Training Log Archive: Charlie

"filthy fifty" with the girls (Rhonda, Jan and Sue). 50 reps each of 8 exercises. Best time by 1:24. Most improvement on box jumps and push presses. Lost a little focus when the level of chatter got high toward the end.

A very favorable workout so early in the day. Perhaps it would have been even more pleasing without the second cup of coffee before starting.

warming up on the spinning bikes before the crossfit.

Green Y course at North Americans. A little intimidated by the overcast, rainy conditions, but overall I found the map more visible than the middle distance map. Generally did pretty well, but lots of small mistakes and a few larger ones. Right on line for #1, but stopped to look at larger rockpile at the edge of the circle on the way in, so lost about 5-10 seconds. 2. was really good, straight all the way, checking off trail junction and going right through clearing on the line. Fairly straight most of the way to 3, although I looked briefly at the trail route right. Crossed right in the green befoer the marshy area then along the marsh. Saw the spur with the knolls, but got confused by the rootstock under the line and crossed the marsh over to the knoll and ran up the spur to the control. Maybe 10-15 seconds from the momentary indecision. Trying to go straight but drifted right a bit and went up the reentrant and saw the trail end, then tried to correct and thought it would be easy to find the first reentrant and then the second one, but ended up wandering and wandering. Finally relocated off the marsh to the NW. Dave Enger (5 mins) caught me here. Relatively intermittent trail S of control W to the road. Could hear folks behind me on it. Maybe Dave? Dave passed me on the road, but then I was first into the woods, skirting the marsh, but surprised by the knoll just NW of the control so stopped to look at the map and Dave punched first. Had planned the safe route along the ridge top to the wall NE of control, but from the ridge top it looked ok to justgo on compass and assume I would see the largish re-entrant the control was in. Dave was a bit higher on the slope and I was sure he had gone by it, but I didn't see it so kept going to the next reentrant. Then stopped to read and saw the stone wall fragment, so back E to control. Carl Childs was leaving it and I tried to follow him but he was too fast. Up hill looking for the wall, but never hit it, and I guess I was too far right. Dave showed up and led for a bit, but I punched first at 7. On trail, then Dave passed and got well ahead. Eventually cut S and crossed between green marsh and trickle, then up big hill on knoll W of the knoll near control, so a bit of a hesitation before figuring it out. Could see Dave 50 m ahead or so as I punched at 8. Thought about left trail route and right trail route, but straight seemed to work ok, mostly because I couldn't decide between left and right. Slowing down and careful , but reading the last few knolls and in pretty well. Dave came in behind me from the right a bit. E to road to bend and trail, where Dave passed again, and I was keeping an eye on him as he drifted right, then saw the blue control on the spur S of ours and went down to check it, feeling foolish. Figured out it was the spur and then went directly N to #10. Parallel error from here in reentrant left of the line when I thought I was right, leading me to drift left when I got over the hill instead of right and mill around for a couple of minutes before figuring it out. Saw Dave leaving about 50 m before I got to the control, so he was probably at least 100 m ahead now. Straight might have been a pretty good route to 12, but left to the small trail and then road was safe, and I saw a parade of folks going the other way on the small trail, including PG and Rick W. Jumped off road at knoll before the trail jct on the left and across between marshes and straight in. Only about 10 m behind Dave, who had gone further up the road and got slowed down in the marsh. He then went left toward 13, but I went right (same route as PG's map shows). Very nice and felt in control all the way. Saw Dave coming in after I punched. Mostly skirted the hill out to the road, then road to the water stop at top of the hill and into the woods, drifting a bit left behind Dave, and watching him go to the knoll nearer the marsh, following most of the way to it before correcting and getting to 14 before him. Feeling very tired now, and he got out to the road faster and appeared to be heading up to the finish and taking the easy trail route. Since I was falling farther behind him on the road, and didn't want to follow him anyway, I cut through the woods, thinking I would find the reentrant that led down to the control. Nicest running woods of the day, but I got a bit off and ended up going down the smaller reentrant south of the one I aimed for and looking for the knolls that weren't there until I was in the marsh. Pretty scared that I was really lost, but lucky enough to go back to the hill and read the terrain right, up the reentrant from the S and right in. Maybe a 3 minute bobble. Then to 16 left of line to avoid the marsh, but couldn't read the tiny features in the vicinity of the control and ended up standing in a reentrant just SE of the control for a minute. PG passed on the way to 17. Just kept pushing a bit right of line, past stone pile before marsh, across and up the marsh, running right in. Then I could see the finish and just bore off a bit to pick up the flag on the trail. Not a bad performance for me. Lots of mistakes, but at least corrected well on all but #4.

