Evolution
Noun
An unfolding
Opening out or working out
Process of development
Gradual, progresssive change
A movement that is part of a series or pattern

Those of you who know what I read will know the source and reason for this. I read a book where the participants described the workouts they were doing as "Evolutions". This took a while to sink in but it makes perfect sense. After all, those who do specific training for specific races are hoping to achieve anatomical adaptations that lead to better performances. The evolutions that we do lead to changes in our bodies that ultimately help us to win.

With that in mind, is there a specific reason for a workout that you are doing. Is it part of a larger training plan or evolution. If not, why are you doing it? Are you calling it a training when in fact it is just wasted time? I need to ask myself all the time, what benefit will this training do for me? How will it lead me to improve. How would I classify it? What specific anatomical adaptation will it achieve?
I have three primary goals for 2008
1. Qualify for and win the USARA championships
2. Win the checkpoint tracker series
3. Win the US rogaine championship

This weekend was time well spent toward those goals. Saturday I ran 20 miles up at Green mtn. My winter was spent injured and my running suffered. I have been attempting to increase my mileage and time on feet. It is a slow process of increasing mileage in order to avoid overuse injuries. I wasn't real fast but I ran all the hills and was completely pain free. Pupose - endurance and hillsToday I paddled around Bainbridge Isl. all 26.3 miles of it. Same deal working up my mileage and endurance. I have many other workouts including, speed, hills, tempo, and recovery. And of course, these are applied to my three main discipline sports.

What are you doing to get you to your goal?
Lord Cromwell

More Photos from the baja adventure..Return trip

What happens when you pull hay? The dogs go wild for mice. that's my Sister in Sonoma getting hay for the horses.

The horses are better trained than the dogs. When its time to move them from the pature to their stalls for the night, put the food in the stalls and just open the gates. No guidance necessary. They just run for it.

What I wouldn't give for an orange tree in my back yard. Fresh oranges year round and the blossoms are great smelling.

This is what my legs look like when i leave a gap between my tight and my socks. Ouch! for some reason they looked like this on the back too. I can't figure that out.

Lord Cromwell

We had an incredible weekend up in bellingham. It is a great place to workout and train. Seegs came down from BC and Cyril even had a wedding on Lummi island so he joined us for Sunday. Saturday morning we had breakfast and headed down to Laraby SP. We ran the 30k center of the chuckunut 50k course. The 10k beginning and end is just a railraod grade in and out and not worth running. It was a geourgeous day. This was JVG's first big run since BVG joined the family. I would bet that she is fairly sore today. I don't hink that I could run that distance so soon after a C section.

After the run we loosed up with some frisbee and transitioned to paddling. We got it just over an hour. I was hoping to 2-4 but such is life. we also found a great climbing wall that we can top rope next time out.

Seegs went home on Saturday night and Sunday we hit Galbraith. this was my first time riding up there and it was great. It is a nice mix of terraine and stunts. It was alot like capital forest, banner and a bit of seatac all rolled into one. i will definitely be back for more.

Photo above is RVg riding a log skinny

RVG adjusting his seat for the downhill ride.

Running the back valley of Chuckunut. normally during the race, this is a 10k mud pit. Best conditions I have ever seen.

View of Baker from chuckunut ridge

Jen taking in the view.

These are what my shoes look like after a few hours treking. I knew that something didn't feel quite right but I couldn't be bothered to fix it.

I've had just about enough at this point.


















Ahh the maps. all the excitement of seeing the course.














Glenn and Sean showing off a bit before the race.

Step up to the plate. Time to hammer into the surf.

Its great to be home. The computer is broke so pics will come later. David didn't recognize me with the shaved head but all is good now with 5 kids running around screaming and generally causing chaos. I'm going back to bed

Lord Cromwell