Today I visited a trail I haven’t done at all this year. I headed up to the top of Pico via the old Long Trail otherwise known as Sherburne Pass (6 miles round trip). The snow was ankle deep or higher the entire time up. I have no idea how fast or slow I went, for in part of finding the fun I have shed my Garmin and even taken off my watch. I know the distances as I have done all these trails so many times before. I am purely out there to put on some miles and enjoy my backyard. It was also fun on the way up to pass the hikers, the ones trekking up with ski poles. Their look of dismay as I dash by puts a smile on my face. The entire trip took about an hour and forty five minutes. I am not sure how that stacks up to my PR up (~55 minutes) but it doesn’t really matter. As I departed the car at the base it was 33 degrees, when I reached the top it had to be in the upper 20’s and was pretty windy. Did I mention it quickly turned to winter up here in Vermont this week!

 

I got back and since nothing was planned for the afternoon I headed to the gym. I really have no excuse as the gym is about 15 steps from my room. I haven’t pulled a double session in a while, a really good sign as I actually wanted to do more today. Not only did I do my homework from Steve, work on my pull-ups but also lifted. Not only did I lift but lifted more weight than I have done in a while, I am sure tomorrow I will feel it but did a mixture of Squats, Russian Deadlifts, Step-ups with my 40lb Sandbag, Overhead Press with dumbbells, hanging knee-ups, and a few other exercises with dumbbells and a sledgehammer. There is something about lifting weights and listening to Heavy Metal that go well together. After about an hour in the gym I finished up for the day. Although I couldn’t help but head back into the gym for one last attempt at pull-ups before sitting down to write this blog. Today I did almost 4 full pull-ups (with a band assist), no kipping just straight pull-ups. Slowly, I will get there!

The dark cloud that has been over me seems to be lifting as today was probably one of the most on track workouts I have had since Hurricane Irene. I like structure, I can follow structure and recently I haven’t been able to implement it back into my training life. It was also the first day when tasked with the choice to workout or stay in bed I choose to get up and get going. Not sure if it was seeing all those around me posting their activities or what but something clicked and the next thing I knew I was headed up a mountain. The malaise might be over, I am scared to say it’s completely over as it’s so easy to slip back into that place but for now the horizon is looking brighter.