Hike

Been raining everyday which has produced a very green, cool, and lush forest.  We sat out on the bluff last night, it was beautiful.  It has rained over 4" in the past 5 days. 

Memorial day hike.  We left in the morning and as usual during this time of year, Sewanee was a lush and very quiet place with the students gone.  

Did a total of 3.5 miles including a hike down and back to the Bridal Veil Falls and then to the mountain laurel 'tunnel' at Otey view.  It was surprisingly hard.  HR in the 150s climbing out from the falls.

Forest was very dense and full of a variety of birds.  

Roya left today and I'm on my own for a few weeks.  Playing my niece's wedding in NY in early June, have construction going on in Murfreesboro and hopefully soon here in Sewanee.  So this is like the beginning of summer except unusually, the weather is not yet warm enough for swimming.   It's been in the 70ºs, not 80ºs.  Very cool generally for this time of yr.  Really do miss track training, was the center of my life for so many yrs this time of year.  Trying to get back in similar shape, "400m shape"... is a really high bar.  Hanging around 143 lbs, what I weighed in HS.

Hiking and biking - bike climb, tree fall

Wed did a major hike in Savage Gulf, very beautiful wild flowers and waterfalls ...  a 'forest primeval'.  (Photos below). Hills, boulder fields, and a clean stone creek bed to rest on for a while.  It was only 5.5 miles from the trail head to the falls and back but I 'felt it' afterwards.  A little soreness in the knees, 2 days after my running workout.  However feeling pretty good this weekend.  

General news:  my life was complicated by a minor catastrophe at my Murfreesboro log house.  Thursday's storm dropped a tree over and though my carport, crushing my tenant's truck and the large enclosed porch area, with some branches penetrating the roof of my house over the tenant's apartment.  It's at least $50k damage, probably much more, likely need a new roof including trusses, new carport, new porch, etc...  $12,500 just to remove the 3 trees involved off the house and property.  But... that's why we pay insurance.  The roof needed to be replaced anyway.  It could likely be built back better than it was.  Fortunately, the log house structure itself was not damaged!  That is the main thing.  A log house with 200 yr old hand hewn logs is not replaceable.  But, it's a major hassle.  I have to make the 70 min one-way trip to Murfreesboro and back 5x in the next 10 days.  At least it missed my boat.  (photos below).

On Thurs and Friday I did the 2.5 mile sprint on my road, 11:04 and 10:50.  Fastest one I really put out, pushing HR over 180, although that may have been anomalous (188 max).  

Sat, I watched the local track meet and took break to do the Roark's cove bike climb.  I think it was a season PR.  Actually second fastest post op.  HR data was nominal, mid 180's peak at the end but 1:20 after summiting, it shot up to the 190s on my monitor, so that must have been erroneous.  I tried to check it by pulse and it was in fact wrong, unless it was a delayed reading.  Should probably get a more reliable monitor.   Maybe a Polar? 

Roark's Cove bike Climb

total time - 22:12

Anyway, will hit the gym tonight, was going to run hills tomorrow but that will have to wait til Tues due to my house issue.  

My Grail cancer screening was negative, fortunately.   

Cold snap this Sunday morning, 41º last night, fire going on the porch.   Tonight, going to the gym to row.  

 

Tree falls on my house - 4/16/26

More hiking, resistance, test results

Friday did a 5.5 mile hike with Roya and Joe in the Shakerag trail, wildflower season at peak.  It had some hill climbs and was challenging.  Saturday did a resistance circuit at home including upper body, core, and legs.  This morning (Sunday) did a quick 2.5 mile bike sprint on my road with hills on my heavy mountain bike,  11:17, my PR since I just started doing this.  It's a good quick workout, HR avg 147.  

Was going to run hills today but will wait til tomorrow.  I ate too much last night and am too heavy to run, close to 148 this morning.  

My tests results were mixed, nothing exceptionally alarming or surprising.  The good: CEA is  2.4, normal.  CA19-9 down from 79 to 54 but still considered elevated.  CMP values all normal, eGFR 69, liver enzymes normal.   The bad:  Lipid panel shows I'm at risk.  Even after 3 days of light vegan eating, total cholesterol 229, LDL 160 and LDL particle number 2194 / peak size 210.9 - which is considered high risk.  On the plus side, HDL was up to 49 improving my ratio to 4.7 (from over 5). Triglycerides quite low at 92, glucose 89, and A1c at 5.6.   

