Training Log Archive: BigWillyStyleIn the 1 days ending Mar 25, 2014:
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Tuesday Mar 25, 2014 #
7 AM
Note
Now that a couple days have passed and things have settled somewhat back to normal, it's time for me to recap my first Team Trials experience. I have many conflicting thoughts and emotions about the whole thing, so this may be a very disjointed post, and I'm sure I will forget some things that are swirling around in my head and add them in later. This is meant to represent a catharsis and thus may seem stream-of-consciousness at times.
The most important thing to say right now is congratulations to the WOC teams. I'm glad to see that Eric's injury issues (clearly) didn't hurt him, and that Tori made the team! Awesome. And of course, Katrina! Top-scoring junior, and one spot out of the last WOC "alternate" slot - in just three scores! That was so so cool to see. Woo Cascade!
So, first question - am I disappointed not to make the team? The answer is complicated, but the most correct one would be no, because that's a relative outcome largely beyond my control. I am, however, disappointed not to have been able to run at least one of my best races. Would I have been disappointed to have three great races and still not make the team? Who knows. Making it this this year was always a very long shot - it would have taken three excellent races in the middle and sprints, with no margin for error given my lack of a representative previous ranking. As it happened, I came away with two average races and one sub-par race.
To the numbers: 95.41 (5th place), 91.94 (T6th), and ~91 (15th) for a total of about 278.35, which was good for 11th overall including petitions. The bad news here is that I left at least 3-5 easily attainable points on the board for each race, but the good news is that I left three 3-5 easily attainable points on the board for each race, and still scored above 91 each time. The worst thing to happen would have been putting up those scores with three great runs, because that would have meant a simple but very disheartening lack of physical fitness. Instead, I showed myself that I am able to run with almost anyone in the country, especially in a sprint - I scored over 95 in the sprint despite 45 seconds of errors. It also shows me that my physical ability, right now, was arguably able to carry me into the 3rd-7th place range, and certainly into Alternate territory.
What do I conclude from that? Mainly, it's the best possible validation of my physical training over the past 15 months, and of the progress I've made so far. From the start, WOC 2015 and beyond was always my main goal - making it this year would have *almost* been too easy. I say that only half jokingly - I love what Ian said: "The prize is now all the sweeter for the challenge it has been."
I also now finally understand why elite orienteerers - or athletes of any kind, really, especially in solo sports - sometimes burn out and quit the sport. The stress, uncertainty and self-doubt associated with success and failure at the highest levels must surely be crippling at times. I've only had a tiny glimpse into that window, but I don't think I liked what I saw.
That's not to say I'm considering quitting - quite the opposite, in fact. Whatever negatives orienteering may potentially bring to my life are far far outweighed by the positives, the most notably one being a part of the tight-knit local, national, and international community I've been privileged to join over the last year or so, with such a variety of friendly, interesting, intelligent and goofy people.
It's now time to move on from the Trials. Hopefully I'll get some solid ranking scores and my rank will climb into the 90s where it belongs. That triple-digit sprint score continues to elude me, but I know it's out there because I ran one at Sprint Camp. Looking forward, my focus now turns to the US Relay Champs a month from now. With Eric and Tori's Trials performances, Cascade suddenly has a REALLY interesting team - watch out y'all other teams. Other than that, lots of good local events coming up, plus Boggs Mountain, Fishtrap, and further out, Canadian Champs and NAOC.
This post is now long enough, so I will stop writing now. I don't think I've written this many words at any one time or place since grad school. Okay? Okay, stop writing now. Stop. Why are you still writing words? What are these words that are happening?!? Hey, you - yeah, you reading these words that I am writing. STOP READING MY WORDS AND MAYBE THEY WILL STOP BEING WRITTEN. I'M SERIOUS, ST-
The most important thing to say right now is congratulations to the WOC teams. I'm glad to see that Eric's injury issues (clearly) didn't hurt him, and that Tori made the team! Awesome. And of course, Katrina! Top-scoring junior, and one spot out of the last WOC "alternate" slot - in just three scores! That was so so cool to see. Woo Cascade!
