Today was my first run of the dish since returning to Stanford. I walked the hill loop on Monday. The Dish is a natural area (except for the satellite dish) on Stanford University lands. The hills rise a few hundred feet and there is a nice loop that is listed as 3.5 miles, but it’s probably more like 3.3 miles. It’s paved but there is usually some gravel on the side. The clockwise direction of the loop rises more steeply and the counterclockwise is more gradual. These hills are great training for the ultra trail runs and speed mountain climbing. Check out the Official Website (unlike the photos on the website, the hills are golden now).
I ran the dish as part of a 40 minute run today. The actual gate-to-gate loop took me 23 minutes at a conservative pace and I got 12 minutes of consistent climbing on the way up (I went up the more gradual hill). My intention is to start rather conservative, build a hill climbing foundation, and then start pressing the pedal a little more. What I have done in the past is bust a hard hill run right away and then lose motivation to do hills thereafter. This time, I’m going to make it an enjoyable experience and by the time I am ready to move faster, it won’t be so painful during the run. Even more importantly, I’ll be able to walk normally the next day!
Arrillaga: I also visited my favorite gym for a workout focusing mainly on back muscles. Tomorrow is a busy day, but with no class Friday, I should be able to find time for an Arrillaga workout.
Leor Pantilat's Adventures