Training Log Archive: NP

Orienteering in St Edward State Park. Surprisingly first. 3 big mistakes: on the leg 1-2 - I didn’t notice small trail and run further. The trail was under leaves and indistinct. There were times when I didn’t understand I was on a trail or not. It distracted because it was on-trails-only venue. The second mistake wasn’t a mistake as I figured later looking at the map. I thought I missed shorter indistinct trail but it wasn’t really any (you couldn’t shortcut from one trail to another, on-trails-only venue). Lost some time on checkpoint 10. Hadn’t noticed it first time, ran further, came back.
Interesting thing about leg 11-12. I used a west variant: ran uphill straight forward and then to the south-east with a little elevation lost. I was faster other girls. According to Strava everybody used an east variant, very loopy.

I know two situations when you need moving even if it is difficult. Mountain desease - the best way to get better is moving. You can do anything but don’t just lie.
And after long races moving is the best way to come back to normal form.

I can run uphills, quite good on flat, but very painful downhills.

My first marathon. I was expected the result would be in range 4.15-4.30. At the race start I was thinking what pacers I should to run with: 4.10 or 4.25. Decided to try with 4.10. And it was quite easy. Till 30 km and hills. Before it was quite a big pack of runners behind pacers. But after first hills was left only one girl and me. It was not easy, after second hill and trying to keep pace my leg’s muscles became stone-like. 5 km before finish I started feeling cramps in legs. It was awful. You have to run only 3 Km-s to the finish and it is very painful. Especially finish-line downhill. But I had to.... and I did it!