Training Log Archive: smittyo

I really liked today's course. It's been a long time since I've done a course with so many good long legs and route choice problems. Not to mention that I could actually see where I was going today. More open woods and more trail options made for faster going. Again, no really huge errors. The most significant loss of the weekend was at number 2 today. After executing my route well and getting into the area just prior to the control, I hesitated a little, relocated, and figured out I was still short. Continued on a line to the control and then hit the green just past it. I was confused because I hadn't seen the control. I figured I might be too low. I found a ride and went up . Hit a plateau with some more green. Stopped and relocated again. Determined that I was just on the ride that was right next to the control. Went back down and finally found it. I have no idea how I missed it the first time. I must have walked right by it without seeing it.

Overall, a nice weekend. I really liked the contrast between the two days' courses.

Long Green - Splits

Middle course at Boggs Mountain. After today, VERY glad I didn't sign up for the team trials. I would have been slow anyway just from the deadfall and the climb, but the rain fogging up my glasses really made it bad. As I saw that my time was going to be over an hour, I figured that the rain had just ruined my ranking. But apparently the course as a whole was slow enough that I actually had done well. What a surprise! I didn't have any significant technical errors, and this seems to have made the difference. I ended up with one of the top female times on Green for the day. And, since I hadn't really had a chance to run all out, still with energy left for tomorrow.

Middle Green - Splits

Event: US Team Trials & Return to Boggs Mountain A Meet
 

Unfortunately, I had to work. My AP students take their test on Tuesday and I really didn't want to leave them so close to their exam. So I didn't make it to the sprint. Harvey and I drove north in the afternoon and stopped for the night in Vallejo. Very glad that I didn't sign up for the Team Trials as I really haven't managed to do the endurance training I would need for that.

200 paces / 4 reps / about 100 walking paces recovery for each interval.
Finally got a new watch battery, but the guys who replaced messed up the band somehow and it fell apart, so I still couldn't use it. The time is approximated based on how many paces I did in the intervals.

Warm-up / Cool-down and recovery between intervals.
This is the time of year when the birds scare me. I was out right at sunrise this morning and the little birdies in the Joshua Trees made scary noises when I ran by. I think they're protecting their nests. I've been especially scared of ravens ever since one bared its talons at me while mapping Vasquez Rocks. There are lots of ravens in the bunny field - scary.