Training Log Archive: iansmith

Event: CSU Park-O: Fresh Pond
 

Biking to and from Fresh Pond.

A fun Park-O set by Audun at Fresh Pond. The park is more interesting than I usually give it credit, and while it's inescapably linear, good courses can be set there. This sprint was straightforward, though I started very poorly. I didn't really get into the O-zone (i.e. start orienteering well) until control 4. I was a bit sluggish, but I am nevertheless pleased with my performance. Brendan was a few seconds faster than I, and Ross was about 2 minutes ahead (more if he hadn't tried to knock down a fence with his thigh).

Turnout seemed to be good; I ran into the usual suspects, Keith, Dean, Isabel and Barb, and others.

Picking up the five beginner course controls that were not on the advanced course.

Advanced - Splits

Biking to and from rehearsal; the track is for the trip to rehearsal.

C • Harriman 1

It turns out that my AP log is the fifth hit on the Google search for "Boston X-talon 212" (the search for the terms, not the exact string). Woohoo! Unfortunately, that doesn't help me get some new X-talons.

I ran the (apparently 3 km) 80m ARDF course at Hammond Pond. We had more people than receivers, so in the interest of haste, I started three minutes after Lori, on control 4. This had the unfortunate consequence that Lori and I arrived at the next four controls concurrently.

I had assigned the large areas in which each of the controls were set, and that intimate knowledge of the control locations did make it difficult to simulate race-condition ignorance of the course. At the start, I pushed hard to control 4 and ended up about 100 meters from the control. While advancing on the control, I managed to drift about twenty or thirty meters to the left; I seem to struggle going straight on a bearing in the absence of feedback.

The logical order was 4, 1, 3, 2, 5; the appropriate times were 4 mins, 6, 8, 12, 15, and the finish at 20 minutes. I found 4 off cycle, missed a cycle at 1 (which I also found off cycle at ~10 minutes), and then ran cleanly. My effective finish time was 25:36.

This ARDF session was ineffective; I invested six hours of time for about twenty five minutes of actual ARDF training. The original plan was to run two such courses and a few short 5-10 minute 200m sprints. The rest of the physical activity was beneficial, but not the objective. The primary causes of the inefficiency were delays setting the course and more people than receivers, necessitating sharing. It's also hard to coordinate multiple exercises given the different speeds everyone has. I'm not quite sure how to resolve this, but ARDF sessions continue to be unacceptably inefficient.

C • hmm 2

C • Small typo 8

Biking to Hammond Pond for ARDF training.

Setting control 2 for the training in the northwest corner of the map. Since I was able to run largely entirely on trails, my pace was actually faster than while running the training course. One method for increasing the efficiency of training sessions is for a single individual to set all the controls in advance. We could rotate and absorb some of the time costs. More coaching and less waiting would be a significant improvement.

Picking up controls 2 and 3.

I biked home from lunch at a rotisserie chicken place with Keith, Lori, Ruth, and Joseph. Despite the significant traffic and numerous stoplights, much of the trip was downhill, and I achieved a speed record on my bike of 31 mph.

The past week has not been pleasant. Due to a busy work week, a cold, and general lack of focus, I have not trained at all in the past five days. While my nose is still running, I decided to take advantage of the beautiful day and bike the entire Minuteman Bikeway.

Conditions were brisk and windy, with a temperature of about 13 C and a west wind of 22 kph gusting to 32 kph. This made the ride to Bedford somewhat arduous. I brought a liter of powerade and a liter of water and consumed about half a liter total.

My right calf has felt very tight this week, resulting in some moderate arch pain. It is partly because of that and general muscle fatigue that I rested this week.

Biking is not as stressful on my muscles as running is. I have been morose this week, and getting out and doing some exercise, particularly in such splendid conditions, has greatly improved my morale.