Training Log Archive: TomN

The annual Bumble. I was the first finisher last year, running Brown (2 windows), but we were encouraged to run our usual club course, so I chose Green (3 windows). It seems fair.

Until I got the map, I had planned to avoid the northern section, because the terrain there is not much fun, but looking at the map it was really the best choice. So I followed a small group turning to the right after the first control. I got to E just behind the leaders, but they were out of sight when I got down to the lake. I stayed behind Glenn up the hill but we got onto the wrong trail and were basically forced to go to B, the farthest north control. Then C, D, and A.

I hadn't thought out how I was going to get to the next window. but the trail run along the river looked pretty good, given that it was flat. So a long way around to F and G, and I'd been thinking I'd go straight to H, but again the trail route looked good and offered a dead easy attack to H, so way around the trail again to H, then back onto the trail and up the stream to I and J.

From J I went straight to M, and I could see the control as I was coming down the hill just inside the third window. Easy to O, the reentrant was also visible on the approach. O to N was the only place I lost time. I don't know what happened. I came up the left-hand reentrant and thought I saw the green, but I didn't see the rootstock. Kept going up the spur to the east, backtracked and finally found it, near where I had originally looked. Lost around 2-3 minutes.

L and K were straightforward. Then only the last control was left. I went straight north from K, crossed to the power line, took the trail to the right when it diverged, then headed straight down to the reentrants. I hesitated going in, because I saw a lot of runners going up higher in the reentrant, but it turned out they had already punched. Nadim passed me there and I stayed right behind him all the way into the finish.

The Bumble - Splits

27 degrees and sunny. There's a high wind advisory but nothing in the air yet. Pretty comfortable, really.

I was going to go to work (because I can, after more than a month) but I knew I would only be talking about the furlough and I wouldn't run. So I stayed home, exchanged work emails, and ran at around 11. No ankle brace. I was ready to cut it short if anything hurt, but nothing did, so I went for the 7-mile loop.

When I wasn't running or doing work emails, I was designing courses for the Wheaton event in 3 weeks. I got 8 courses on paper. I'm going to leave the trails in. I think I managed to keep the best routes off-trail.

Control pickup.

QOC Patapsco Hilton, Green course. I started my watch late. Going to #7 I was looking at #8 on the map, so I went the wrong way, but corrected and wouldn't have lost much time except for a bit of head-scratching when I was changing objectives. Then I had some trouble with #8 on the long rocky slope, couldn't read the contours and lost track of where I was. Other than that, no orienteering difficulties. Pretty nice course in rugged terrain.

My ankle was fine, but I had a sudden sharp pain under the other kneecap going towards #9. It came and went from then on. Don't know what that's all about.

Green - Splits