Training Log Archive: MDeVoll

Ran the Cliff Cave O-meet today. A great course--kudos to Jeff and Carrie for putting on such a good race. I extended myself a little. Usually I run orange, but the two options were yellow and green/red, and I went for the longer and more difficult.

Aside from a lot of fight and mud (all through the race, lots of spills and small branches, with one in the eye early in the race), I cruised through the first five. (Note: the race had two maps with an exchange midway. One map had 8 controls, and one had 6. I started with the one with 8). On the way to the sixth, I got disoriented and, once I got to where I was sure the control was, I spent about 20 minutes looking for it. It was absolutely frustrating, especially since if I wasn't in the right place, I had not the least idea where else I could be. I was so close to Cliff Cave that I used it as a spot to reorient myself, and still I fouled up. I ended up finding a control in a re-entrant that looked right, but even after seeing the number wasn't the right one, I punched it anyway, thinking I'd screwed up in recording the control number (the clue card at that point having been torn off my control card where it was stapled). Later I confirmed it was the wrong one--crap. Anyway, I'd moved on and found the rest of the controls without any more major errors.

Looking back on the race, I noticed a few things to remember down the pipe. One--I need O-shoes, or something with cleets. Two--when I transfer the clues onto the control card, I need to be very careful to record the right numbers. Not only did I doubt myself at number 6, but when I got to number 7, I noticed the number on my card didn't match that control either. (That control ended up being correct.) It was surreal. Three--I spent a lot of time reorienting my map again, just like last race. Not sure why it's gotten to be a problem lately, but I think some more practice running with a map and keeping it oriented will help me. Finally--on a positive note, a couple of times I saw another orienteer probably looking for the same control I was (we were on the same route, starting together with the same maps and courses), and noticed that we were looking in different areas. I had pangs of doubt, but ignored their direction (or approach) and trusted my own sense of where I was, and I was right! How fun! It was a confidence builder.

All in all a fun day.

C • splits 5

About 20 minutes of walking around, slow jogging, stretching to keep warm before the race.

Red - Splits

10 minute walk to work, 10 minute walk back
10 minute walk from office to S-40 for meeting, 10 minute walk back

silk reeling and stretching. Back feeling a little tight and crimped in spots. Think it has to do with back bends in yoga. Will keep them moderate for now.

More back bends and hip stretching with Rodney Yee.

10 minutes walk from car to office, 10 minutes walk back at the end of the day.

12 minute warm up, 8 minute cool down

35 minute run, with 25 minutes of stair climbing and 10 minutes of jogging. Of the 25 minutes, about 7 minutes were at level-5, and otherwise at 4. Made it up to the top of 625 5 times, running 2 1/2 times, walking the other half.

C • stairs 2

20 minutes core training for upper body, 5 minutes of abs

20 minutes of catching features.

Did a new segment of the Rodney Yee power yoga this morning, one with lots of backbends and some hip stretches. I should keep up this section on a regular basis, since my lower back and hips are so tight. Good stuff.

10 minute warm up, 10 minute cool down for run.

Another 20 minute walk after work.

Dropping down from 45 minute to 35 minute runs twice a week and adding a 20 minute run day after long run. This will keep my weekly total at 180 minutes, but add a day. I may add more distance, but feel good with this total for now. Still in strength training phase, with benchmark of Master the Met on Feb. 1, after which I'll work on some speed. By the time I get to Flying Pig I'll have a good all around base to work from. At that point I'll probably switch things up, maintaining running and starting some kayaking--would like to do that much more and eventually move into adventure racing.

Cold today with flurries and a brisk wind. 22 degrees, wind chill 9. Fine layer of snow and ice on the path, so I kept to the grass. Few runners out today, but those I saw all gave big smiles as if to say, "Isn't this great?!" Yes, yes it is.

20 minutes upper body, 10 minutes abs and lower back

15 minutes yoga and 15 minutes tai chi, mixed together, with focus on loosening, softening sboulders and hips, little also on wrists and ankles

10 minute warm up, 8 minute cool down

90 minute run in Forest Park. First 30 minutes sucked--my small headache got worse, my ankles were so stiff that I had to stop every 10 minutes to stretch, and the wind was so cold and stiff that it blew right through my hat and froze my ears. To top it off, I forgot my MP3 player, which gets me through long runs and staves off the boredom that comes sometimes from running alone. I plugged along and after half an hour I got into a zone. My ankles and legs warmed up, my head felt better, the wind died down, and I was in a nice place where my mind wasn't racing or bored, just absorbing and once in a while turning to the summer and fall. A good run in the end.