Training Log Archive: z-man

Event: 2011 US Classic Championships
 

US Classic Champs - Day 1. Arrived at the event completely rested and ready to battle. Poured a cup of water on my head right before the start and off I went. First control, easy, just off trail over a little hill into the boundary corner. Second bag, just followed the green boundary along on the left before hitting the marshy lowland. Somewhere on the leg wondered why it was taking that long and decide to check the scale for I didn't remember seeing it in the notes (oh, 1:15k). After dropping down to a marshy area, decide to check the elevation as well, for the the drop was so subtle that I almost overran my feature (oh, 2.5m, I see). To #3, working with my compass ignoring everything in between till reaching the stream crossing point that I was aiming for. Then again on my compass while looking out for the foot of the hill that I needed to climb up to the control. Hit a small trail, ran up a bit on it, and then again on my bearing. In the distance spotted the yellow opening behind the bag and a pair of root stocks/trunks. Checked them out, nothing. Ran up closer to the corner of the clearing, took my bearing and hit the same root stocks again (hmmm..). Then ran a bit down and forward where I spotted another pair of root stocks with the control sitting behind the second one. On to #4. Decided to use the long hilltop and then past the water pool as my route. After crossing the road and running alongside the marsh, I knew I needed to cross a small marshy area and run up over the hill to the control. Thus, following my mental picture, crossed a small marshy area and started running up. Stop! The hill is bigger, what's with direction? Ah, how the hell? Down into the marsh I go and then no problem from there. To #5, on my bearing again, rushing to catch the edge of the clearing. Do just that. Then retake my bearing, after 100m or so begin to wonder why there were no stone piles that I was supposed to see on the right. Hesitate, but continue on remembering the scale and looking at my compass expecting to hit a spur. Something look-a-like materializes just ahead, run up it and spot the rock-pile just to the right. To #6, back to the clearing and across to the while woods. Everything is subtle so back to working with my compass, spotted the green boundary just to the left confirming my direction. Across the road over the hilltop (remembers thinking: doing good, need to run through the saddle after crossing the marsh). Kind of never see the saddle, but continue on with my compass. Spot a drop in the terrain just ahead, look down see a marshy clearance. Run down an around thinking that it is the bigger one of the two. Get on top of the hill, nothing. Hmm... wrong marshes? Ran ahead and an up the hill to confirm the location. Yep that's the stream, marshy clearing just down and ahead. Come back down, oh! you beep... beep... $#*(&#@!!! Must've been like 5m away from it on my fist pass and missed it. To #7 up the hill, legs starting to complain, (to myself, this is no Harriman, to legs, shut up!). On my bearing, till the stone wall, over the top to the edge of the clearing (ok, tricky stuff ahead, stick with the compass and count the re-entrances) get across of all that, up to the top (what a gorgeous patch of woods, I could do 3min/km here). To the stone wall and it is easy from there. Sprinting downhill along the stream towards #8, up the hill on my compass. Get up, can't tell anything on the map, but go on. Started to hesitate and slowed down. See someone to the left decidedly running towards lower spot ahead of him. Marsh? Take the turn, get close, nothing. (Crap. how many times do I have to tell myself not to do this again?) Back to my line, see another depression just ahead and spot the bag. Eating my GU, forgetting to plan. Take off downhill, see a trail run option to the left but am already too far down so just press on. Ran along a skinny marsh, still no plan..., just moving along. Spot a hill, (ok, must be just around it). Get there, nothing, (crap not again). See two marshes further down, oh need to come back. Another 1.5min lost and not having fun anymore. Decide to go left of the marsh. Cruising along, see the marshy patch, jump across and begin to run up. Eh? Where is the big hill. Look at the compass, what is it? I don't even.... 180... was I in coma? Got really mad at this point and started to pound up the hill feeling a rush of energy. By looking at this leg again at the finish, I realize that I could've ran all around the hill on the left from where I was and not having to climb at all. Oh well... Get to #10 with no problem after checking a large root stock just a bit higher in the wast re-entrant. After climbing up and crossing the road on the way to #11 I spot Brendan's back and rush down to close the gap. To #12, feeling good getting into flow, through the fern forest in the marsh, while religiously following my compass. Hit the dry land, spot the hills ahead, contour around into another marsh, through some flats and up the spur. Spot the rock pile and correct to the right and down to the control. Off to #13, picking up speed, looking at my compass and glancing to the right following the hillside. Then the marsh, see a snaking dry land, get across it and rush to the trail. Off the clearing into the marsh, running along the hillside waiting for flatter part to start. Go up and streak across the flattish area to the bag avoiding the temptation to check a saddle just to the left. To #14 working with my compass across the marsh waiting for the dry land. Spot a stone wall just to the right and see the distinct green boundary just ahead. Crashing through while almost getting my left ear pierced twice by dead branches. Then to #15, while glancing at my compass and spotting the stone wall. Then some more crashing through the green and spiking the last bag.

Right after finishing, my first impression was that I totally blew it, instantly remembering Greg's words, "You lose it on the first day, and you win it on the second!" Thus, I thought that I failed the first part by trying to win it on the first day instead of running a smarter race. It turned out that I wasn't the only one having issues out there today, so I was happy to be where I was, almost 6 min back from William, considering the circumstances.

Day 1 Blue - Splits

Was trying to nap on my way to work on the bus this morning but thoughts of upcoming US Champs kept creeping in. So I formulated a few goals for myself for the weekend. 1) To not wreck myself before the WOC by being more cautious of the stuff under feet. 2) Keep William (considering his dominance in '07-'09) and other speedsters from recapturing/capturing the top spot by doing what I do best. 3) Get more sleep, at least in the few days that are still left, in order to accomplish goals 1 and 2.

C • sounds reasonable!! 4

Did my usual set of strength exercises plus additional stuff for hips and ankles.

A tempo run on trail at Eagle Rock before the rain.

To and from the park.

Event: DVOA French Creek State Park East
 

A rather productive run on trails at Lewis Morris considering the heat. Originally, wanted to do hill intervals, but figured out that I would be totally wiped out after a number of intervals and would probably cut the rest of the run short so I simply headed out onto the bike trails instead. I did my usual thing on the uphills, but took it really easy on the flats and the downhills. Still had some energy left in the tank at the end.