Training Log Archive: Samantha

What do I do at work for 9 hours before the year even starts! Somehow I was there all day and I don't even know what I got done...

Running with Dad and Ross in the Blue Hills. Really not that into it. And I can't believe we were running that slowly. Well, I suppose I can, I just wish I was faster.

I got a cold :( Healthy all summer and I come home and get sick. I think I'm allergic to work.

C • allergic 3

Ran around town with dad

I don't think I enjoy biking as much as I should. Every time it seems like a good idea, but then once I'm out there it's just difficult and painful for most of the time. The weather was good, the company was good, but I just felt like crap.

C • What did we do wrong? 19

Ross called me from work this morning to say that he accidentally left with my car key. I called dad and he had a spare and actually happened to be planning on running near my house this afternoon. So I ran out to meet him and run with him a bt along his route and got a key. Felt very sluggish and uncoordinated.

Travel day. Really bored flying home and terribly sick of terminal 5.

It's incredible how fast these women go. I ran well for most of the race and am very happy with much of it. I was reading ahead on #4, trying to plan the long leg, and then got very confused. I thought I was too low when I was really too high. I climbed way, way too much. As I was running back down to it I saw China, France and GB running up towards me out of it. I stayed behind them until about halfway to #5 when we all went slightly different directions and they all ran away from me. I was navigating well after that, but had no more strength. Sarah Rollins caught me on the second butterfly loop and we ran together for a bit before she also ran away from me going to 16. Oddly enough, I caught back up to her down the hill to the spectator and then we were together for the last loop. Technically I didn't think this course was too hard (I made a silly mistake on an easy control). The controls in the green were tricky, and caused me some time, but nothing significant. It was just very physical and I think I was tired after a week of racing. The last loop was just cruel as the climb to 24 was very steep and rocky. Also I am still trying to pick the thorns out of my legs from the last bits of green. Overall the race just makes me appreciate even more how strong everyone is! My mistake cost me 3 minutes, but other than that I would have to have been perfect on all controls or stolen someone else's legs to be faster. It was a very inspiring race and I am really really happy that I was able to run in it!

Shoes: Teva sandals.

Beer-o! Sandra and I actually did have the same map and we ran together. I was feeling great on the first loop and then it was downhill. At one point I told Sandra to go tag the streamer for me as I waited for her to come back out of the control. My legs only had so much energy left in them.

Maybe this is why my legs are still sore days later.

Took today completely off. But did go down the toboggan ride :)

On top of that, I believe we just got Per to agree to be the announcer for our beer orienteering race in the evening tomorrow :) How sweet is that?

C • As sweet as 7

Oh, how I love running first leg of the relay :) It's the race that I am normally most nervous for, but it is also the race that is always the most fun to run. Today I was less nervous than in past years, but I think that's because my body can only take so much. I had already been nervous for the previous 72 hours or so and it was just done. The speed to the first control felt good and I cut into the field after the first pack, but before the second. Merged back in with the pack and then everyone walked up the hill. :) Nailed the first control and punched it with other runners. Was the first one out of my control and down the hill through the semi open. Came out to the trail, crossed it and saw all the teams punching the common next control. Russia shouldered her way by me on the way to 3 as we contoured around the hill. Hit the trail by the depression and was cutting nicely up to my control as I saw another one. Looked somewhat like a depression and so ran down a bit to check it. Not mine, but figured out that it was on the charcoal burning platform and it was more or less on the way to my control anyway. Actually cut a bit too high and ran into it with Iliana who was coming into it from above. Thought that was the last I was going to see of the pack, but many of them had a longer forking, so I ended up behind Switzerland and Norway again. Didn't run in a very straight line to 4, but still with everyone and watched Bodil pass me as we ran to a common control. The next 3 controls after that were also common and the hill up to 7 was the last time I saw the leading teams. Cut up the hill with many other teams, but then got to the top and thought I was further down the nose than I really was. Ran to a semi open area and didn't see a control. Everyone else has kept on running, so after looking around I took a few more steps and hit the ride. Instantly knew where I was and ran down to my control. Cut down the hill and Lithuania and Finland caught up to me. I ran behind them and then realized they are going around the right side of the hill and my control was on the left. Looked over to see the back of China going where I needed to be and cut over. By the time I get there and punched #9 I couldn't see anyone in front of me. Cut down the hill and through gross green. Hesitated a bit on the trail as the spectators shouted "Just keep going USA!" Took their advice and ran to the road. Came off the bend and up the reentrant to the charcoal burning platform. Ran down to the road and took the trail in to 11. I could see GBR running out of the control with someone else, and China still running into it. Unfortunately, it wasn't her control and she was running back towards me as I ran in. Ran out to the trail and to the spectator control. I will guiltily admit that I looked over my shoulder as I was leaving to see if China was there. There was no one in sight. Down the chute and up the beaten down path into the slash. My control was again obvious at the top of the reentrant. Started running the straight line to 14, but then moved away from the slash and into the more open stuff. I was then running with the third leg men's runner from China. I could see GBR standing on top of a hill looking confused, and I also slowed down. I almost fell running through the slash and ran into large patches of nettles. Hesitated a bit and checked my clue to see what side of the dot knoll it was supposed to be on as I didn't want to run one way around it and have it be on the other. Couldn't quite figure out the description nor which way was north so just ran around it and there the control was. At this point I was feeling quite tired and realized that I no longer was thinking quite straight. Blundered along my compass bearing and through blackberries (maybe I went through the green patch on the map?). Saw the reentrant to my right and thought, ok this is good. Started running down the nose next to it and the kicked myself as I realized my control was in the reentrant. Cut down to it no problem, but as Ross pointed out later there was a trail going to this control. Then down the reentrant and carefully reading to make sure I didn't miss the last control. Long chute up where I heard Ross cheering "Go faster!", to which I responded (with a smile) "I'm trying!" and then almost tripped in a hole. Managed to make it up and tag off to Sandra in 11th place. I think Tom was probably surprised when I finished because it was probably almost a minute before I could start to talk again :)

