Training Log Archive: iansmithIn the 7 days ending Oct 25, 2008:
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Saturday Oct 25, 2008 #
Orienteering race 2:00:19 [5] **** 8.3 km (14:30 / km) +455m 11:23 / km
spiked:11/20c slept:2.0 shoes: 200712 NB Absorb EX 11.5
The first day of the NEOC "Heart and Troll" A meet at Mt. Tom. Phil Bricker set a deviously vertical course with a 5.5% grade
Overall, I'm pleased with my results. The distance of the course is either 1.5 that of a typical Blue Middle or 0.66 of that of a typical Blue Long. However, because of the additional climb, I classify it as more of a long course - the winning time was about 70 minutes by Will Hawkins.
I haven't done that well, and my navigation was generally solid. I didn't move as fast as I would have liked - the course was a bit too physical for me. My choices were conservative, and I didn't move too quickly for my navigational prowess.
The course was interesting, with some interesting route choice options - and usually no trivially obvious routes. I ran an Orange and Brown course at Mt. Tom in November 2007 and got lost in the same area as today's course - e.g. controls 12 through 18.
I've included more details in my split comments, but I had three significant errors: 2, 15, and 19. From control 1 to 2, I misread the contours and entered the wrong reentrant. I searched for a few minutes before bailing out to the trail nearby and realizing my error. I then ran into Ross while approaching 2, but I ignored him and beat him to the control (I had a much safer route after my error). I later ran into Eddie Bergeron approaching 5 and also stuck to my safer route (though I picked up my speed) and beat him to the control.
I was particularly pleased with my long leg from 7 to 8. Even though there were adequate features to check off en route - some cliffs, a boulder, and eventually a trail intersection - I was accurate yet reasonably quick (under 10 min/km). Usually speed and caution are a compromise for me on longer legs. I did not lose contact from 14 to 15 until I entered a HUGE descending reentrant. I knew I was somewhere in the reentrant, but after I picked up significant speed moving downhill, I lost my exact point of contact. I was convinced I had passed the control, but it was about 100 meters further down the reentrant. I was a bit confused by the cliffs, and so I spent about eight to ten minutes longer than I should have scanning.
My route to 19 was fine, but my execution was poor. After some deliberation whether going above the hill or below it to the stream had merit, I decided to go below, but I got stuck plowing through dark green. I should have immediately punched down the hill to the stream and ran along it, but my compromise choice probably cost me about 5 minutes. I didn't get lost, though.
In the best case, on Saturday, the fastest I could have run this course was probably 90 minutes. I'm not thrilled about my errors, but the the good outweighed the bad.
Overall, I'm pleased with my results. The distance of the course is either 1.5 that of a typical Blue Middle or 0.66 of that of a typical Blue Long. However, because of the additional climb, I classify it as more of a long course - the winning time was about 70 minutes by Will Hawkins.
I haven't done that well, and my navigation was generally solid. I didn't move as fast as I would have liked - the course was a bit too physical for me. My choices were conservative, and I didn't move too quickly for my navigational prowess.
The course was interesting, with some interesting route choice options - and usually no trivially obvious routes. I ran an Orange and Brown course at Mt. Tom in November 2007 and got lost in the same area as today's course - e.g. controls 12 through 18.
I've included more details in my split comments, but I had three significant errors: 2, 15, and 19. From control 1 to 2, I misread the contours and entered the wrong reentrant. I searched for a few minutes before bailing out to the trail nearby and realizing my error. I then ran into Ross while approaching 2, but I ignored him and beat him to the control (I had a much safer route after my error). I later ran into Eddie Bergeron approaching 5 and also stuck to my safer route (though I picked up my speed) and beat him to the control.
I was particularly pleased with my long leg from 7 to 8. Even though there were adequate features to check off en route - some cliffs, a boulder, and eventually a trail intersection - I was accurate yet reasonably quick (under 10 min/km). Usually speed and caution are a compromise for me on longer legs. I did not lose contact from 14 to 15 until I entered a HUGE descending reentrant. I knew I was somewhere in the reentrant, but after I picked up significant speed moving downhill, I lost my exact point of contact. I was convinced I had passed the control, but it was about 100 meters further down the reentrant. I was a bit confused by the cliffs, and so I spent about eight to ten minutes longer than I should have scanning.
My route to 19 was fine, but my execution was poor. After some deliberation whether going above the hill or below it to the stream had merit, I decided to go below, but I got stuck plowing through dark green. I should have immediately punched down the hill to the stream and ran along it, but my compromise choice probably cost me about 5 minutes. I didn't get lost, though.
In the best case, on Saturday, the fastest I could have run this course was probably 90 minutes. I'm not thrilled about my errors, but the the good outweighed the bad.
Tuesday Oct 21, 2008 #
Biking 50:00 21.25 km (25.5 kph)
ahr:148 slept:8.0 shoes: 200712 NB Absorb EX 11.5
A 50 minute session on a stationary bike at my gym. I dislike using a gym for cardiovascular activities in general because of the poor ventilation and higher ambient temperature relative to the same activities outdoors, especially in seasons that are not summer. The breeze artificially created while biking is extremely refreshing and is conspicuously absent on a stationary bike. I perspired significantly during this training.
My objective was to get some cardio work in before the NEOC A meet. I have been very lax on my recent training in the hopes that my right calf will stop hurting; it is significantly better, but still aches when I apply power through my toe.
My objective was to get some cardio work in before the NEOC A meet. I have been very lax on my recent training in the hopes that my right calf will stop hurting; it is significantly better, but still aches when I apply power through my toe.
Running (Treadmill) 15:00 3.0 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: 200712 NB Absorb EX 11.5
I had intended to do a 3 km run at a 9 mph pace - a leisurely 12:25 - but I grew surprisingly tired after 8 minutes at pace - 1.2 miles. So, I decided to relax and abort the trial. I believe I can run a 12 minute 3 km without significant difficulty; today, I ran after biking. Also, I think a track would yield superior results to a treadmill. In my assessment, at running speeds, the benefit from the ventilation and cooling significantly outweighs the drag from air resistance.
I'm inspired by Robert, a Hungarian runner and orienteer, who ran the UNO Oringen on 12 October. He has a similar build to me, and we conversed extensively about a range of orienteering topics. Two key points were that American orienteers are technically competitive with top European orienteers, but they are physically lacking. I forget the time he cited for a 10k needed to compete at the top level, but the 5k time was around 15:30, if I remember correctly. His personal best 3k time was 8:57! With my current training regimen, 9 minutes is unattainable, but I might be able to break 11 minutes or even 10. I mean to measure my performance and use the 3k benchmark as a motivator and metric for progress.
I'm inspired by Robert, a Hungarian runner and orienteer, who ran the UNO Oringen on 12 October. He has a similar build to me, and we conversed extensively about a range of orienteering topics. Two key points were that American orienteers are technically competitive with top European orienteers, but they are physically lacking. I forget the time he cited for a 10k needed to compete at the top level, but the 5k time was around 15:30, if I remember correctly. His personal best 3k time was 8:57! With my current training regimen, 9 minutes is unattainable, but I might be able to break 11 minutes or even 10. I mean to measure my performance and use the 3k benchmark as a motivator and metric for progress.