Training Log Archive: BorisGr

Event: Billygoat Run
 

We really have some great people in orienteering, and I am grateful and proud to count them among my friends.

Ok, I should write down how the race went no matter how disappointed I am.

Start-7: Saw from the start that Ross-Jordan-Sergei were going to be too fast, so I thought of it as a battle for 4th. Knew this would be difficult as Wyatt, Robert, Ali, Sam, Carl, Giacomo, Andrew, Ethan, Sergei G, Vadim, Balter, Marie, Nate, Alexei, Andis and some others were up front right from the beginning.
I was with Wyatt for the first few controls, thinking that the pace was pretty quick. Going to 7, the pack split a bit, and I went left, which I think was the best route. I executed it nicely, and was suddenly alone with Robert, ahead of the chasing pack.

8-14: At that moment I decided to gamble and skip 8, hoping to leave the pack behind for good. I convinced Robert to go with me, and things were going well at first. We woke up 8, and orienteered quite well all the way through 12, me in front the entire time. Coming out of 12, we saw Ross coming in, and I realized that we were already caught by the yet-to-skip leaders. This rattled me going to 13, and I executed it poorly, meaning that Ross was now with us. I kept wanting to do my own thing, so I took the road to 14, while Ross and Robert went straight. This let me stay with that, even though they were running faster.

15-17: Then the hills to 15 and 16 came, and I had nothing. Walking the uphills, even as Robert shouted encouragement and Ross stayed within sight by taking a bad angle to 16. Then Jordan came by. On the way to 17 it was downhill again, and I made a rookie mistake. Tried hard to make up ground and regain contact with Ross, Jordan, and Robert, and I just ran without reading the map. Made a stupid error that cost about a minute. Coming into 17, I saw the whole massive pack appear from my right, and I was completely dejected.

17-18: I was stumbling along here, feeling weak and defeated. Again, did not bother looking for the best route, but just followed Ali, Sergei G, Vadim, Carl, Giacomo, and Marie. We took a bad route and climbed an unnecessary, very steep, hill.

18-31: In the butterfly loops, the running got easier, and I just cruised along with the pack, navigating again and starting to enjoy myself more because of the great woods and fun orienteering. The pack stayed pretty much together through the butterflies, though after 27, I read the 18/23 control as 28 and headed to it while everyone else took the straight route to 28. Realizing my mistake, I ran hard to catch them, which tired me out a bit, but I caught the pack (sans Ali). We stayed together through 30. Then, going to 31, I made a mistake attacking the control, and took Carl, Giacomo, and Marie with me. By the time we recovered (45 seconds later), Ali, Sergei, and Vadim were gone.

32-F: I ran the rest of the way with Carl and Giacomo, with Marie a bit behind but hanging on the entire way. I looked for ways to get away, but the juniors were impressive and orienteered perfectly. They were both stronger than me at the finish, and I didn't give much of a fight, limping to a 10th place after last year's victory.

I was really disappointed with the result, but I think I would still have chosen the same approach if I had to do the race over again. I did not want to be in a big pack, but rather wanted to see if I could hold them off by independent navigation, thus skipping early to get away. It didn't work.

I should also say that everyone around me in that chasing pack orienteered really well and avoided major mistakes, while maintaining a good pace the whole time. Very impressive.

Also, a great win for Ross! He deserves it, and I hope we will see many more battles between him and Jordan in the future.

781/2000

C • Different plans for 4th... 1

Collecting controls, first in the nice woods up in the northern butterfly, then the last four controls.

Billygoat - Splits

Event: Speedy Goat Sprint Relay
 

Jogging before, after and between races.

Speedy Goat Sprint Relay - Leg 2
Tarrywile Park, CT

I ran in a team with Marie, and she handed over to me around 7th place, just behind a spread-out pack of PG, Ethan, Sergei Gnatiouk, and Katia. I ran very hard from the start to get closer to Sergei and then took the trail up to the butterfly control, getting by Ethan. Had some hesitations on the first loop, where Jordan went flying by, but ran well after that and handed over in 3rd, behind Jordan and Vadim, and just ahead of Sam.

Speedy Goat Relay - Leg 4

Marie had another solid run, and I went out just behind another pack. This one contained Sergei, Ethan, and Sam, with Vadim over a minute ahead in 2nd, and Jordan another minute in front with the lead. I chose to cut through the green going to 2, and gained some time on Sergei and Sam, getting ahead of them. Then climbed slowly up to my next control and passed Ethan along the way. After contouring along to #4, I was surprised to see Vadim come in from the opposite direction. I had slight bobbles on 5 and 6, but then ran well to get in front of the pack, with only Ethan right on my back. I took a safer route to the last control, #9, and Ethan got a couple of steps in front. I pushed hard on the long uphill run-in and managed to get ahead of him for 2nd place, far behind the impressive team of Jordan and Giacomo.
This was really fun! Thanks to everyone who helped organize!

Picking up a few flags after the event

A-2 - Splits

B-2 - Splits

Event: Cemetery Hill Inaugural Sprint
 

East Rock, first with Kat, then by myself on the usual perimeter loop. Everything is green and lovely.

Had to go by Becky's place to drop off some Harriman maps, so I took that opportunity to run her sprint course on the Yale map in reverse. Feeling tired, so I only ran until the control that was conveniently place on my house.

Weighed in at 174 lbs this morning - about 15 less than in November.

C • Weight 10

Back in civilization after an amazing trip.

Inbox is jammed, so sorry if you need something from me. I'll try to unjam everything tomorrow.

C • welcome home! 3

Training! Went for an easy run with Becky around East Rock. Beautiful afternoon, beautiful company.