Training Log Archive: Ricka

Rest Day - though legs really aren't as trashed as expected after 4 races & hills in 3 days. Going upstairs not as bad as after 90-minute Runt at Rockwoods.

Only one significant time loss (3 minutes on shortest leg of weekend on Sprint) in 4 races - sweet. Of course, bobbles, hesitation, subtle route choices, and especially lack of pace do add up - but body really feels energized Monday.

Steady run on 5.8K Green. Uphill legs not as bad as feared. Hard to push on roads. Overall good route choice and execution. Stayed with Shelly Pennington through most of course. First out of 8 with Shelly, Ioana, and red Canadian - climbed to trail (did not see highway option left) - passed others as they contoured. Red line on 8 worked well - woods very open. Should have red-lined 1; went rightish.

Lesson: Always consider red-line. Had several chances to plan ahead, especially 8-9. I probably dismissed left road on 8-9 because I 'disliked' the idea of it.

4th on M55; 20/60 on Green.

C • Your route 2

Warmup up and down road a couple times - bit uphill.

Sunday Long Green - Splits

First leg, Orange, on SLOC Relay. Stayed in pack of 3-5 including Peggy D, Bob B, and Taylor D - they only pulled away on last uphill. I lagged usually - they really pushed my pace to max. Orange level course was 'easy' but I cut a few corners to help - not fooled by forks. I enjoyd mass start - strong first leg.
Lesson: Nice run - kept head in mass start; used other runners well.

Great sprint course and venue at Burnett woods. Lots of route choice decisions. Strong run EXCEPT for 3-minute error on shortest, 40-sec, leg 5-6. Being so short, I didn't analyze - just bearing and run. But I was well left, ended in reentrant below road instead of woods in front of yellow field. Wandered in reentrant and road - could not calm down and make sense. I saw other runners, they semed to be on 5-7 line - didn't help me spot 6. Finally ID'ed road, trail, then yellow.

Lesson: Even on short leg: recheck bearing after crossing reentrant; still think about control circle ('cross trail, roots in green in front of yellow')

Warm-up for 2 events - included uphills at sprint.

Saturday Orange_8pt - Splits

Event: OCIN 25th Anniversary / Flying Pig XIII / Relay Champs
 

warm-up jog to start

Very hesitant, stop-start middle course at Pig. A couple bobbles; only dumb error was going to Finish before #15 at head of chute - 40 sec lost. With short legs and need to unfold map to read clues, I couldn't find any continuity- nice course.

4th place on M55, but 3rd was 8 minutes faster. 10/54 on Green. In terms of ranking points, best race of weekend. Relay leg was probably even stronger - not ranked of course.

Lesson: In terms of map contact and maintaining a flow, I found that I'm really dependent on 'clues on arm' and 'thumb/compass on control circle'. This is not a weakness, but does highlight my style.

Friday Middle Green - Splits

Out to FP for 'loosen up legs' run the day before OCIN. I did 2 hills - I guess I'm ready for 5-7% climbs :(