The guy at the gate didn't like Connie escorting three cars through security. The sergeant had no trouble, but the security-gate-guy didn't like it.
Last year we were swamped with registrants right at 8 a.m. This year, we weren't. Maybe people were worried about the temperature. This year it was cool at the start (maybe upper 30s?) but didn't feel cold as there was no wind. Last year was warmer at the start (maybe low 40s) but felt cold as there was wind.
We should have brought the big "FINISH" banner.
Fort Leavenworth is such a nice place to run and this is the perfect time of year. The trees are all changing and the weather is nice.
There are plenty of small problems with the map. They could be fixed, but it is a pain to get up there and do mapping. The orienteers who run usually complain about the map.
9 AM
orienteering16:33 2.94 km (5:37 / km) ahr:147 max:167 5c
I ran the short course at Fort Leavenworth. My plan for the day was to work registration/download and get in some running if it worked out. Plus, I'd run the cookie course.
When registration slowed down and someone was available to download (and download was working fine), I ran the short course.
I didn't warm up. Probably not the best decision.
I felt like I was running ok. The navigation was straightforward. The map is more of an adventure race map than an orienteering map.
Fun.
5
orienteering5:05 1.05 km (4:52 / km) ahr:157 max:171 8c
I rested a little bit after the short course and then ran the cookie course. I worked hard. I'd put out the markers in the dark, so I had that advantage. Not that it would really matter.
I glanced at my watch on the way to 7 and thought I'd have a shot at being under 5 minutes. That helped push the effort on the last little uphill. And, I finished in 4:59 (SI time...I started my watch before punching the start and after punching the finish). That was kind of satisfying in an arbitrary way.
The cookie course is popular at Ft Leavenworth. It is a short course (~0.9 km) on a 1:2000 map. The course doesn't cross any roads and is mostly visible from the start area. Lots of kids do the course on their own while their parents keep an eye on them. And the prizes are cookies. There are lots of different categories, so lots of people win cookies.
Mara, who helped with registration, beat her sister by 1 second. The short course makes the times tight.
I slept poorly last night and thought about just skipping tonight's run. But I got out the door and that was good. Even if the run was short.
I ran a course on the map that covers our house and Holcom Park. I had an old course and ran it again, but in the reverse direction from when I ran it last. When I ran it last was when I found the handgun used to kill someone. That was memorable and awful.
There was lots going on in the park. Some kids practicing football and other practicing lacrosse. The football didn't look fun. Kids moving for about 10 seconds, then standing around while a coach talks. Lacrosse looked more fun. On the other side of the park a bunch of people were playing cricket. Fun.