Training Log Archive: BigWillyStyle

Ragnar, Leg 29. Pretty wrecked after the end of my second leg, especially the calves, and had a bit of a queasy stomach all night, but managed to get about three hours of real sleep and 1-2 more off and on during our van's first three morning legs. I didn't have much speed left in me, and this was also the hilliest of my three (relatively flat) legs, which added up to a pace ~30s slower. I passed 18 people, for a total of 94 (our team had a lot of pace variability, which probably inflated the numbers for some members). Sort of feel like a jerk for keeping track, but counting is definitely a way to stave off the tedium. I also got ambushed and passed early on by an extremely impressive mid/high 30s woman who was crushing at a six-minute pace. I was like, "Damn." Sometimes when you're thinking you're just the awesomest it's good to be reminded that other people are way more awesome.

Overall a fun and successful experience individually, and collectively our team (orienteering members included Ali, Eric, Zarina, and myself) did great - we finished in about 26:45:00, coming in under our projected time by nearly an hour. Thanks to Ali bringing it home strong we also bested Team Beef from Montana, who became our de facto rivals after we started in the same wave and yo-yo-ed back and forth basically the whole race. Team Beef was literally a team of Montana cattle ranchers with pictures of steak dinners on their shirts; one guy was handing out beef jerky samples. I'm told we finished around the 90th percentile overall, and 95th among mixed teams.

Team portrait.

UPDATE: 53/539 Overall; 22/354 Mixed Open.

C • Damn. 4