Training Log Archive: Ricka

NAOC Long - 6.8K. Very cloudy but dry - great weather today (between two large storms).

I'm not fit enough for 6.8K, but much better run today - but I suspect that that was true for most people. (This is why I was very pleased to drop from Red to Green 8 years ago.)

Only one (really) stupid route choice error. From 4, I thought 2-3 times, "There must be a way to cross this marsh." but due to 'clutter' ono map near road across swamp, I did not see it - even though the road very clearly approaches swamp from N and S. I guess I'm not used to solid black roads on map - my eyes are expecting dashed trails or brown roads - weird bias. SOooooo, crossed 60m of marsh, mostly calf to knee deep, waist deep at stream. Slow and tiring! UGH.

Rest of course was good route choice and execution, EXCEPT hesitant near many control circles. I only realized on way home that I never studied the circles and planned the aproaches. Good old midwest orienteering - get close and stay alert. Works here; but not in complex terrain (I've learned that lesson several times! :) )

NAOC Middle Distance 4.1 km. Constant light rain all AM.

Map (excellant quality) and terrain were very complex morraine. Good route choice and execution on #1 and #2 (but low right would have been faster). Missed #3: subtle double reentrant in the flats. Got close but my attack point was too vague ('turn right near top of reentrant'). Lost 2-3 minutes; but just can't remember how I did relocate - it wasn't blind luck.

Then rain messed with glasses - got very frustrating - baseball cap was not sufficient - needed the visor which is more awkward. I could either read map without glasses or see terrain (sort of) with. So instead of frequent glances at map, I tried to memorize stretches - just not my style. Ran last half of race without glasses - really had to focus on footing. No pace, no confidence.

Major error on #7. Got close; stood on noticeable 'popular' spur as runners flowed by, but I could NOT find it on my map. Fell right into depression; bailed back to trail; back to same spur (at least I'm accurate); thought I might be seeing it on map, fell left and found control.

BUT major orienterring error was persistent Sat and Sun - in the trickiest control areas, I did not 'read the control circle' - I got close very nicely, but had not determine best attack point in circle and did not visualize the circle. My CART had not C today. (Exact same errros at Telemark in WI at US champs a few years ago - I was better in MI last year.)

I'd love to be able to attack that course dry - but probably would still have struggled if I weren't focussed on terrain 'in the circle'.

Times were VERY spread out on Green Y. 68 minutes got me 10/20 on M55 only 2 minutes out of 7th.

Event: North American Championships
 

Got to NY too late for sprints so went to train on Winona North map.

Veg has really thickened in many areas: extremely thick and expansive blackberries, even in pine sections; downfall from both logging and windfall.

Ran legs in the good terrain - forcussed on reading contours. Used old Orange 1:10000 map. then went to 1:15000 map to redo Leg #2 that I'd bombed 6-7 years ago. This time I found it - but contours were very subtle and I see how I blew it then.

Map hike on Winona North map - partly to read contours; mostly due to areas of blackberries and deadfall.

Definitely a confidence and skill builder.