine before heading out at 6:30am. I kept on the socks, which might have heated me up a little more than I liked. I also ate a Gatorade bar on the go. During the run, I felt like yesterday only worse: dragging, not going very fast, etc. I could tell that 2 loops were not looking feasible. So I stopped after my first loop.

I’m trying to get my priorities straightened out. I have what is looking like a lot of work and especially focus to do if I want to achieve my goals. I’m operating mentally “behind” and focusing may help me get on top of things. It’s a good life but one I’m not coordinating adequately.

Part of the trouble is the inability to appropriately manage my energy. Take today for instance: I have an 11:30am calltime for a film with 2 wardrobe to wear. I have no earthly idea if today will be a short or long day. I have no idea if I’ll be out by 2:30pm or 1am. You can see how it’s hard to manage my energy. Expend it now? Expend it later? Conserve it now? Conserve it later?

Then, factor in that I don’t know if I have work for tomorrow, and if I have it, I don’t know the calltime until maybe 10pm. In such a case, I could end up with a 6am calltime, and again the energy management debate begins anew. It’s very tiring. 3 hours of sleep one day, then a demanding training schedule, on top of an unpredictable acting schedule, and you have spelled “CHALLENGING LIFESTYLE.”