Very fun and very happy with my race. Although I lost the lead pack as usual half way through, I still orienteered very well on my own and held onto my place. Big improvement over past years. :) It was so fun :)

And now bedtime :)

C • Excellent, suspenseful description! 21

:) :) I did it again :)

C • Yeah you did! 26

C • wahoooo! 4

C • Two races... 3

WOC Sprint quali. A really good race for me. A shaky start. I crossed over a trail without seeing it, and hit the road and ran down it to the intersection. I was still trying to get my bearings as I headed off into the woods, and hit the green patch to the left of my control and had to run over. I had a good route to #2 and was on the right contour to nail it, and saw a control lower in my reentrant. I ran to that instead and lost time there having to climb back up. 3-7 were pertty straight forward. You could see the control or the feature from far away. Feeling tired on the way to 8, and starting running down the road on the wrong side of the green at the end of the leg. Backtracked a few steps and got it. Careful on 9, but it was fine. Also careful on 10, but again saw it fro far away. Hesitated leaving it and decided to drop to the road and run up the trail. Running up the trail was killer. I looked ahead and saw that my last few controls made a loop in the open and couldn't imagine having the energy to run it. Tricky(ish) control in the buildings and fences and then out in the open. Made myself slow does leaving the spectator control, even though the next control was very short. Heard Per announce that I made the final as I crossed the line and I was all smiles :) The race hurt a great deal, but it's nice to know all the pain was totally worth it! There is also an amusing video on the team blog of me talking at my "normal" speed about my race. Cristina laughed so hard she cried while watching it. I'm just glad I still have friends and people understand me after watching myself talk like that :)

C • Normal talking speed? 5

Time for sleep right now, so I'll write about the sprint final in the morning. I botched #2 by making a parallel error, but I supposed it's nice to know I wasn't the only one. I took a bad route through junk to #3 and hesitated on #11, but otherwise I was very clean. Probably lost about 45 seconds total, which is better than I thought before looking at the splits. I just didn't have the speed that I did this morning and everything felt tired.

