Training Log Archive: iansmith

In the past, my O-year has been structured such that the logical break in the year is late November and part of December. The fall is important in my calendar - usually with at least one US championship, Pawtuckaway, the Traverse, though the team trials/US Champs at the end of the spring are my yearly target. I suppose it would be useful to think of the summer as a target, but I haven't competed at the world level, and I've had a few injury-enforced breaks in previous summers. Yet with WOC 2013 done, this seems like a good time to reflect on next year's WOC and trials, which as always is my primary objective.

Nothing has changed from previous years except that I'm in decent though unremarkable condition this summer - no lyme, no major injuries - and the structure of WOC 2014 will be the new system without long and middle qualifiers. For people like me, this is a bit devastating; it is much less likely I will ever run an individual forest race at the World Championships. If I make the team, I'm much more likely to be a fourth or fifth runner than the best middle or long runner. While regrettable, it's the reality of the situation: the game has changed. I still want to make the WOC team; there's tremendous prestige in representing your country on the world stage. I'm thrilled to have been named to the standing team, but my orienteering career will be incomplete without being on the WOC team, even if "just" to run a sprint. It's still a race against the best in the world on the international stage wearing my country's uniform.

The target is a bit smaller, then, and priorities have changed somewhat. North Americans is now a hugely important race, and I may have to take a different strategy. While it would seem petty to run only one race at NAOCs, throwing everything at a single race may maximize the probability of getting a coveted WOC final spot. Bjorn Kellstrom considerations aside, I wonder if someone who ran only one race would really deserve earning that final spot, though I don't think IOF makes any such sporting specifications.

My first goal, as is the past, must be to finish in the top four results at Team Trials. The Relay is now a likelier objective than an individual race, and presumably, the team trials will send at least three runners and a spare to WOC. The men will only have five individual starts, but I hope everyone who gets sent to WOC will have an individual start. There's not much incentive to travel to Europe if your only role is as alternate to the relay. Apart from North Americans, despite the improbability, a stretch goal must be to win one of the forest races at the Team Trials. This isn't impossible; the generation sandwiched between the old guard and the up-and-comers like Ethan is not heavily populated. It will be a good goal to pursue. Apart from that, the probability of a US Championship relative to making the WOC team is higher, so those will be more important. Ultimately, I will try to have fun and enjoy orienteering. Time to start training for 2014.

C • The smaller the target 5

I forgot my Garmin in my office, so I ran in to retrieve it. The outer edge of my left foot still feels a little wonky from intervals on Tuesday and softball, but running does appear to exacerbate it.

I finished my run with an evening cruise. Sluggish.

Game vs Raiders. I played center and left field for most of the game, and caught all the fly balls except two fouls to far left field. My old - and soon to be retired - Orocs made excellent cleats. I switched to first base when our understaffed team rotated. While pitching, Peyton was hit hard by a line drive to the ribs; fortunately, she only needed a few minutes to pull herself together and appeared to be uninjured. We were missing some of our stronger players and lost. My batting was unable to overcome the Raiders' exceptional fielding. I think the final score was in the neighborhood of 15-4.

The outer lateral edge of my left foot a few cm in front of the ball hurts from yesterday - probably something about my shoes. The injury feels more like a bruise or sore soft tissue than something serious like a tear or fracture. I have full range of motion, and I have had a busy enough week to justify a rest day even without the injury. Hopefully I will be able to train and play softball on Thursday and Friday. I depart for Europe in a few days.

Cruising around the Esplanade. Most of my effort was spent dodging pedestrians; 7 PM != 11 PM.

Run to the track and warmup. A large group of runners was doing an organized track workout.

After drills, I ran some strides, then commenced my workout. The plan was 1200m, 800, 400, 400, 800, 1200, but I started to hurt and slow down, so truncated the last 1200 to 800. I felt pretty crappy for most of the workout, but I haven't done much speedwork lately. My left foot started hurting by the end of the workout - probably due to the shoe.

Splits:
1200 - 4:17, 85.7/400
800 - 2:53, 86.5/400
400 - 1:21.8
400 - 1:20.2
800 - 3:02.1, 91/400 good heavens
800 - 2:59.7, 89.9/400 ugh

Cool down and return to the Broad before the free organ concert on Tuesday nights at 8 PM at a church by MGH. link

Two sets of drills: grapevines, explosive leaps, butt kicks, high knees, side gallops, backwards running.

Cruise around the Esplanade.