Discussion: Heads up - US Team training in February

As previously communicated to Team members, the week between the Interscholastics in Texas (15-17/feb) and the Western States Champs in Arizona (23-24/feb) US team coaches Eric Bone and I will be organizing some training activities. Developing plans are for training in Texas (Bastrop) 18 and potentially 19/feb and around Tucson 21 and 22/feb. Focus is going to be on navigation exercises but I plan on mixing in various physical training stuff as well. The training sessions will be open to all, not just team members, and for anyone interested in coaching these sessions will include a lot of tips and pointers on technical and physical training for orienteering. More information will be provided closer to the dates but we wanted to get this note out there now for anyone interested.

Thanks!

I have noted in the participants lists for the 2 events that there are a lot of uncertainties, i.e. "if I can find someone to share accommodations, ground transportation with" etc. I assume quite a bit if this is driven by financial issues as well. I suggest that we start getting a grip on the needs and solutions here so we can maximize participation. Who is looking for shared accommodations and transportation? Who is going to be there and can provide tranportation and accommodations assistance? (For example, Eric and I plan on renting a car/cars, and we might as well fill it/them. If need be I can rent a minivan) Anyone who can step up and help coordinate needs with offerings?

There's free camping at the meet site...!!!

Edit: There's free camping at the Tuscon meet site... Sorry about not clarifying.

I can coordinate needs with offerings for Tucson. If you need transportation or a place to stay, or have extra room, send me an email and I'll make things happen.

Bastrop State Park has an extensive number of camping sites. However, I would recommend making reservations through the Texas Parks website because it can get busy: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ There are also a number of hotels only 5 minutes away for those interested in sharing rooms.

Developing plans are...

Are the plans for Tucson pretty definite for Feb 21-22? I just want to be sure before I commit to plane tickets...

The dates are definite for Tucson, the developing plans are related to the details of the actual training sessions, i.e. we are still working out exactly what terrain, maps and training exercises. Eric and I both arrive Tucson tuesday evening the 19th.

These trainings are also listed under the "Events" section of AP. Please sign yourself up to give Tom a better idea of who and how many will be attending...

im now planning on attending the arizona meet. im thinking about flying in on wednesday, but havent bought plane tickets yet. i still need to find people to share transport/ accomodation with. im not picky, a floor space would suffice

those interested can post here or email me at ercu89@yahoo.com

I am arriving in Tucson on Wednesday the 20th at 1:35 pm. If anyone is arriving around that time I would love to share a ride out of the airport.

I was just able to get a Compact car on priceline.com with a bid of $18 per day. (Published price was $32 per day.) Just FYI if you're a bargain hunter...

NE girls Samantha and Eileen, I know of two more NE girls going to Tucson that would make a good 4some for you. Corinne and Kseniya. Kseniya has booked but I don't know the particulars and Corinne is working on her plans. Also Corinne is thinking about keeping the car rental to drive after the meet to SD, CA to visit HS friends for a day or two but she will pay the extra cost herself.
I know that Corinne is willing to camp if that is the way you want to go and I don't think Kseniya would mind either. I know for both of these girls the cheaper the better.

i'm attempting to rearrange a work schedule to make it at least on the 22nd. are the two days similar in material presented and exercises?
thanks, i'm looking forward to it!

Does Friday's Team training complement the model event and trail-o? I'm just wondering whether I should sign up for the trail-o or not.

Thursday and friday trainings will be different in content, i.e. will be in 2 different areas and will do different exercises. We are trying to work it out so that fridays' training is on the same map as the trail-o, (but not in the same area). I plan for the trail-o to be the last session of the camp, trail-o is excellent map training! Hope this helps, I plan on doing more detailed planning this week-end.

More detailed plans for the training camps:

Monday 1/18 (Texas) - Bastrop

AM Long legs - compass/direction training towards catching features, speed change and some route choice legs. Using primarily the middle portion of the Bastrop map, i.e the section which is more subtle. (ca 60 min)
PM "Tennis match" - short legs w lots of direction changes. Run in pairs w alternating chase start (2-3 leg sections). In the more contour-detailed western part of the map. (ca 45 min)

Thursday 1/21 (Arizona) - Chimney Rock/Italian Trap

AM First a 10-15 min warm-up/ then plyometrics ca 10 min/ then contour only training (ca 60 min)
PM 10-15 min warm-up/ then one set strength intervals/ then middle distance training (ca 40 min)

Friday 1/22 - Arthur Pack

AM Detailed compass/Direction exercise/ entry and exit from controls
PM Trail-O and/or Model event.

I also plan on scheduling individual coaching discussions with jr and sr team members during both weekends.

"Spirit of the Marathon" is probably going to make a return appearance Thurs Feb 21, and I heard it is going to be playing in Tucson. Tickets will be available for purchase online starting 1/25. I think Sara Mae Berman is in it.

>"Spirit of the Marathon" I just bought tickets for Thursday, Jan 24, in Manchester, CT.

The theater where Spirit of the Marathon will be playing in Tucson is centrally located and about a 20 minute drive from the meet hotel (and 4 from Casa Cristina). Sounds like a good evening activity for those in town for the training.

