July 19
My blasted car was been hung up in the shop for two weeks. Spoiled my vacation; I had big plans to go visit a friend working at a camp on an island, then to school, and then to the Cape. But, I instead, I got stranded up here for my recovery week. Until Wednesday I was a complete grump. That was until Austin called me up and requested that I go paddling with him. After a brief gripe fest and profanity about my situation, I deemed it a waste of energy to be sour. I'd make the most being in the County for the week.
And boy, did I ever. I forever retain that 'Vacationland' is a cheesy motto, but I have to admit that there is some truth in it. We live in a big ole play ground. I spent time shooting skeet with Joey and Derek, biking around Westmanland, quasi-fishing.... My pole and hook under-qualified at best... but fun was had nonetheless. A mildly amusing story came of the fishing attempt. Austin, Welly, and I went out to the Sweetser's camp. We walked in on their supper and the first thing that Jan said to me-even before a greeting-was, "You're a beast!" Thank you? She had seen me in the weight room the evening before during a power session. Those can get scary for bystanders. Anywho, we had a good chuckle then went out to find some worms. Welly picked the spot, I put the spade in the ground and jumped on it like normal. But, the whole blade just crumpled. Folded almost in half. A dumbfounded Welly said through breaks in laughter, "You didn't just do that." Yes, apparently I did. I guess I am a beast. Great, hopefully it will carry over to skiing.
It also happened that the Potato Blossom Festival fell on the same weekend. Industry dinner, pancake breakfast, 5 miler road race, and a street dance that because it's and off-week, I will count as training-2 hours straight of dancing my face off. Sweating buckets. I got stomped on during the road race. As Will so aptly put it, "It looks like your butt is trying to rip your quad in half when you run." Guess I have some technique work to do.
Enough for now, I've got a more serious blog post brewing.
July 5, 2010
Home! Settled in with the parents and my sister in Fort Fairfield.
Training is rolling right along. Two weeks into a four week training cycle and
feeling fabulous! Last week I got 18 hours of solid training, not including strength.
Getting the bulk of the hours off rollerskis; running, bounding, biking, paddling.
I can't claim this as my own idea. Will's got a plan and it makes sense. More
rollerskiing now, the less I am going to want to do it in the fall, when it really
matters. And secondly, I might spare my shin muscles the unnecessary exertion.
We'll see.
The training group has been a blast. We've got a great mix of people up here.
Getting it done. As some of you know, I am training with the cross-country crew
right now. Focusing on sprinting. I haven't put the gun away for good; just for
now.
I'm also blissfully unemployed; well, mom likes to call it unemployed, but I like
to consider myself a free-agent or self-employed...what it boils down to is that
I am doing odd jobs and staying away from Marden's. So far I've been reeling in
jobs at a steady rate; gardening, lawn-mowing, house-sitting, and selling stuff
on eBay :).
Let's be honest, I am in no hurry to get a 'real' job. This life is just too good.
I make my own hours which means I can easily prioritize rest. And as the mantra
goes stress+rest=adaptation. Without the time crunch of getting to work on time,
I can take as long as I need to do my workouts. Quality training stress followed
by quality rest; well, that's without a doubt the reason I feel so good right
now.
So I don't have much money, but if makes me a fast skier, then its absolutely
worth it.
One Game Over; Another One Begins!
Just handed in my last final paper of freshman year! And now freedom for 6 months!
I have taken off the summer term an the fall term, meaning I don't have to go
back to school until January! What am I going to do with all this free time?
Start it off right, by laying on my face on the beaches of Cape Cod and adventuring
with my friend Emily.
I hadn't realized how much that last week of school cooked me, until yesterday.
I got a false start to the day: woke up at 7:30, headed out for a jog. About 100
meters from the house my body forced me into a stroll, then I kept walking until
I was literallly sleep-walking. My eyes were shut. 30 minutes later, I crawled
into bed again with my workout clothes and socks on, and slept until 11:30.
Yesterday's second workout also began ambitiously: "Let's hike Mt. Washington!"
Then we realized it was a 3 hour drive away. Nope. So, instead, we got on our
bikes and rode 25 miles to Kearsarge Mountain, hiked 20 minutes to the top and
biked back. On the way, we discovered a decrepit farmhouse, overgrown with that
crazy ivy stuff. Parked out front was a mammoth dumpster-- too good for a scavenger
like me too pass up. At least 30 minutes of the 'workout' was spent pawing through
someone else's rubbish. The loot we snagged, totally worth it:
About a bazillion strings of pearls, a first edition of "For Whom the Bell Tolls",
British newspapers from 1929 thru 1933 (pictures of Hitler etc.), a full set of
real silver silverware, bazillions more stamps from Germany circa 1930s, and a
silly little Kentucky trinket plate.
Hot tub, yoga session, reading. Ice cream and watching baby goats bounce around
like popping corn. Knobby knees, blue eyes, fuzzy all over. Hands down the cutest
animals on earth. Reading for fun, such a strange concept. Anywho, that's what
I am up to. Going to the Cape today. Dartmouth graduation on Sunday, hike Mt.
Washington-- for real-- on Monday, then I'll be home on Tuesday!! Game on.
Low energy entertainment for big training weeks.
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Classic Sprint Time Trial in Fort Kent. Almost got Derek. He beat me by a toe.
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Fourth of July eats. With the family.
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Fishing at the Sweetser's camp. We got skunked.
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