Sunday, March 14, 2010
Happy Trails!!
Last week was a great training week. I hit all my targets, completed every workout, felt strong. This week, however, my attention has been diverted and training has been the last thing on my mind. Not that I didn’t see it coming…
I have 2 major focuses this year – training for Age Group Nationals in September and hiking 350 miles on the Appalachian Trail - mid March to Mid April. Mid March – well that is – um – NOW!! I leave on the 17th - St. Patrick’s Day, flying into Atlanta from Albany, NY. And it is shaping up to be a demanding and life changing experience. Reports from Trail tell of the worst conditions in decades. Thus far only 10 thru-hikers have made it through the Smokies. Many section of the Trail are impassable due to 4-7 foot snow drifts, ice, blowdowns and the open sections are ugly!
Got all my gear set and will be toting just under 38 lbs. Yes, I know that’s a lot, but can’t seem to shed anymore weight. I tested out a lot of equipment this week. I even bonded with my tent, slept out on Thursday and decided to ditch my synthetic bag for a warmer one. Now I have a 10 degree down bag – so cozy and warm. Hiked for 90 minutes in the wind and rain yesterday. Pleased to discover my water proof clothes really are and the pack cover worked. Everything inside was dry, though my camelback sweats – the inside pouch was very damp.
As I write this, it is raining, the wind is howling. I am thankful to be inside- warm and dry. But all I can think, is that for the next 30 days I am going to be outside day and night, in conditions that will range from glorious to total misery. I also know my emotions will follow a similar trajectory. Days when the miles fly by and the mountains feel small. And days when the Trail is so hard it takes all my strength and determination to keep going. But discomfort, digging deep, and staying the course are familiar feelings for triathletes. I will draw deeply on lessons learned in my years in triathlon and learn new ones to use when I return. If you want to follow my trail blog go to www.trailjournals.com\seeker. I will update it when I can – probably every 3-5 days. Happy Trails!!
Posted by Coach Kelly on 03/14/10 at 04:41 PM
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