Training Log Archive: O Joy

Green course on Day 2 at Remarkable Flats: Despite the name, this course didn't seem very flat. C1 and 2 were in detailed rocky area where I was happy with my terrain/map reading, ended up S of where I expected for C3 but adjusted based on other Green ruuners, lost a lot of time on C5 (along with a number of other runners) until I climbed a flat rock feature and saw the control W of where we were looking (should have approached from the hill rather than to the E of it), rest of the controls were easy and faster.

Green - Splits

Twin Boulders Green Course After the three Lamarie Days, I was apprehensive about a 6.8 km 9 control Green course. The course had the longest legs I've ever run but I must have learned something in the past three days as the navigation was reasonable. The only control I had real problems with was C2 which was over 1 km from C1; crossed the fence, then the green marsh too hesitantly, climbed the hill and intended to go off the NE slope to the control but must have been too far S, decided to go N to marsh to relocate and happened by the control on the way :). C7 was another over 1 km leg to the very edge of the map but I was really happy with my close to the line route and catching myself with the two boulders at the edge. Overall really fun course and a confidence builder.

Green - Splits

Short course at Devil's Claw. This was really hilly and the climb was significantly increased by mistakes. Mass start following the line to C1 and then up a too early reentrant to 2 and ended up making an unnecessary marsh crossing, went down to the marsh and went up one reentrant too late to C9 but got some redirection from runners coming out of the control, bobbled C10 a bit by not climbing up the reentrant far enough, C11 was fine and then on C12, I followed a long course runner too far across the clearing and lost a lot of time crossing another deep reentrant S of where I should have been but managed to relocate and finally find the control, took the high route to C13 but the reentrant may have been better. Not a good day for confidence building.

One Cowgirl Relay at Pitcher Hill: We arrived late for the start due to our reliance on our device for the directions to the start. First time ever on a 1:15000 scale map which messed with my head for most of the loops. Struggled with my loop 4 as it was similar enough to my loop 1 that I convinced myself that it was the same loop and I navigated to C1 of loop 1 rather than loop 2. Started the final loop and found C1 but time was running out, there was nearby thunder, and in trying to find C2 in the rock garden, I ended up circling around to C1 again so bailed.

Moose Outlet Short course: Even with our gradual trip to Lamarie, the over 8000 ft altitude made climbing the hills on this course difficult. I was about midway in the mass start train so had lots of elephant tracks and people to follow to the controls. Was passed at C10 by Eric Bone and Nick Barable on the long course, then at C11 by Ali Crocker, and surprised by Aidan finishing just seconds after me, fourth on the Long course and not that far behind Ali. It was fun to see the top runners on the same (but longer) course.

Shake-out walk in Edgemont, SD.

Badlands National Park Sheep Mountain