Training Log Archive: Vector

Another nice cool night run under the stars

Event: OCIN / TROL Easter Egg-O - Governor Bebb
 

Another day of perfect weather for orienteering! Did a couple controls on the easter egg hunt w/ Gavin & Becca, then went out on the Green. Hard to believe its been a year since the last Easter Egg-O at Gov Bebb Park, which was my first O-race after returning from the deployment, Gavin could barely walk, now he's all over the place! Green course was fantastic, and another runner's course, very enjoyable variety in scenery and orienteering phases...started with a bunch of quick-turn forest controls, then long legs of running & some good route choice legs, then a lot of sprinting through small trees and open runnable, then finishing it off with a return to the forest, and a dreaded steep uphill to finish as the grand finale. Very happy with my navigation today as I spiked almost every control. But I was definitely feeling depleted of energy on the way to 13 and beyond, so I better get in better shape. Here's my leg comments:

1- spike
2- spike
3- trail jnxn AP, passed Gavin & Becca on the trail, spike
4- the thick green scared me, so I went uphill, but spiked nonetheless
5- spike but slow up the hill
6- spike, but too big a curve
7- spike
8- spike
9- ran to 2, then south on trail till I could cut over, hesitation because it was right on the trail
10- spike but slow up the hill (noticing a trend- hate hills)
11- Ran the road past the start..about the time I got to the start area I realized it probably would have been faster to run down the hill from 10, take the trail and then road following the river all the way to 11- no climb! but by then it was too late, so I kept w/ original plan to head IVO 20 and then trails from there, still spiked it
12- really didn't want to to climb, so took trail west of the big hill that led me right to 12
13- tired going uphill, bearing to creek CF, then right...had a little bit of bobbling find it, just wasn't where I expected, but close.
14- ran along the edge of the field, spike
15- spike
16- spike
17- spike
18- went alf way up the wrong hill (SE of 17), then had to go back down and then up, ugh
19- spike
20- spike
21- took trail just west of the OB area- once again motivated not to climb, seemed to work ok, spike
22- ran the stream to the buildings and then up to 22, got thorn cuts, spike
F- huffing and puffing, asking myself why I do this along the way, spike

C • a belated nice run! 2

OCIN_Gov_Bebb_Apr_2014_5 Green - Splits

Event: OCIN / TROL Easter Egg-O - Rentschler Forest
 

Nice and fast-paced course out at Rentschler Forest, definitely felt like a Sprint. First run in the new X-Talon 212 O-shoes--digg'n them already! I noticed the excellent grip, stability and significantly lighter weight than my ppv shoes. Pretty happy with it. Biggest delay on the course was at #4 as I ran into the gulley AP a bit faster than I expected which sent me into a bunch of self-questioning in pause. Good wakeup call to see where I'm at w/ the Sprint speed, I need lots of improvement in the speed department. Couldn't have asked for better weather and great to see a bunch of Navy JROTC out there plus a coworker. Went on Easter Egg hunt w/ the little one and the Mrs for a few controls too. Pretty awesome day of orienteering all around!

Toughest White course EVER! Complete mayhem! Let me explain-- Decided to switch from the Blue today and spend some more time w/ my son by doing the White rec with him, which also would enable Becca to run her own course, Daddy becoming hero for the day. Little did I know how much heroism would be required to finish what I thought would be a leisurely stroll through the forest w/ my son! First there was mud, *lots* of it. So that turned into me doing a lot of Gavin carries. Then I realized when seeing the map the distance- ~3.5 km! (Pretty long for a white, but it was the Long day, and that info was published beforehand, so I should have saw that coming and packed the carrier backpack). Then Gavin dropped the e-punch somewhere, so we backtracked and scanned a ton, just couldn't find it. By now we've done a hefty amount of extra-curricular walking looking for the punch, so I put him on my shoulders and we moved on. After another control that we manually punched, Gavin FALLS ASLEEP WHILE RIDING ON MY SHOULDERS!! He kept falling over dead asleep hunched over on my shoulders...completely perplexed how he can just fall asleep like that so suddenly and in such crazy situation, how can he sleep like that!!?? So then I moved him off my shoulders to a normal carry so his head is on my shoulder and arms under his legs in front of me. HE WAS DEAD ASLEEP ALMOST THE WHOLE REST OF THE COURSE AND WE WERE ONLY HALF WAY DONE WHEN HE FELL ASLEEP!! My arms were killed, back started hurting, one pain led to another the longer I carried him. After a little bit I then realize, NO MAP!!! WHAT THE HECK!!?? I put in my pocket earlier, so it must have fallen out after some of the wrestling around of Gavin moving positions and such. So now I have lost my punch, lost my map, and I have a dead asleep Gavin to carry the whole way back! Thankfully it was a White course, so just follow the trail to the finish... but what a trail it was... a trail of goopy mud slop, back uphill, a long way! By the way I was wearing a bit to much clothing and had a backpack full of toddler supplies, food, and other contingency materials on board, and a little too much by way of clothing, so I was sweating it. Saw the finish area but no way to take a short cut due to the raging river... so keep walking up the muddy hill, ugh! Then the river crossing. Finally Gavin wakes up right before, but he doesn't want to walk and indeed the only way back is to wade through the fast moving water... with Gavin on my shoulders! Fairly shallow though, so I moved through very carefully with horrifying thoughts of what-if's if I slipped and fell. Despite my worries Gavin seemed to be pretty excited to what he woke up to. Made it across with no issues as Ali sped past us. Final stretch run to the finish, Becca waiting, then we dashed to the finish with him on my shoulders, Becca ran alongside, passed the punch we lost to Gavin (a nice person found it and turned it in), and Gavin punched the Finish control. Yes, Daddy *is* hero of the day... or at least that's what it felt like at the Finish. phew!

C • that's what you get for switching 5

OCIN_FP2014_Mounds_Saturday_Long_1 White - Splits

Event: OCIN Flying Pig XVIII / US Interscholastic Champs
 

Slipp'n & slid'n, plus some near-swimming, heck of a run. The multiple knee-high river crossings added an interesting and exciting element. My SUV got stuck in the mud at a bad choice for a parking spot before starting even in 4x4 and I felt terrible driving on the grass but it was the only way out of where I parked (downhill), talk about soggy, sorry!! (Yet another reminder I need to replace the tires). On the O-course one river crossing was up to my waist! Regretting not getting new O-shoes like I've been meaning to lately, could have come in real handy today w/ such a slippery course. But my goal today was to run a no-mistake navigation race even if it meant throttling back on the speed. It was my first Blue A-race without making a single major nav mistake. Add to it the slippery conditions and I throttled back ever further, so overall I was fairly happy with this run. My plan to #13 was a good one had it been normal water flow conditions, but I got scared off crossing where I planned and thus rounded south and west around the river south of 13 until it split in two, so spent a *lot* of time detrouting due to river concern there, but I like my original plan. Physical unpreparedness was an issue, but that was expected. Seemed more like a Classic than a Middle course. So all things considered I think this being my first A-meet of the year I am probably on track for hitting my goal to score in the 70's for the first time by the end of the year. Fun course, very scenic, and always like an adventure an and an adventure it was. Once again an amazing OCIN / Flying Pig event, thank you OCIN!!

C • adventurous and near-swimming 2

OCIN_FP2014_Bear_Creek_Friday_Middle_11 - Blue - Splits