Considering my brother's issues, I'm looking into having a MRA (MRI Angiogram) with contrast.  It's only $498 at the local hospital.  I found this rate on MDsave.com - a great resource for self pay procedures, it searches for the cheapest rate within a region.   All these small rural hospitals near where I live are the cheapest.  

Knee feeling pretty good after yesterday's resistance work.  

Hiking, test day, brother's surgery

Been hiking with Roya, no very strenuous training since I have a multitude of tests today.

Wildflowers at peak.

My brother had an angiogram with contrast.  It was a lucky thing.  He just got a new cardiologist and he only went in originally to deal with his wife's issue, which turned out to be not as serious.  It was suggested HE get tested while she was there.  After the angiogram, Dr. ordered an urgent heart catheterization and he was found to have 95% blockage of a right coronary artery. (She had zero blockage).  He received a stent.  His CAC scan was 56 and his CT angiogram with contrast suggested just 50% blockage.   Both tests understated his issue.   Heart catheterization surgery is really the only definitive measure of blockage.  CAC is just looking back at the disease already accumulated and the CAC number means little, more about the location of the calcification.  He was on Repatha and now on Plavix.  Seems that Repatha does nothing to reverse the damage / disease, just supposedly decreases risk.  The Dr. told him that he could have easily had a fatal heart attack, as our uncle did, without this procedure.  

I have numerous Dr appointments this month, some I will not keep if my tests go well.  I'll be doing the GRAIL test, lipids, A1c, CMP, tumor markers.  Hope it goes well.  

Semester getting really busy, student concert Thurs then it gets a little easier.  

Expect to do a major hike on Friday, then resume training on the weekend with some biking and hill sprints.  

Finally below 145 lbs, thankfully.

Stadium stairs, spring is springing

Friday, very warm and mostly sunny at MTSU, 80º and I hit the stadium stairs just after 9:00am.  It was easier than last time.

Stretches

12 x Stadium stairs

I did these in sets of 5,3,2,2.  It was hard and I could've done another set but I decided to be conservative.  Knee is improving, better than it has been in months.  Mostly because no flat sprint training.   

Been doing the morning bike sprint workout on my road Tues and Wed.  It's really a good daily routine.  I can get the 2.5 mile bike ride with small hill climbs in done in 12 min on my heavy mtn bike.  Pushes my HR to mid 150s and is a good wake up workout.  On Wed, I forgot that I shouldn't workout before some of my tests so I put them off for a week.  

I've curbed my weight a bit, back to 145.2 after workout.  Just bought a huge supply of good fresh produce so it will be easier to eat better.  

Family heath issues... 

My mother received a hip replacement Mon, then she fell and had to go to the hospital Wed to check it out.  No damage, dodged a major disaster.  I was really pissed at my father for refusing my efforts to get her home health care under her long term care policy that they've paid huge $ into over 18 yrs.  

Then my brother finds out he has a 50% heart blockage that may require a stent, even though his CAC score was only 56.  He goes to have an invasive procedure on Tues.   I probably should be on statins myself.  Maybe my 2 zero CAC scores are a false sense of security?  I've noticed some PVC heart beats, usually on the days where I don't workout.  I read on a runners group about a guy who also had them and they made him wear a HR monitor over a week and found that he was afibing w/ HR up to 200, now I'm paranoid that it's happening to me during training, as my monitor has suggested.   I've written these readings off as anomalous.   

Anyway, happy to be home on this incredibly beautiful spring weekend.  Upper 70ºs tomorrow but then a moderating cool snap, only up to 60º on Sunday then really nice the rest of the week, 70º/50ºish.  Roya will be here Sunday.  Fortunately, she just got hired by a worldwide engineering firm where she can work from home, mostly.  Good pay but she was so happy to get the job, that she just accepted the offer, she certainly could've negotiated for more.  I can't relate to her work ethic since the job is not particularly fun, as mine is.  She needs structure I guess.  

It's azalea season in Atlanta (bottom photo below).   Here, we still don't have leaves on all the trees yet, still early, although wildflowers are rocking.  Here's from my Tues morning hike - Shakerag hollow, Sewanee.