So sprint final. A bit disappointed in my race. Top 30 was more in my reach than I expected it to be before the race began. I found the first control well and decided to go up to 2, but then cut badly down the spur and misread one reentrant as another and attacked incorrectly. Figured it out, and then in my haste to get out and up to the buildings I made another parallel error that took me up past my #10 (and I thought, oh, a guys control). Good speed and decision making for 3-7, taking time to read that I couldn't cut through the buildings going to 5. Took the road route to #8, which is longer, but also paved. Then went north around the buildings to 9 because I had seen two runners ahead of me coming in from that direction when I was running to 3. A few feet down the road I realized it actually was not the best idea, but I would have wasted more time turning around and running the other way, so I just kept on going. Realized as I was running to 10 that I had actually already been there, so no problem. Took off towards 11 and thought, "oh wait, what is this large looking trail between me and 11?" Yes, that would be the uncrossable fence. Veered left down the hill and through the opening, down the road and through the field. Took the correct trail into the woods, but then there were extra paths. A bit confused and slowed down and had to come slightly back towards the control. Took the trail that went mostly south out of 11 and through the green. I cut down the hill towards 12 and saw the Spanish girl who started a minute in front of me also running in from the top. Chased after her up and through the spectator control, but didn't quite have the energy to catch her. Carefully went into the woods to find 15 and it very obviously appeared right in front of me. Rough compass to 16 and straight to 17. Passed the Spanish girl going to 18 and then just ran as hard as I could down the chute.

I felt very tired the whole time and didn't have the extra speed that I often feel when running a sprint. Curious how some other runners did some of the controls. We all drew our routes when we finished - I wonder if they will post them? Satisfied the the race, but still somewhat harping on how much better it could have gone.

Actually it looks like the put our routes into route gadget. They can be found here:
http://live.woc2009.hu/RouteGadget/cgi-bin/reitti....

C • No speed? 1

Warm up, cool down, strides

C • Relay 4

Ran around on the campus map with Cristina, Viktoria and Ross. We raced to a point at the end and Ross and Viktoria pulled into the lead. :)

C • GOOD LUCK! 2

Event: WOC 2009
 

Running legs on the sprint model map with Viktoria and then Ross. Did ok when racing Viktoria, but went too fast when racing Ross and took many wrong paths.

I did it ;)

C • Congratulations! We are re... 7

WOC Long Quali race. Really nervous warming up. Almost couldn't get myself to start jogging. Turned over the map at the beginning and saw the long leg. Chuckled to myself, because Ross and I talked about how the first leg could be long. Started up the hill, but actually didn't hit the trail until the top. Then across the hill checking off the lime burning pits in the reentrant and the green patch next to the trail. Saw the reentrant below and angled up the hill just in time to see Minna dropping into the pit right in front of me from the top. Sped after her on the short downhill leg to #2. Decided to take the trail through the green to #3 because it put me at the top of the hill and I could use the contours and the bend in the trail to help me find #3. The green was really thick and the trail was old, so it was covered in stuff. I thought it would take me all the way to the top and through the green and I was willing to go all the way since I am very slow through green. Unfortunately it just led me through nettles over my head and then dead ended, so I still had to fight my way through at the top. Ran down to the bend, attacked in and hit the guys control in the lime burning pit just past and below mine. Looked just like a pit and I was momentarily confused, but then cut back to mine. Low again on #4 by a bit, but saw it just fine. As I was leaving over the hill I saw a huge pack (6 or 7 runners) going to #4. Turns out all women's courses had the same 3-4 leg. I was expecting them all to catch me, but then I drifted too low on the hillside to #5. Had a moment of panic in the reentrant behind the hill, as there was no one around me and the trail had done a funny thing when I was running down it. Convinced myself to keep going as I had no other plan, and climbed out of the reentrant to see everyone running around.

Leaving #5 I saw 3 people ahead of me and ran fast to catch up to them as we ran into the spectator control. Turns out 2 of the runners were on my course and must have passed me as I was low going to #5. Eva from Czech Republic and Ildiko from Hungary were the ones in front of me and I punched #6, the spectator control, right behind them. Ran a short leg to the cairn which was surrounded by media. Cut out and cut the corner to the trail. Ran past the lime burning pit, the boulder and went in on the trail bend. Bashed out of the green behind Eva and checked my compass only to see that we left at the wrong angle. Cut ahead of the others and around the hill and over to the correct hill. Played it safe and went by the rocks at the top of the reentrant. Eva ran more over the top in a straighter line and we punched #9 together. I passed her on the downhill and cut into the green looking for #10. Hesitated a moment, but then realized it was left and was leaving the control as Eva and Ildiko were coming in. Led to #11, but then I was a bit to the right on #12. Pushing really hard up the hill to #13 and Ildiko fell behind and Eva pulled slightly ahead. I could see a line of people going up the hill ahead of me. A bit worried about finding this control, but it was obvious once you came over the hill. Went high to #14 so as not to lose climb, but was a bit low when cutting across (went right by 8) so had to climb into the control anyway. Again a bit shaky going in, but you could see pretty far and there was a person standing at the control. Way to make the control feature bigger :) Down the hill and through the green to the last control. I knew it was a good race and I was happy when I finished.

