Last night over dinner Dad (Hugh III, Mac) suggested running the blue course from the Ridley Creek meet that he set up (and I helped with so couldn't run) from back in '05. GREAT idea! The snow made it even more fun. Would have come in 3rd after Clem and Chuck. I was shooting for 10min/k, but couldn't really stretch it out on the downhills, and contouring was treacherous. Only fell twice though, so was probably going a bit TOO slowly. Things I learned:
• There could be ice under that snow (my hardest fall, that was the case)
• It was difficult and scary to run downhill, the ground was hard and the snow was slippery, and my shoes weren't ideal (but not terrible).
• It was even harder to contour, with the hard ground and slippery snow/leaves.
• Uphill was fine, except for the fact that I was going uphill.
• Small rocks and rock fields were invisible, which was hard for navigation and disconcerting when I would hit them.
• Trails, roads, water, and the ground form was easy to see, which made navigation easier. Stark black & white.
• The map needs a touch-up before the next meet there, but not too much.
• Controls would have been ridiculously easy to see in the snow.
• My new thorngaiters and thornknickers were awesome though. Huzzah!
• Green was still green. Even thought the leaves were gone, the painful bits were still there:
Ridley Creek Blue | 12/31/2009 |
the 04/10/2005 DVOA Blue Course |
Leg | Time | Cum |
1 | 03:58.30 | 0:03:58 |
2 | 01:41.27 | 0:05:40 |
3 | 06:26.27 | 0:12:06 |
4 | 03:42.43 | 0:15:48 |
5 | 05:14.50 | 0:21:03 |
6 | 01:51.59 | 0:22:54 |
7 | 04:28.06 | 0:27:22 |
8 | 05:03.95 | 0:32:26 |
9 | 02:31.19 | 0:34:58 |
10 | 03:51.31 | 0:38:49 |
11 | 14:07.49 | 0:52:56 |
12 | 09:24.13 | 1:02:20 |
13 | 02:52.43 | 1:05:13 |
14 | 01:10.79 | 1:06:24 |
15 | 02:50.28 | 1:09:14 |
16 | 07:12.34 | 1:16:26 |
17 | 03:52.77 | 1:20:19 |
18 | 03:02.23 | 1:23:21 |
19 | 01:39.29 | 1:25:01 |
20 | 05:47.95 | 1:30:49 |
21 | 02:54.08 | 1:33:43 |
22 | 04:46.29 | 1:38:29 |
F | 01:28.93 | 1:39:58 |
TTL: | 1:39:58 | 10:07.69 | < Pace |