Training Log Archive: Ricka

Walk/jog to Start. 33 degrees last night, thick fog on bus shuttle to Start, then sunny and warmed up fast. With early start, I wore 2 layers - ok but 1 would have sufficed. Low 60's in PM.

Spits and results available at: http://www.naoc2014.ca/results-centre

Solid race: 26th/58 in M55-64. About same place as yesterday for totally different reasons. Using same map, course setters did a great job in giving us two very different challenges: very technical legs on Middle; LOTS of trail running on LONG. But the incredible number of trail junctions (CC ski area?) made it imperative to stay in contact with map. I preferred the Middle orienteering but this was also a valid test.

S-1: After stmbling on first legs recently, took it careful. Used knoll on trail to attack but veg was thicker than mapped (further on trail would have been faster). Slow, cautious, clean: -1 min

1-2: Crossed marsh on right, then trail to control! So easy - weird.

2-3: Compared to yesterday, very surprised by 1st two easy and short legs. Opened map - first long leg. Hey, there's lots of trails out here! Due south to beaver dam; caught trails; crossed power line; stayed in map contact as I aimed for 'trail in front of marsh'; missed short-cut minor trail - saw Rob W behind me (oops); left trail at big bend; good map contact to stream crossing; saw hunting platform - yes, I'm here! - up knoll to big trail to small trail; saw water jugs from afar.

3-4: Thought I read trails well. Somehow missed control, recognized and bounced off of big marsh. Unmapped trail? -1 min

4-5: trails, trails, trails - not my fave or strength, but the number of intersections passed (about 10) and turns at junctions a(bout 6) made it challenging. Lost 2 minutes when I 2nd guessed myself at one intersection. Pleased to have stayed in contact - using knolls as check features helped.

5-6: Went straight (trail then white woods faster?). Slow through marsh and hesitant leaving trail. -1 min

6-7: Clean SW route to trail - trail run - clean.
7-8: Chose trails N then E - clean. (Right then cut corner faster?)
8-9: Spur to zig-zag on trails to cross stream cleanly - then rough NE bearing to power-line. Push N to control through nice white woods.
9-F: Easy finish.

Very good map contact - constant pace but slow. Kept errors minimal. Legs and body have held up better than expected - looking forward to last event - Monday sprint.

Long - Course 7B - Splits

Warm-up on small model map next to Start - nice idea!

Tough technical terrain - 4 1-2 minute errors - but stayed close and mostly in map contact. Then frustrating 6 minute error at end - UGH. Still, 24/59, about 40th percentile - about my expectations for M55-64 . Pace counted on every leg - really helped!

Great news - I'm healthy! Felt real good out there. I was dehydrated and totally exhausted after model run yesterday but then it felt that that purged my system. Looking forward to the Long.

S-1: Didn't notice trail option right so followed 2 women and elephant tracks through tall grass - good option.

1-2: small depression was on gnarly knoll with lots of slash yellow. Went for knoll and spent 1-2 minutes in control circle - ugly. Trail to rock face to depression looks best way to attack ugly control circle. (-1 min)

2-3-4: Straight - read small knolls correctly.

4-5: Went left to take advantage of open pine forest, then over-corrected to right. Quickly realized that I was too close to power line - relocated quickly (-2 min)

5-6: Longest leg - getting through power line cut was tough. Tried to used knolls and swamp - kept pace counting and bearing - lost contact and could not match subtle features. Thought I'd need to hit water and bounc e back - looked left to see orienteer and control! Lucky leg of day!

6-7: Knolls and other runners pushed me left - straight to #8! Easy run back to 7. (-1) So 7-8 to 0.5m boulder was fast.

8-9: Went left a bit to avoid green - turned right, read knoll to attack control.

9-10: Right looked much cleaner - read features well but hesitant.
10-11-12: Now the short legs - clean
12-13: Looked easy "run to big hill, turn right" Found the hill and then brain-dead for 5 minutes (forgot to STOP!). Wandered, found #14 (50m from #13). Probably went to wrong nose from 14 - up to14 again. I'll take bearing - probably made 180. Back to 14 - Careful bearing and still struggled to find 13. UGH - but 13-14 was fast!
14-F: Clean finish

Middle - Course 7b - Splits

Event: NAOC2014 (North American Champs/Ottawa O-Fest)
 

On model map for Long and Middle at NAOC 2014. Much more challenging technically than last week - "be careful out there". With 25m contour intervals, terrain is much more subtle. Vegetation very well mapped - white and light green fast, avoid medium green! Rocks are "under-mapped" by midwest standrards - very consistent and just need to get used to it.

Easy hike at Charleston Lake PP - beautiful lake and rock formations. Scared my 4th grouse in 3 days. Recovery continues - still low energy.

Trail and off-trail hike at Charleston Lake PP. Saw a pileated woodpecker but too furtive to get a picture.

Just realized that I've had a 'head cold' for a couple days: achy, low energy, clogged. Probably started Sunday but adrenalin carried me through. Feel better about lazing Monday and Tuesday. Much better Wednesday. Will get on model maps Friday.

Now at Charleston Lake Provincial Park - very empty. Beautiful. All night rain. Sadly, canoes rented only on weekends in off-season. Saw a porcupine. Hanging out at Gananoque book store/coffee house.

Easy walking along Lake Ontario shore and 1812 battle field at Sackett's Bay. Enter Canada tomorrow on way to NAOC.
Rest day - legs really needed it.