Wildflowers in Sewanee -

Roya's azaleas - 

Bike sprints

Very warm day.   Yesterday did strengthening regime at home and an evening wildflower hike.  Today, did the bike sprint intervals.

4 x 400m w/ 2:30 rest - max speed: 27.2, 27.2, 28.0, 27.1 mph

I definitely felt some lactic, but kept the HR under 170 for the whole workout.  This is the same workout I was doing 9 months ago at about the same speed.  I'm about 2-3 lbs heavier now.  So, judging by this, on the same regime as I was 9 months ago... at this point 9 mo ago, I wouldn't be running flat sprints for 3 more months.  Maybe I should keep the same regime and accept this setback?  I think stairs would be ok.  I was first running stairs 8 mo ago.    We'll see how it goes, but I've pretty much written off this season.  It was a mistake to try and race this indoor season and don't want to make the same mistake.  

Anyway, I'm ok with waiting to have a healthier knee if that is what it takes.   Sometimes I think any and all strengthening and training that involves the knee is counter productive, even rowing and biking to some extent.  Not ready for the crutches.  Just taking it slow at this point.  

Have enjoyed watching a dozen hours of track on Peacock this weekend, from Turin, where I raced 3 yrs ago in 2 individual world championship finals and won a Gold and a Silver in the relays for the USA.  The amazing story on the US team has to be Cooper Lutkenhaus - 17 yr old world 800m champion, still in HS, signed a million $ contract with Nike as a pro athlete.  Also 21 yr old Jordan Anthony, could challenge Lyles as the US outdoor sprint king.  So much great young talent in the US right now with sprinters. 

The Sat evening hike was awesome, no one on the train, beautiful warm weather.  And... the flowers looked robust despite the snow and hard freeze just 5 days prior...  

Spring break hiking, biking, and flowers in GA

Spent the week at Roya's house and we did two hikes, not including the visits to 2 botanical gardens, a museum visit, and I did a bike circuit.  The Atlanta botanical gardens were spectacular.  The Gibbs garden was nice too.  In all we did probably 15+ miles of walking/ hiking.  

The daffodils in full bloom in Sewanee today, but they'll soon be gone.  70ºF today, in 24 hrs, will be freezing with snow forecast and 20ºF overnight with windchills in the mid teens.  

bike and hike

Very warm on Friday and Sat, 70ºs and 60ºs, did the ATL neighborhood bike circuit 2x on Roya's bike, which includes 500' of hill climbs.  Hiked Pine Mountain on Saturday in Cartersville.  Even this little 700' 2.5 mile climb, I could feel some fatigue on the knees.  Hike pushed HR into 150s on the hike, and the bike - peaked around 170.  

It was a great day.  Roya really needed the time out.  I had an exceptionally unhealthy dinner but it was delicious.  A large fried haddock sandwich with french fries and a scoop of cappuccino chocolate chip ice cream for dessert.  I hadn't eaten french fries or fried fish in 8 months, (since I was trapped in an airport trying to get to NY).   Later that night, I felt some acid indigestion and cleansed myself with a liter of lemon water, which has now become my 'health tonic' of choice.  I drink a liter of water with lemon every morning before I eat anything, and another during the day.  I think it helps my digestive and renal system.  

Going back to Sewanee on Monday for a brief respite before I start the busiest week of my semester.  I'll be working 8 of the next 9 days, not long days but meetings, auditions, etc  .... A week from Monday, seeing a kidney surgeon about a cyst as a precaution, then Faculty Senate later that day, then my usual work week that ends Thurs.  Then a week off for spring break.  After that, the home stretch, just 6 weeks and I'm off for the summer by May 1 and looking forward to a yr half time sabbatical (F26-S27) where I'll be working about 6 hrs/ one day per week in Murfreesboro, and maybe 3 or 4 in Sewanee.  

A brief return to winter on Monday, supposed to be only in the 20ºs with a low of 15º Monday night.  I have my fireplace ready to light and wood in when I get home late afternoon Monday.  It's only going to be in the mid 40ºs on Tues but I'm thinking I may go out and run hills or wait til Friday and do stadium stairs at MTSU.  Will try to lose a fee lbs this week.  

