Weekend Update

This was our first full weekend of training since Jenn and I left for vacation at the end of June, so I was hoping we'd all make the most of it. Things didn't quite turn out as I expected but I think it was a valuable training nonetheless.

On Saturday, Jenn, Zoe and I did an easy 10 mile

loop, hoping to ease ourselves back into the groove in preparation for a longer walk/bike on Sunday. Everything went well as far as that was concerned. We did our usual route up to the Cornell Plantations and back. Along the way we saw bird nests and adorable baby animals galore (baby raccoons, baby ducks, baby horse, baby donkey).

Also on the way, we happened across the makeshift outdoor stage for a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. With very little encouragement from me, Jenn and Zoe quickly got swept up in the dramatic possibilities of the setting.

Once all this adventure was finished, we ended up at Robyn and Zoe's for some chocolate chip cookies. Then we went home to do some odd chores around the house, then back to Robyn and Zoe's for a feast of vegan quiche and vegan white Russians - yum!

Finally, we finished our training by getting our groove on at the Chanticleer where a dance party benefit was being held on behalf of Planned Parenthood. I consider it excellent cross-training. Honestly, I was more sore the next day from the dancing than from the walking. Busting a move apparently works your muscles in a much different way than simple ambulation.

On Sunday, Robyn joined us as we hiked to Buttermilk Falls, which is quite a climb in itself from bottom to top. Fortunately for us, we were taking the opportunity to try out for the first time our new walking sticks. Undoubtedly if you've spent enough time on hiking trails, you've seen people going along with something like a ski pole in each hand. When I first saw these in action many years ago, I thought, "Huh?!" But as it turns out, they really do help distribute the load a little bit and spare your knees and feet from some of the strain.

Of course, the carbon fiber "hiking poles" you can buy at REI cost about $75 and up (way up) per pair. We picked up some nice bamboo sticks at Pier One for a fraction of the cost (about $3 per pair), and they worked great! Might need to get some cushy grip tape though, and I'm sure they'll wear out faster than the REI version.

Anyway, once at the top, we took the Bear Trail to the Lake Treman Trail, which loops around - you guessed it - Lake Treman. Only, to make things more interesting, we did the Bear Trail and Lake Treman trail barefoot. This is something Jenn and I used to do often when we first moved to Ithaca. If you've never gone hiking through the woods barefoot, I highly recommend it; you experience the trail in a whole new dimension. Actually, Zoe's first words on the subject, just a few feet into the barefoot segment was, "Oooh, it feels so - OW!"

Okay, so there are sharp rocks you have to watch out for, but it makes for a good practice in mindful walking. Making up for the painful sharp rocky parts are the soft cooling dirt parts, the luxurious squishy mud parts and the sensuous soft mossy parts, to name a few.

At the far end of Lake Treman, there's a small creak that feeds into it, and we went off the trail to follow that a ways. Not far back, we discovered a great natural swimming hole. Though the water felt a bit chilly on the toes, we were hot enough to jump in. Wow! Talk about refreshing! It was definitely the highlight of the day.

Unfortunately, between the dancing on Saturday night and the prolonged balancing on slippery rocks during our creek walk, Jenn's knees were pushed a little too far. Not three blocks from home, her right kneecap suffered a dislocation (see patellar dislocation). This is a recurring problem she's dealt with for years. Sometimes she can go almost a year without incident, sometimes less. The severity can range from mild soreness afterward to severe swelling and weeks of recovery time. This episode was somewhere in between and we're hoping she'll regain full mobility by the time we leave for TAFA. She's been very diligent about keeping it elevated with ice and periodic gentle massage. Keep your fingers crossed for her.

Due to that injury, we pretty much called it a day at that point. We probably only covered around 7 miles altogether, but up until Jenn's knee went out, it was probably one of the most fun days of training we'd had yet. We have only 9 days before we leave for TAFA and only one more weekend for serious long-distance training. I expect a lot of the time between now and then will be spend putting together all the last minute logistical details. But ready or not, here it comes!