Category: Goals

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Walking Tour of Concord NH

I got an idea in my head that I would walk all the streets in downtown Concord as a way to get three miles in. Copying the idea from Rickey Gates who ran every street in San Francisco. Since I can’t run, yet, I decided I would walk (without dogs). I don’t count mileage when I walk dogs. 

Today I decided that on this walking tour I would listen to my new playlist I just created for April. I started from my house and headed to downtown. I walked up and down the streets:

I decided to take some pictures of the beautiful buildings and some trees.

My playlist was pretty awesome.

Girl from the North Country – Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. 
I recently watched Escape at Dannemora and this song played during a dramatic scene. Plus the lyrics are pretty awesome and I love the North Country. “So, if you’re travelin’ in the north country fair, Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline, Remember me to one who lives there, She once was a true love of mine.”

Time to say goodbye – Andrea Bocelli 

Change – John Waite
From the soundtrack Vision Quest – just love this song. “It doesn’t matter who you are It’s all the same. What’s in your heart will never change”

Pretty – Ingrid Michaelson
“I’m not just pretty, No, I’m pretty damn good, Sure in my own skin, Again and again and again.”

Roll Me Away – Bob Segar
Pretty much my anthem: “Stood alone on a mountain top, Starin’ out at the Great Divide, I could go east, I could go west, It was all up to me to decide.”

Shallow – Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper
“Tell me somethin’, girl, Are you happy in this modern world? Or do you need more? Is there somethin’ else you’re searchin’ for?“

When You Were Young – The Killers
This is my all time favorite Guitar Hero song to play. “Can we climb this mountain, I don’t know Higher now than ever before, I know we can make it if we take it slow.”

My Body – Young the Giant
This is a great song to run to but alas, I walk: “My body tells me no! But I won’t quit ‘Cuz I want more.”

He Knows – Jeremy Camp
“He knows. Every hurt and every sting. He has walked the suffering. He knows.”

Just be Held – Casting Crowns
This is one of my favorite songs. Beautiful: “There’s freedom in surrender. Lay it down and let it go. So when you’re on your knees and answers seem so far away, You’re not alone, stop holding on and just be held.”

Nothing Compares 2 U – Chris Cornell version
I just discovered this version by Cornell that is on the playlist. I like the Sinead O’Connor version but I can’t listen to it. “It’s been seven hours and sixteen days, Since you took your love away.” Here’s the O’Connor version:

Colorful – The Verve Pipe
The Chris Cornell song reminded me of this song that was on the Rock Star soundtrack so I added it to the playlist. I just love the final scene in the movie when this song plays.

Happy Sunday.

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Monday, Training & Racing Update – Week 2

Races:

Rock Hopper Chocorua Race – canceled.

White Mountain Tri, Ragged Mountain Stage Race, IM Mont Tremblant, Gunstock Trailfest – still on!

Training:

Training is going well. I ran every day last week which was big (BIG) for me. It is good to get back into running shape. It’s so easy to lose it. I ran my favorite 10 mile loop from Winant into Swope in Concord with so many hills, rocks and root.

1,428 elevation change!

This is now week 2 of 28.

The big test this week is going longer. I’m excited to have today off and get in a 40 mile week!

Week 1 & 2 – 100 Mile Training Plan

I didn’t get to bike at all last week. The snow, rain and wind prevented that. Plus, my mountain bike was in the shop after the chain broke on my ride last week. I brought it in for a full tune up so it was gone most of the week. I’m excited to road and mountain bike this week; and the weather forecast looks good!

Happy Monday!

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Thoughts on Hope

There are moments I think we all feel hopeless about the future, and that nothing exciting will ever happen again. I know I felt that way almost every day this week. I start down the path of negative thinking and my mind spirals. 

This morning on a hike with my dog this happened and I couldn’t shake it. 

I hiked from the usual start on the Winant Trail and randomly took one of the many spur trails and ended up on a windy, back and forth trail that I’d never been on. It was one of those trails perfect for mountain biking because it helps you practice sharp turns and zig zagging up a hill. 

I only saw one other person and his dog during the early hike. The sun was shining and it seriously was a perfect day but my mind was not so perfect. 

Towards the end of the hike back to my car Winnie disappeared for the longest amount of time. She loves chasing squirrels or digging in the dirt. Ten minutes later she appeared on the trail after searching up and down calling her name. She was out of  breath, tongue hanging to the side and dirt all around her snout. I was so mad but at least she came back. I got back to the car and drove home in an even more foul mood.

When I’m in a bad mood like this I write; and today I wrote while sitting in my sunroom trying to get rid of my dark thoughts. I started writing about how I feel pessimistic about the future. 

