Training Log Archive: maprunner

PTOC event at Crowder State Park. This is a new map, and they were offering a mountain bike course, so Mike, Gene and I felt compelled to go. Even though it is 2.5 hours away from home (and that's due to distance, not traffic). The woods were great, much less underbrush than our usual areas. The contours were very generalized (no Lidar data for this area). I liked the course design.

I deliberately started late, so I would see others in the woods. I got to practice ignoring others and focusing back on my map and my plan. Had a problem keeping a straight line as I left 5. Also, I got tired after an hour or so, and missed that the marker was on the "side" of the gully at 9, so I spent some time looking around there.

Overall, I had really good focus today and lost very little time. Yeah for progress!

My route.

C • Nice execution on a long co... 1

C • maps! 5

C25K

A beautiful spring (!) day, so I had to bike. Even though there was a fierce wind out of the west. Stayed on flat areas to compensate.

Mike, Sandy, Matt, Mean Gene and I met on West campus. First we did one repeat of Ulrik's hill. My time was 6:55, which is pretty good for the first time out this season. My HR started to go down near the end, which is a bit strange. Monitor problems?

Then we jogged over to part of the O map and did 5 short interval course (two controls each time). The goal was to run these pretty fast, which I did. This counts as my sprint drills for the week. I was suffering. Yet my HR was 110, then dropped off all together. Damn! I never seem to get his new strap to work well when I'm doing intervals. Need to figure this out. Unfortunately, I was sometimes distracted by my HR, so I didn't do a great job of focusing tonight. Otherwise, fun exercise and nice to train with others.

OK event at the Overlook, with courses set by Gene. Temps were in the 30s today (70s yesterday and tomorrow; what bad luck!)

I worked registration, and then went out on the long course (I had run the middle course a few weeks ago). I made sure I prepared to race today. I drank a caffeinated drink (which I usually avoid) because I knew I was sleepy from a busy week; and I took a few minutes to remember my goals and turn my brain from meet worker to meet competitor, as I stood at the start.

I chose to stay in the woods to 1 and 9, just to practice moving through the woods. I had to refocus after I saw the Golden Girls at 4; but otherwise I was alone on the course.

Only real mistake was choosing a route to 12. Gene had told us that the lake was low, and that could affect route choice, but I forgot. Climbed the hill to the open field, and then remembered. So I altered my course to run around Sander's Mound (which I have never done before). Decided to climb straight up towards 13, which may or may not have been smart.

Focus was uneven today. Lots of times I had to remind myself not to think about my time, not to let my mind wander, read the map. But it paid off. I was within 7 minutes of the winners, who are two guys about half my age.

Lots of newbies and Lawrence residents today: good to see. My route

Back out to 12 to pick it up