Training Log Archive: BorisGr

Evening run in Fairy Stone State Park. The campground was open, so the park had a lot more people in it than the last time I went for a run there. Really nice to get out. I definitely struggled on some of the steep climbs, but felt ok otherwise.

Stretching and flexibility before bed.

Feeling run down.

Upper body + core. Today we had a 3-4' black rat snake come visit. I looked out the window and saw a snake lying on the railing of our porch. It then slithered down the porch, along the house, and down into a gutter, where I assume it lives. Rural life has been anything but boring!

Training so I can run more -0:08 splits.

C • -0:08s 2

Stretching and flexibility only.

Event: BOK Gray Owl -Rock Garden
 

When we got to Gray Owl, Alli headed out on her green course, and Inara and I went to the remote start to do Orange. Between the walk to the start and the 3.3km course, we were out for 2.5 hours. Inara walked most of it, and it a pretty good job of running to flags once she spotted them! I was really impressed with her. We saw lizards, snakes, and frogs, so it was a good day out.

After getting back from Orange, I was pretty beat, but decided to head out on Red anyway. It was 87F and very humid, and I was dead from the start. It was one of these days when you run the downhills and maybe the flats, but end up walking even the slightest uphill. It was a struggle the whole way, but I am glad I went out. Fun to see Keith Andersen at the event, too. USMAOC grads are everywhere!

Thanks again to BOK for organizing another fine socially distant event. The small size of the club really allows these events to fee very safe - I am never anywhere close to other people, and there are no crowds at all. QOC, by virtue of its large size, would struggle with such events at this time...

Splits: https://backwoodsok.org/orienteering-at-gray-owl-a...

Will post map shortly.

Loops on the gravel road in front of the house, first with Inara and then with Alli.

I had a few hours and headed out in an attempt to climb the Pinnacles of Dan, which is a hill/rock formation/mount rising up from the valley of the mighty Dan river. The drive up the valley is pretty cool, with tall, lush hillsides rising up on both sides and the Dan rushing like a torrent from the Blue Ridge above.

The alltrails.com directions said something like "Drive to the end of the road. Go into the hydroelectric plan. Go to the second floor. The guy there will talk to you for a long time and then give you a permit. Then proceed along the trail for half a mile and cut up into the woods. Climb the very steep slope until you get to the top."

I was looking forward to a conversation with the hydroelectric plant attendant, but a sign on the power station read "Due to Covid-19, by crossing the bridge behind this building, you acknowledge having read this sign and are granted permit to hike."

After half a mile, I randomly cut up into the woods, which involved crossing a horrible 20-yard patch of multiflora rose, which took 10 minutes and a good amount of blood. After this, I was in the nice, open, but very steep woods. No real trail to follow, and a lot of climbing on all fours, grabbing on to trees and rocks, and hoping to not grab a millipede by accident.

Eventually I got to the summit ridge, which had steep drop-offs in two directions, and cool intermittent views to the Blue Ridge Parkway in one direction and the hills of the Primland resort in the other.

Several large rocky outcrops remained between me and the summit. I got over the first couple, but then came to one that was too exposed and slippery (it had rained nonstop all week) and I decided to turn back. The downclimb was fairly uneventful, though I did slide on my butt a few times, catching myself on tree branches.

It was nice to get out and challenge myself, though I probably would not recommend this hike/climb to a lot of people. However, the river valley is gorgeous, and it was great to come back and walk along the river with Alli and Inara two days later.

Up and down the gravel road in the pouring rain. Builds character or something.

C • cartographers 9

Upper body strength.

An evening terrain run as Inara fell asleep on the couch while watching a movie. Really nice out, but the woods are a lot greener than they were a few weeks ago. Saw a (live) box turtle, which was pretty sweet after finding like seven shells...

HIIT and core. Good workout.

I failed at working out yesterday. I started and got through the warmup three separate times, but life got in the way each time. Alli gave me more time to do it in the evening, and I just had no energy left. Stretched lamely for a few minutes and called it a night.

Lower body strength + abs.

I am starting to wonder what the fall orienteering season will look like. Currently, the Rocky Mountain Orienteering Festival and the Billygoat are scheduled for Labor Day. What are the chances either will actually happen as planned?

C • My predictions 14

We went orienteering again! This was a BOK event at Carolina North Forest outside Chapel Hill. Again, you had to pick an hour during which to start, and there was a limit of six starts per hour. There were never more than a handful of people at the "arena", and everyone was good about social distancing. You were even asked to bring your own pen to sign the park-required waiver with.

The forest was very runnable, with gentle contours, and an extensive network of mountain bike trails. These were sometimes helpful, and sometimes confusing (there are constantly new trails popping up). I almost think the map would be better if they were just left off.

Alli ran the green course (and finished second!) while Inara and I played near the finish. Then I went out on red. I am clearly unfit, but I still tried to push reasonably hard. I bobbled about 20 seconds each on 1, 2, and 3 (the map was strange at 3), as well as 5,6, and 9. I think I ran out of steam after half an hour so, as my last few splits are noticeably slower, and I got beaten on the finish split.

It was a lot of fun, and really enjoyable orienteering. Thanks BOK for a second great O experience in a row!

Map: https://photos.app.goo.gl/LWxbidiJ3se7tomP6

Splits: https://backwoodsok.org/results-carolina-north-10-...

C • mtb trails 8

4_Red - Splits

A quick run in the Fairystone WMA while Inara slept.

Apparently sculpting my butt and thighs left me with too much material, so today I had to slim and trim them. Not sure if this was successful.

Got out for a quick evening run on the gravel road before driving to the grocery store.

Today's workout had a lot of complex movements which are above my coordination ability. I did a set of traditional leg and lower body strength instead, while Inara was "cleaning up" around me.

I went orienteering! I was looking up North Carolina wildlife management areas this morning when it occurred to me to randomly check BOK's website. Whoa! They have a meet - today! It happened to be at their map that's closest to where we are, so we pre-registered and went. You had to sign up for a one hour time slot, and the limit was 6 starts per hour. That seemed like good social distancing policy.

Joseph and Ruth ran the event out of their house, on the edge of some gorgeous terrain. The red course had a middle section of a recently remapped "rock garden" area at 1:4000. That had several butterfly loops in an area of great rock and vegetation detail. A total blast! I really enjoyed getting out into the woods and finding controls on a nice area. Thank you BOK!!

Results: https://backwoodsok.org/results-05-02-3-20-oriente...

Map: https://photos.app.goo.gl/xVfQtmbS1p1R5CSLA

Inset at 1:4000: https://photos.app.goo.gl/eiddp5EaGa9txrsM7

C • Real actual physical orienteering 4