And of course we can meet first for beers at 6 with Drinking Liberally

Just getting this to the top of the list again. And one note, for the thursday afternoon training (middle distance) I plan on adding in a relay training exercise.

looking forward to this, I will be bringing 3-4 young juniors

is this training appropriate for novice juniors?

Cheapest (chain) hotels in Bastrop: Days Inn (across from park), Super 8
$54 single / $59 double (pre-tax)

>>jingo6390, the trainings probably aren't appropriate for novice juniors on their own, but with someone running together with them they can be good challenging exercises. I will try to set the exercises so they can be shortened easily.

Is anybody driving from Dallas to Tucson? I know at least one junior (licensed driver) looking for transportation between the events. At one point I thought there was talk of having a "team van" between the events but i'm not seeing anything about that now.

So how, when and where does one hook up with the training on the Thursday in Tucson?

Keep watching this space for more detail, but the plan is as follows. 8:30 AM meet at A-meet hotel (Quality Inn Airport) for common transportation out to the training area, which is about 30 miles away but takes 1h+ travel time. Google maps link

AM Training will start at 10 AM. Lunch on-site, bring your own! Afternoon training at ca 1 PM then travel back to the meet hotel. Rides can also be coordinated from the meet camping site.

Bring along for the training a towel or light mat to lie on for doing strength exercises, lunch and recovery food and lots of liquid (sports drink/water).

Eric and I will be meeting in Texas to put together the final details and any changes will be communicated here on AttackPoint.

//Tom

I'll add to what Tom said that if anyone is still in need of transport or lodging, let us know and we'll see what we can do to help. We have offers to put people up at the homes of a couple generous Tucson folks.

And please post here if you have transport or lodging to share, especially transport if you're camping at the meet site.

I live on the NE side of Tucson, so I will be driving directly there, is the training location at one of the sites TOC uses for meets (on Redington Road)?

I'm flying Southwest and arriving in Tucson at 10:40pm on Wednesday Feb 20. I'm happy to share lodging Wednesday night, if space is available (floor is fine). For the rest of my stay, the plan is to camp at the meet site. However, I won't object to soft bed and warm shower if there're folks looking to share a room and keep the cost down.

Oh, and I haven't rented a car yet.

An update on the training plans:
Thursday AM: warm-up & plyometrics, then contours-only course at Italian Trap (bring a towel or foam sleeping pad for the pre-O exercises)
Lunch in the field
Thursday PM: strength intervals, then middle distance training at Chimney Rock

Friday AM: Detailed compass/direction exercise at Arthur Pack (same site as the trail-O but using the area of the park not used for the trail-O). Park and start in the residential area West of the golf course, on N Camino de Oeste, not at the main golf course parking.

The Thursday venues are indeed on Redington Road, nearly across the road from each other (Italian Trap is to the SE of Chimney Rock). Venue directions are at the Tucson Orienteering Club website

I'll confirm times with coach Tom Hollowell and post an update.

I forgot to mention that the training at Bastrop State Park (near Bastrop, TX) is still happening Monday (tomorrow). There will be two sessions, a pretty early morning session and a mid-day session:

AM - long legs.
PM - "Tennis match", short legs with pairs alternating chasing starts.

Start locations for the morning and mid-day sessions.

Training start times:
2/18: 9 AM and noon
2/21: 10 AM and 1 to 2 PM (after lunch/rest)
2/22: 10 AM

Eric's link above (for the Friday AM training at Arthur Pack) for N Camino de Oeste goes to a google map which centers on downtown Tucson. Don't just print it and assume the arrow marks the spot. You have to type in "N Camino de Oeste, Tucson, AZ" and that gets you to a view which shows the right area. West of downtown Tucson, exit I-10 at W. Cortaro Farms Rd (exit 246) and go east for approx. 1 mile. Then left (north) on Camino de Oeste for about a mile.

Sorry, I guess Google maps doesn't automatically save the current view when it generates a link. I just generated another link and edited the post above to include it, so it should work now.

Alex Bora and I will be at the meet site by 10:00 am on Thursday.

Breseman grp (incl myself, Ryan, Rick, Marissa, Eileen U.) plan to meet at Chimney Rock @ 10am.
Leaving Tucson 8:30am.
Is there somewhere specific to meet on the map?
Please call (one might have better reception than the other):
(907) 382-0940
(425) 483-6592
See you tomorrow!

Meeting place for the AM session will be on the south side of E Redington Road, about 3-4 km past the turn-off to Chimney Rock (Bellota Ranch Rd).

The Thursday training was fun and good. Thanks for putting it on. Amongst other things, I learned which pointy plants to stay away from. As Cristina calls them, the daggers were the worst. Though they look like small clumps of green grasses, the pointy tips of these succulents find a way into your ankles if you land on them.

The compass bearing training on Friday was equally good. The flat terrain (1.25m contour interval), saguaro cactus, dry washes and mixed vegetation were great for this.

Yes - today was really awesome. I learned a lot about the value of point features! Very fun terrain to run in. Thanks Eric & Tom! Thursday was great too, learned a lot.

http://hollowell.spana.com/view_category.php?id=25...

Images from the week that has been, i have more photos from todays sprint but i am going to sleep now so i will have to uppload them from swe when i come home...