Training Log Archive: BigWillyStyle

Event: Run Black Diamond
 

Team Trials middle. Super technical and physical first half of the course, relatively easy second half. I had lots of problems early on (1, 2, 3, 5) and played catch-up for the rest of the race. Many people were unhappy with the length - I, however, was thankful for the extra distance, being that I could finally use some speed on the last seven or eight legs. Happy with the result overall, particularly the fact that I had four top splits (10, 18, 20, F).

This is essentially my first time racing competitively at a major (inter)national event since JWOC in 2005, and my first time running against many of the top East Coast guys, so I came in with very ambiguous relative expectations, i.e. stay "in the mix" as much as possible with the other Senior Team members. In my case, this will of course be most doable in the middle and the sprints.

Middle Blue - Splits

Is is Friday yet?

Start times exist...I guess we're really doing this.

I AM LOSING MY MINDDDD

Event: Cedar Mountain Navigation Race
 

I've yet to find the right frame of mind for the 2-4 hour mini-rogaine. I never know whether to take a high-intensity orienteering approach or a low-intensity jogging/hiking approach, or to what degree to mix the two.

The result is that I usually end up starting much more slowly than I should, and taking a couple miles to get into the swing of things navigationally and physically. Such was the case again here. On this occasion a week before the Team Trials, I also planned to give sub-maximum effort, and to treat it as a training run rather than a race. I probably went about 75% for the first hour, then picked it up to 90% or so after descending from the hilltop and slipping a bit further into competition mode.

Still, I enjoyed the event very much. Some really nice terrain and good maps, and it was great socializing with everyone (both on and off the course), which was important given the "bonus" time we all spent hangin' around.