Map with routes on US Team blog.

Running to and from the start of the long model map. We really wanted to drive all the way in, but it just wasn't allowed.

Running some controls with Tom shadowing me.

Hiking up the hill with Cristina to the start of the model.

Running through a couple of controls at the top.

C • Wooo! 10

Ran on a 1:15000 map and set my own course. Difficult a few times to confirm where I was, especially at charcoal burning platforms. Really tried to run at some sort of speed to the last control, but rolled my ankle forwards and then missed the control at the bottom. Think I'll keep it to an easy speed. Foot is still sore the next day, but with a bit of vitamin I it's just fine.

Sprint training in the afternoon. Still not clean, but working on it.

Cristina and I put together a shorter loop from the available courses. Today there were controls and SI, so that was an exciting change (we have been looking for dark orange painted stakes that are about half a foot high). Started out ok, but then really missed my 3, 4 and a later control by quite a bit.

C • Good Luck 1

Route choice exercise. I thought that I left my map back at the accommodations (it was in fact under my seat) so Ross split his map in half. The guys did a route choice exercise with the beginning of the course and Cristina and I did one with the end of the course. Jogged to #6, then took different routes on #7. I realized as we arrived at #6 that I forgot my compass in the car, but it actually wasn't really needed for the leg. I got to the area, but was a bit low. Vegetation has grown up making it hard to see the small charcoal burning platform. Then we did #8, talked about #9 and ran/walked back to the car. Ran into Clem who was picking blackberries and so joined him :)

Went to Miskolc-Tapolca for sprint training in the afternoon. The beginning of the course is woods, the end of parkland. Slow to #1, and then a long leg to #2. Despite trying to be safe I was really far off. Turns out that I did relocate correctly at one point, but doubted myself and ran around for another 6 or so minutes from then. After that it went much more smoothly.

We didn't go far, but Cristina and I headed out on our first Hungary map, 1:10000. A few times Cristina had to call me over to the control. And one time I was so far away I could barely hear her. I need to work on staying on my compass. Woods were a bit thicker than we were expecting, but still nice.

Travel day

Warm up and cool down.

Threshold run. The first 10 or so minutes were uphill, mostly on pavement as I was trying to fins the least steep way to the top of the hill. Then it began to flatten out towards the end. Felt hard in the beginning, but ok in the end. Maybe could have/should have gone longer, but am taking the train to meet Marc and Sandra in Bern.

Tomorrow I leave for Budapest!

C • Have a great time! 2

Again, lacking motivation to get myself out the door. Sandra and I were going to go out together this morning to do something fast, but we both didn't sleep well because of the thunderstorm and then it was pouring in the morning. Now she has left to go to a wedding and I need to motivate myself out the door. Hmm....

Enticed myself out the door by running part of a course that is drawn on the map that is behind Sandra and Marc's house. Did pretty well in the beginning, and missed one control. I don't feel too bad about it since it was very green, and the trails are a bit off in the area. Relocated well, but it still took be awhile since there wasn't much to relocate off of. I drifted to the right when coming in off my attackpoint. Need to remember to really watch my compass.

After 6 controls I decided that I had enough of the spider webs and wet woods and so jogged home. It was good to get out :) Downhill on the way home. Normal HR, but tired legs. A bit worried that maybe I haven't done enough hard training and speedwork, but it's going to be a woods sprint at WOC....

C • Nope, not true. 2

Run with Sandra

Sandra and I grabbed a map near here where one of the Swiss selection races fro NOC was run early this spring. We didn't run the whole course, as it was 7.6k, but did most of it. Jogging to the start.

So minute per k time seems very slow, even if I wasn't pushing too hard. Woods were relatively thick, but you could run through most of it. I destroyed many spider homes though. I bobbled a few, and some I probably would have been more confident at if there were controls. But then I made a parallel error on #17, attacking into the woods too early. It didn't quite make sense, but I convinced myself it did and started heading towards 18. Hit the road in a really strange spot and after jogging a bit in one direction, figured out what I did and then went to go get the real 17, where I saw Sandra who started 4 minutes behind me.

Dragged my lazy self out the door to go running on my own. Took the o map of the area behind Sandra's house and ran around for awhile.