So, first question - am I disappointed not to make the team? The answer is complicated, but the most correct one would be no, because that's a relative outcome largely beyond my control. I am, however, disappointed not to have been able to run at least one of my best races. Would I have been disappointed to have three great races and still not make the team? Who knows. Making it this this year was always a very long shot - it would have taken three excellent races in the middle and sprints, with no margin for error given my lack of a representative previous ranking. As it happened, I came away with two average races and one sub-par race.
To the numbers: 95.41 (5th place), 91.94 (T6th), and ~91 (15th) for a total of about 278.35, which was good for 11th overall including petitions. The bad news here is that I left at least 3-5 easily attainable points on the board for each race, but the good news is that I left three 3-5 easily attainable points on the board for each race, and still scored above 91 each time. The worst thing to happen would have been putting up those scores with three great runs, because that would have meant a simple but very disheartening lack of physical fitness. Instead, I showed myself that I am able to run with almost anyone in the country, especially in a sprint - I scored over 95 in the sprint despite 45 seconds of errors. It also shows me that my physical ability, right now, was arguably able to carry me into the 3rd-7th place range, and certainly into Alternate territory.
What do I conclude from that? Mainly, it's the best possible validation of my physical training over the past 15 months, and of the progress I've made so far. From the start, WOC 2015 and beyond was always my main goal - making it this year would have *almost* been too easy. I say that only half jokingly - I love what Ian said: "The prize is now all the sweeter for the challenge it has been."
I also now finally understand why elite orienteerers - or athletes of any kind, really, especially in solo sports - sometimes burn out and quit the sport. The stress, uncertainty and self-doubt associated with success and failure at the highest levels must surely be crippling at times. I've only had a tiny glimpse into that window, but I don't think I liked what I saw.
That's not to say I'm considering quitting - quite the opposite, in fact. Whatever negatives orienteering may potentially bring to my life are far far outweighed by the positives, the most notably one being a part of the tight-knit local, national, and international community I've been privileged to join over the last year or so, with such a variety of friendly, interesting, intelligent and goofy people.
It's now time to move on from the Trials. Hopefully I'll get some solid ranking scores and my rank will climb into the 90s where it belongs. That triple-digit sprint score continues to elude me, but I know it's out there because I ran one at Sprint Camp. Looking forward, my focus now turns to the US Relay Champs a month from now. With Eric and Tori's Trials performances, Cascade suddenly has a REALLY interesting team - watch out y'all other teams. Other than that, lots of good local events coming up, plus Boggs Mountain, Fishtrap, and further out, Canadian Champs and NAOC.
This post is now long enough, so I will stop writing now. I don't think I've written this many words at any one time or place since grad school. Okay? Okay, stop writing now. Stop. Why are you still writing words? What are these words that are happening?!? Hey, you - yeah, you reading these words that I am writing. STOP READING MY WORDS AND MAYBE THEY WILL STOP BEING WRITTEN. I'M SERIOUS, ST-
C • Word 14
6 PM
Running 40:20 [3] 5.03 mi (8:01 / mi) +120m 7:28 / mi
Welp, guess it's time to start training again. Emotionally, it feels a little like starting back at the bottom of the mountain, but it's important to realize that's not at all logical or true.
Easyish run around Bridle Trails. Had to push HARD - much harder than I would have liked - to get the fourth mile under 7:00. Still pretty sore from the weekend.
Miles:
1. 8:46
2. 7:33
3. 7:48
4. 6:59
5. 8:58
Easyish run around Bridle Trails. Had to push HARD - much harder than I would have liked - to get the fourth mile under 7:00. Still pretty sore from the weekend.
Miles:
1. 8:46
2. 7:33
3. 7:48
4. 6:59
5. 8:58