Hiking to glaciers, flowers, pastry

Back from Chamonix on Wed.  Did some challenging hiking for my ability.  Hard on the feet and knees.  Also, the diet suffered ... pastries, baguettes, etc...  But my weight is still below 145, so not too bad.  I will need some recovery before I attempt to begin training.  One thing I learned in France was the value of recovery time.   After the ambitious Le Tour hike (like stairmaster x10), we had a light day afterward and I went from slightly painful walking to feeling fine.   It's this I'm going to have to gage properly going forward.

Here's a photo dump.  Will update descriptions later.  First 2 photos show some of the more difficult hikes - to the Albert I refuge at the Le Tour Glacier.  

Hike from Le Tour Glacier to Albert I refuge - Roya in pink

Chamonix town center

Grand Balcon Sud 

Le Tour Glacier

Mer de Glace 

Mont Blanc from Aguille du Midi

Glacier des Bossons

Chalet Cafe des Pyramides at Glacier des Bossons

Breakfast and dessert

Exposed hiking (fall - die) to Le Tour glacier

Le Tour Glacier

Gran Balcan Sud from Brevant to Refuge Belchat

The Track, no running yet

One of many cafes in the Alps - Bossons Glacier

  

hike / bike

 My first hiking into the Shakerag wildflower trail and my first aggressive stand up biking.

I was able to make it down the steep rocks from Greens View to the heart of the wildflower area.  Perfect day.  I didn't hike far, just a half mile, but it was nice to be there.   It was a little hard and I was super cautious.  I am certain that hiking is far riskier than biking, due to terrain.

I did a little aggressive biking and was able to get my HR up over 170 for the first time 4 months.  I only biked for 4 miles but did 2x300m sprints where I was standing about half the time, hitting 26 mph top speed.  I was only over 164 HR for less than a minute and peaked at 173.   Avg of 137 including a 10 min walk.  This was done with my existing bike setup.  The new parts go on tomorrow.  Should be an interesting comparison.  

Now that I know that I can do this, I'll start doing it once a week.  I probably did a bit too much today but it was fine, don't feel as if I hurt myself but was a little stiff by evening,  

Woke up lighter, 146 lbs.  A ways to go.  

epic hikes

 

gettin high

 

2x300,200, 60s

 First warm day for a workout, variably cloudy, mid 70ºs and windy.  Did a conditioning workout today as I took limited rest between my long sprints.  Was going to do a 3x3w/3 but I started too fast and ran two, then a 200m.

Stretches, drills, bands, 100m

100m - 14.50

Hoka rocket X2s on

300m, 3 min rest, 300m, 7 min rest, 200m - 46.32, 48.17, 28.51

3 x 60m (first 2 rolling, 3rd from the line) - 7.78, 7.48, 8.10

I felt I should do some short speed so I ran a few 60s, the first cautious and the second, hard.   Ran one from the line from a crouch.  Could use some work on my acceleration, something I almost never work on.  

Here's the heart rate data from my optical arm sensor (certified as highly accurate by Engineer Joe E. Page).   I knew I wouldn't get 3 because during my 3min recovery, my HR only went down to 150.  Note the spikes shortly after each interval where max HR was recorded during the walk back.  (You can see it more clearly on the second graph that shows both HR and running cadence).  Not real confident with the cadence indicator, probably some latency.  They make a shoe pod for a more accurate reading.  My highest HR was 185 after my 200m during my walk back.   That's the max I've yet recorded.    

Afterward, went for a hike, now at the peak of wildflower bloom.  It was good.  Needed to lose a few lbs.  I've definitely gained a 2 lbs.  I can feel it, but can correct it in a few days.  Definitely not in the aerobic shape I had attained by early March.  Can still feel the injury a little so may take 2 consecutive days off from the track.  

140.7 lbs after workout.

Purple Phacelia wildflowers at the peak.  

Penn Relays

Still need some significant conditioning work to race a 400m.   The Thursday Masters Penn schedule is ridiculous: 

11:58 - 4x100 

12:26 - Masters 100 

1:00 - 4x400

At least I'll only have to warm up once.  They want me to anchor the relays, which is a lot of pressure, especially in a close race.  I've always had nightmares about losing a 4x4 as anchor.  Has never happened, hopefully it won't.  We should be considerably behind the top team which is pretty much an all star team.  Actually, would much rather get the stick at anchor behind than ahead.