The walk to the start was billed as taking 110 minutes. I figured I could therefore do it in 70, and didn't leave myself much time for error. Really working hard going up there - pushing the uphills and jogging the flats. Became worried that I wouldn't make my start as I couldn't see the top, but actually made it with 2 minutes to spare. Thirsty and hungry on the way up, but didn't have time to get any food or drink before beginning. Stopped at the one water stop on the course, but otherwise didn't notice this when running.

Interesting terrain. I started out ok, but made the wrong route choice on #3. I saw both ways, but chose wrong and lost about 2 minutes. Silly mistake on 5, where I was heading right towards my control, but saw another and ran to it. Not mine, but I realized instantly where it was, but then attacking my control again I saw a large feature that looked right, although not in the right direction. Went and checked that, before finally coming to my senses and running the right way. #7 was my big bomb, lost about 10 minutes. Seems to be the new thing for me to do. The annoying thing is that I was very close and then proceeded to wander a lot. Eventually relocated on the very, very large hill that I could see the whole time but couldn't match on the map. Annoying that I spent time running around only to relocate on the first thing I saw in the first place! Hesitated going to 12, and made a parallel error at the end of the leg, which threw me off, but I figured it out, only losing about 1.5 minutes.

Disappointing after sort of putting it together yesterday. But Emily came in third today, which means she was on the podium!

And then the long walk back down the trail we came up. I was going to jog, but then I was chatting with Carol and I didn't feel like running. But still logging as the quads got a workout. Tired, thirsty and hungry. Luckily I found Christoph and Sandra eating sausage at the bottom so I joined them for much needed nourishment (it was 4:30 and I hadn't eaten since breakfast. Poor planning).

Yucky day :( Lots of ran, and there was no tent space for me to leave my bag under when I got to the arena. Put it on the ground with my rain jacket over it and hoped for the best. Jogged/walked up the hill to the start in the rain, and got there too early so hard to wait for about 20 minutes. There wasn't space to run around in really, and it was cold and rainy, so mostly stood around until my start. Not really the best warm up. Just as I was approaching the start the OCAD man gave me my GPS tracker. It was in a band that went around your upper arm. It was actually quite comfortable - not too tight, but also not slipping. After checking it on the way to #1 to make sure it wasn't slipping down I completely forgot that I even had it on.

The cool thing about this race is that we got a map with our route printed on it from the GPA tracker. It also tells us the total distance and i went 7.1k. THe was what I like to think of as a "normal" race for me. Not perfect, but no extremely large errors either. Of course, lately I have been very far from what I would like to think of as "normal" but that's ok. I was really cold at the beginning of the race and I face planted running to 3. And then ducking under the fence right by the water control and before #3 I didn't get down low enough and my back touched the fence. I got a big shock that I felt down my arm. They didn't turn off the fences! Apparently this is normal, but not what I was expecting. #4 was the only one i had real trouble with, and I had to relocate off of a hill and reentrant. But I actually relocated well - going to a high spot and finding distinct features. Lucky or well done? I'm not sure... I was careful on the rest of the legs, walking #4-#7. I won a split to #9, which is always fun and unusual for me :) I wouldn't have called it a great race, but it was fun to find out that I was in 4th, and very close to third! Although about 8 minutes out of first. This is the type of race that I would like to have on my "normal" days instead of on my good days. And I can do it. I've done it in the past. Just a matter of working on some things and doing it again.

Off to run the first 3 days of the Swiss O Week in Women's Elite.

Jogging around in the rain to warm up for the sprint.

Town Sprint race as Day 1 of swiss o week. Started well. Changed my mind at the last minute about my route to #4. Changed to the better route, but had taken a few steps the other direction and lost some time. Then bad route choice to #7 and a 180 out of #10 which caused me 45 seconds and the girl who started a minute behind me to catch me. Trouble leaving #13 at the right angle and was afraid the grass would be out of bounds and lost some time there. Somehow lost time on #17 as well, although I think my route was ok. Alright race, considering I am not used to these sprints. Without the 180 I would be pretty happy, as that is a mistake that I should learn not to make no matter where the sprint is. It was a hard sprint though, with lots of changes in directions and route choices. Great practice for quick thinking. Hard to build the speed up, but still had tired legs. Fun :) I love town sprints. Who wants to make more in the States so I can run them? :)

rest day today. My HR was really quite high during my warm up yesterday although the 30 seconds sprints were really, really fun. I love running fast! I just can't do it for longer than a minute apparently without becoming completely exhausted. Hopefully this feeling will pass.

C • 1