Training Log Archive: hkleaf

Event: COO Ohio State University
 

COO Event - Ohio State University Campus, Columbus, Ohio.
Long Course: 6.4km, 20c, ?m (1:7500)
Course Setter: Alexander Preobrazhensky
~85F, clear, sunny, some breeze.

Essentially a very long sprint around the campus of OSU, except there were a few things not up to sprint standard. Map was 1:7500, though I didn't know because none was listed, nor were there contours and N-lines. I dealt with those just fine. It was the lack of specificity in the control descriptions and flag placements that had me frustrated throughout the race. #2, 7, 8, 11, and 18 weren't quite where I expected them. Lost significant time at #8 (saw the flag hanging in a tree just as I was giving up) and #13. #18 was more of a map reading error on my part, but a better description would've helped. I guess I've just been spoiled by the higher quality A-meet setups the last few weeks.

Overall, this was still a fun course. Would love to see a real sprint map in the future. I enjoyed running around the campus. Because it was such a nice warm day, lots of students were out playing or just laying about. So there were plenty of distractions along the way :) Pretty happy with my concentration, planning ahead, etc. I pushed the pace to test the knee on pavement running, and it held up just fine!

COO Event - Ohio State University Campus, Columbus, Ohio.
Short Course: 3.0km, 11c, ?m (1:7500)
Course Setter: Alexander Preobrazhensky
~85F, clear, sunny, some breeze.

Jogged the short course (same as #1-11 of Long), mostly on memory. Had to take a peek a couple times. Some slight variations on routes, but still picked a bad one to #11 - fail to take the bridge to save unnecessary climb.

Walked/jogged through campus en-route to the ice-cream place to hang out with F, K, & Buddy the Greater Swiss Mountain dog. Turned out to be much farther away than expected, so I got a ride back 2/3 of the way back afterwards.

Event: Camp Ransburg O-Meet
 

Warming up in the parking lot while waiting for my start. It's already very warm out, but this was needed to get the legs loosen up properly. They're sore from the strength session yesterday.

ICO Event - Ransburg Scout Reservation, Bloomington, Indiana.
Red Course: ~7km, 13c, ?m (1:10 000, 5m)
Course Setter: Jerry Lyons
~83F, clear, sunny, some wind.

Carpooled with Mike and Adam for this event. Long drive, but it's a nice area, it's hilly, and also another Zherdev map. Control locations were not very difficult, but I still made a few very bad mistakes. Contoured too high to #2 and almost missed it. Attacked #3 one spur east of my intended one, but didn't lose any time. Then missed my attackpoint for #4, ignored the alarms in my head, and proceeded to run along the wrong reentrant to the road before admitting/correcting my mistake. Probably lost 10-11min here. Made a parallel error descending to #5, and worsen the problem by correcting away from the control. Another 4min lost. Went to the wrong boulder first at #6. #7 was a good leg. Then promptly screwed up #8 after getting to my attackpoint (saddle NE). Searched a couple min in the wrong reentrant as a result. The rest of the course actually went ok. But the heat (first 80-degree day of the year?) and the climb were brutal enough to zap me of all energy. 8oz of water at #6 just wasn't enough for today. Legs still seemed to be recovering from West Point.

Lessons learned: heed the alarms in my head, navigate to my attackpoint, read the map extra carefully when approaching the control circle, and beware of parallel errors especially when descending after climbing over a ridge.

I'd like to think the mistakes were heat-induced, but reality is that my navigation has been lackadaisical the past 2 weekends.

Had a nice lunch with Dan and her friend in Bloomington before our return trip. Long day!

10min warm up, 25min @80%, 10min cool down. Legs just couldn't go fast enough for HR to reach 85%+.
Read the Day2 Blue course from 2007 Western States Champs (at Boggs Mountain).

Leg press @160# (3x15)
Hamstring curls @80# (3x15)
Back extensions (3x15)
Side steps w/ blue band (6 lengths)
'Monster' walks w/ blue band (6 lengths)
Squats w/ 17.5# dumbbells on upside down Bosu (3x15)
Single-leg jumps landing on Bosu (3x15)
Walking lunges w/ 15# dumbbells (6 lengths)
Standing knee extension w/ black tubing (3x15)
Side jumps w/ black tubing (3x15)
Two-legged hops on the spot (3x30)
Two-legged hops forward and back (3x30)
Two-legged hops side to side (3x30)
Single-leg (left) hops on the spot (3x30)
Single-leg (left) hops forward and back (3x30)
Single-leg (left) hops side to side (3x30)
Push-ups

67F, mostly clear - Running the Pig's Sunday Long Green course for practice. The session had 3 main purposes - 1) to find my rhythm again after the debacle last Sunday, 2) to get in some hill running, and 3) to run on a Zherdev map.

The results: I was able to go at a speed where I can read the map and navigate cleanly. Being back in familiar terrain certainly helped. The only non-spike control was at #9, where I contoured half a line too high and missed seeing the very low rock wall. At least my distance judgement was correct. If only a flag was hanging there... I jogged up all but a couple hills. Sadly, physical fitness seems to be the limiting factor to my current race speed and endurance, and it's not something that can be remedied quickly before the trials. I used a soft brace for the R-ankle. It was fine but still felt weak and shaky on certain landings.

There were lots of people out enjoying a nice, warm evening - walking, jogging, disc-golfing, etc. Bumped into Heather and the trail runners by the oval.

Time and distance here includes a short jog from car to start and back from finish.

C • Great run! 2

After refueling at the Comet, went to UAF for a little more cardio work.
Read the Day1 Blue course from 2007 Western States Champs (at Boggs Mountain). It gave me a better idea of what to expect for control locations. I should probably study Eric Bone's and others' routechoices next.

Avg. 2:07.4, @6, 32spm, 312c.

8min warm up, then 5x4min intervals @threshold with 3min recovery inbetween, and then cool down.
Studied the Boggs Mountain model map along the way, and imagined myself powering up those hills.

Ankles are a bit tender, and legs are tired still. I guess they really took a beating from the West Point rocks...

Short walk around the block to get the legs loosen up after the long all-night drive back from Boston.

113th Boston Marathon - as a spectator?

Various walking around Boston before, during, and after the marathon. Legs felt pretty stiff and tired from the weekend.