Training Log Archive: possum

Having not done 9Round for two weeks, I expected today to be hot and sweaty, and it was. It felt like intensity 5, but was really a 4.

The terrain at the Round Mountain part of the map was even less distinctive than day 1. Lots of rocks and boulders like Day 1, but even less topographic detail. Going from 6 to 7 was my biggest mistake. This area had lots of campers, OHV's, and trails. I was following my bearing when I hit a group camping, and changed gears to walk around them. Then I got confused with all the trails, and had to relocate. I must have lost focus a little near the end, because I did a very sloppy job going from 9 to 10. But I did finish this course 4 minutes faster than yesterday, and it was 0.2 km longer.

Overall, I was happy with my performance. Only one major mistake each day, and I remedied them fairly well. Including both days, with difficult terrain, it was a good effort for me, and I really have more confidence in being able to orienteer. There was also quite a bit of competition for the 70+ age group.

Now I'm fired up to start running again, and get faster. More training!

Brown Y - Splits

Event: 2014 US Classic Championships
 

This terrain is technically difficult in that there isn't much in the way of distinctive features or topography, so here isn't a lot of route choice either. Mostly it's just set a bearing and travel.

I was super cautious going to 1, since I frequently mess up at the start. The only two controls that I had problems with were the leg from 2-3, just long and featureless, and a really bad bearing on 4 to 5. I'm not sure why I went so far west, but I knew when I had gone south far enough, thought about it, and went due east and right to the control then.

Breathing wasn't too bad, although I didn't try to do any running at altitude, even when on the trails. The hardest breathing was walking uphill to all three events, when I felt like the Little Engine that Could, as I went puffing up the hills.

I hadn't planned on doing the Trail-O; this was my first attempt, but I had to wait around anyway and thought it would be a good practice and also help acclimate me to the altitude, so I signed up for the recreational Trail-O, and only got 4 of the 16 correct.

The walk to the start was very long, and the walk back was even longer. I even got a blister on my right heel. I haven't had a blister with these shoes before, and typically get them on the left heel, so I don't know if it was just the very long walk, or if this is a portent of things to come.

Brown Y - Splits

I did part of the model today. Had a little trouble with number 4 and had to relocate. Going from 5 to 6, I walked around a rock and came face-to-face and about 15 feet away from a bull elk. He just stood there looking at me. I was pretty freaked, forgot all about control 6, and slowly walked away.

Then I went to 7 and finished. I was still shaking when I got done.