But then I began thinking about last year. 2019 was such a game changer for me. I started dating again and just when I thought I’d never meet anyone I met someone. I started to really liking my job. I trained for 28 weeks for an A race. Nothing about all these things was perfect but thinking about how they came into my life – many by chance, by taking a risk, by changing my attitude – changed me in such positive ways. 

As I sit and write I remember how everything – everything – can change on a dime.

I’ve had the same morning routine for five weeks: get up, open the curtains, walk the dog, drink coffee. Thirty five days in row.  I want and need a change. I think about how one little event or action can change it all: a phone call, an email, a text, a random conversation. Everything can change in an instant. And these random acts can change your thoughts, your mood, your happiness and the future. That’s what I want to remember.

As I write about this hope, I decide that I will try to be the one who gives it to someone else instead of expecting it all myself. So that is what I’m going to do today. I’m going to call, text, send an email. 

This is what writing does for me. It helps me process what is going on in my head and change it around. The simple act of pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) makes me more hopeful. Thanks for reading.

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2020 Reboot, New Training Plan

January started out pretty good. Training, Life, Work. 

February was tough. Seasonal depression, cold, snow. Training was tough. Life was tough. Work was good. 1 out of 3 isn’t too bad.

March was okay. I adopted the perfect dog. The pandemic hit. I worked from home. Training was okay then the YMCA closed.  I lost momentum for all the above reasons.

April was much like March: work from home, walk the dogs, run or bike when it didn’t rain. No training plan. Races canceled. 

It’s time for a 2020 reboot. It’s time to get on a plan; to train for something. 

I’m turning my A race to the Mid State Massive in Massachusetts in October.

This week’s training schedule.

While I still am registered for five other races, my most important goal in 2020 is to finish a 100 mile race. Okay, truth: and to finish an Ironman. Oh yes, another truth: to complete the 3-day stage race. 

But if everything gets canceled, I’m still hoping, and will start training tomorrow, for the October 2020 100 mile race. 

But hopefully these races happen: Rock Hopper Chocorua Race, White Mountain Tri, Ragged Mountain Stage Race, IM Mont Tremblant, Gunstock Trailfest.

I hope all these races happen.

I’m going to do what I told myself I was going to do in 2019. This was my Leadville 100 mantra that I had to start using at mile 20. It didn’t work in 2019 but I have a feeling it might just work in 2020.

Katie Arnold
– Katie Arnold, winner of the 2019 Leadville 100

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A Quarantine Life

I’ve been staying home since March 10. Every day I watch and read the news, work, take care of my dogs and sometimes write. The parts of my life that have really changed since the stay at home order is not seeing my parents once a week, not going to the gym, not meeting friends at restaurants and working from home everyday. While it’s been a disruption it’s not total chaos, yet. I’m not complaining about any of it. I’m choosing to remember the silver lining in it all. I just don’t know what it is yet.

I read stories about people who have the virus and are suffering. I read stories about the people who have lost their jobs. Sometimes these stories paralyze me with sadness and fear. But I’m not going to stop reading and watching the news. We have to pay attention to these stories. We have to know the stories that are being told. We need to know and understand the difference between the truth and the lies. If you pay attention, you will know who is telling the truth. 

Training Update

Sometimes I think about how last year at this time I was in full on Leadville 100 training mode. It was my number one goal and fed every part of my life. I can’t imagine how runners are feeling now that Leadville or their other A races will most likely be canceled this year (I hope it’s not). I’m not on a training plan right now. My next race, the Gunstock Trail Festival has been postponed to September. I have two other races I’m signed up for: 3-Day Stage Race in August and Ironman Mont Tremblant. It’s too early to tell if they will be canceled or postponed. Regardless, whatever happens I’m fine with it. I will race them trained or untrained, if they happen.

For now I’m running and biking everyday. I’m mixing it up with road and trail depending on weather. The weather the last three days have been gorgeous with highs in the 60s so I’ve been riding my tri bike. My endurance is improving a little each day. Since I didn’t bike indoors all winter I’m starting from Square One and it’s okay, I like seeing incremental progress. My hope: this weekend ride 40 miles. 

Goldie-Dog Update

She is a crazy dog. She has gotten out of her collar twice now. She sees a bird or squirrel and just goes nuts. When she pulls on the leash it hurts my back so much so I try to get in front of her to distract her attention. Then, she somehow wiggles around and the collar comes off. Luckily, she stays close and will come into the house, but geez. 

She plays and plays with Winnie, sometimes antagonizing her by just casually walking up to her and biting her ear. It’s funny to watch but I know that sometimes Winnie is just not in the mood. Goldie is so cuddly and just needs to be close to me. I just love her to pieces. 

Book Update

The new book is coming along, slowly. I add a little bit to chapters as I think of sentences and ideas. I’ve been preoccupied with reading the New York Times (I still have two Sunday editions I haven’t finished) and watching Homeland.

Heroes