Training Log Archive: Sandy

Hanging the white controls and checking a yellow.

Can't find my splits but I know it was 57 something. It was sort of fun running the course knowing where I needed to go and where I needed to be careful but also sort of boring since I really didn't need to look at my map very carefully. So it was much more about physical training than orienteering training. I was pretty beat but managed to push for a lot of the course. Made up big chunks from yesterday on the leg where I tried to put my contact back in before just chucking it (about 4 minutes) and another 3 minutes on the leg I flubbed yesterday. Today I pretty much went right to it on a careful compass reading so I really don't know what happened yesterday. I got sloppy near the end and was doing things from memory and not looking at the map at all and had one leg where I took longer than yesterday by close to a minute. But felt pretty good moving in the woods - there's very little rock on the ground at Prince William and so I can actually run, even the downhills.

C • That's what I like to hear! 1

Knee feels reasonable tonight.

I feel completely beat. But in a good way.

C • that's one of the best feelings! 1

Green - Splits

Green - Splits

Hanging the last loop of controls for tomorrow's event at Prince William. Took a spill and my leg was forced to bend really far. I screamed. I got no sympathy from Valerie - all she was worried about was that I didn't scream again so that the SAR group out working on terrain reading that we had just passed didn't hear me and come charging to the rescue.

After a minute or two it stopped hurting enough that I could stand on it and then walk on it and by 5 minutes later it felt fine. And in fact it sort of loosened up the joint and my knee felt better than before the fall. So in the end not bad at all.

C • Scream 5

After setting all the controls and water, ran the green course. On the way to the first control my eyes were tearing enough from the cold that I washed out my contact. I fumbled around for a minute or two trying to put it back in and then decided to just run without it. I figured the map wasn't really all that detailed and since I had been to all the controls (although almost every one from a very different direction) I would know what I was looking for and wouldn't need the contacts to read the map and since the woods are all so wide open I wouldn't need them for distance either. Was running really well and having a total blast with only one or two places where I hesitated. The footing was terrific and the woods are beautiful and I was feeling really good. And then I must have read my compass wrong, or held my map wrong, or not held my compass flat or something because I knew I needed to be more left and my compass kept telling me to go right and I ended up way right of where I wanted to be. But then when I corrected I misread something and again ended up not where I wanted to be. A few minutes later and I finally made my way to the control. I tried to shake it off and keep pushing but I lost a little steam and drive.

But up until then I was feeling really good moving in the woods and reading the terrain and having fun.

It was cold and rainy all day and when I got up this morning I was sure I was going to wimp out and not run a course after we had put out the water and the controls. But Valerie was determined that we were going to run and I felt okay and so off I went. I'm so glad I did as I felt pretty good and had a lot of fun. Hopefully I'm getting closer to a really clean run. Maybe next weekend!

Setting controls for the PWF event on Sunday. Those woods are so nice...

There's a couple of controls that are a bit dicey - it will be interesting to see if Valerie gets grief for them. (I'll be long gone by the time people will be finishing.) The controls are in the correct spots and the features are definitely there - the supporting features nearby are just very subtle making the controls a bit bingo-ish.

Short hill loop. Not so fast, but not terrible. I've got a cold so I'm hoping that's all it is. But I felt very unstable on the downhills and know I slowed way down a few times.

C • downhills 1

TNT at the Ahlswedes. Almost didn't go but very glad I did. Walked down to the drive with Jim, ran three very slow (11:20 pace) miles and then walked back up. It's a bit longer walk down and longer uphill climb on the way back since we went down at a different place then when we start from my house.

Really good meal afterwards by Karl. Who is already talking about soups for the winter!