C • Didn't you learn about run-... 2

Having finished the race and collected Erik, I've repaired back to the car to change into dry clothes and beat a hasty retreat home. The fellow in the next car (a Canadian whom I don't know) engages me in a few pleasantries and gives me the customary greeting orienteers give when seeing someone after the race: "how did you do?". I think for a millisecond about the day's adventures, and respond, with some forcefulness, "great!" And it's true enough, despite the variations from perfect navigational form. After all, my performance was as good as I can reasonably expect from myself if not all that I could desire, and I've contracted no new injuries. What could be better? Anyway, the fellow is a bit taken aback by the unconventional response, but finds it pretty pleasing, and we chat a while, with big smiles from both of us the whole time.

C • I think more people can giv... 2

Green Y - Splits

Middle Distance Green Y course at Salmon River Fish Hatchery at North American Champs. Detailed area, which is always difficult for me. Big parallel error at #6 and difficult to relocate. turned out to be about 4 minutes, but seemed much longer while it was happening. then fell in with PG and coach for a bit, which sped me up a fair amount. Didn't last for long, though, and had another big clunker at #10. Also about 4 minutes, but seemed much longer, too. 4th in M60, missing a medal by about 45 seconds.

Green Y Middle Distance - Splits

Event: North American Championships
 

North American Champs, first sprint. Good run, one 30 second error overrunning a control because I hadn't read the clue. Otherwise pretty clean. Very nice park terrain. Lots of fun. 5th place in M60 for first run.

Finals at Green Lake SP at North Americans. Tried a little harder to keep moving pretty fast. No real problems, just one brief hesitation at #15, but not more than five seconds. 2nd in M 60 for the race, 3rd for the combined time. Excellent.

warmup for sprint races.

Sprints: OBG Preliminary - Splits

Sprints: OBG Final - Splits

Tunxis trail loop with Rhonda and Hazel.

abbreviated warmup, then the workout known as Fran: Thrusters and pullups, 21-15-9. 25 lb dumbbells for the thrusters. Time was 7:44, which was better than last time by almost a minute.

Plan was to run the Art Sweeton loop with Hazel, but she was apparently feeling lethargic, so off by myself. Down on the so-called Buttonhole trail, some noise off on the right and there were three nice fuzzy bear cubs, looking like about 40-50 lbs each, and their mom keeping an eye on them. The cubs scrambled up trees. They move very fast. And I backed up a bit and found a different route, running past the small pond and up through the clearcut and up and down on some of the newer trails a few times.

Additional AOWN: A beaver has taken over my small pond (Ellen's pond). Water level is way up, it's kind of messy, and there is a lodge at the northern end of the pond. This explains why the water level is so high in the marsh. I need to build a bridge on one of the newer trails where it is too wet to cross now.

workout of the day was supposed to be rounds of 400M run and max pullups, however many you can do in 20 minutes. My 400M course I think is somewhere between 500 and 550, and I walk up and down the stairs to the pullup bar in between, but I make up for it by not making very many pullups. runs were 2:45; 2:48; 2:51; 2:49 and 2:46. Pullups 10-10-8-8-6. Hard, but not a real maximum effort, and not as tough as some of the other workouts that involve thrusters.

From Pleasant Valley. Idea was to go up Sandy Brook Road, but the road was, well, sandy - recently oiled. So just headed up route 8 for a while. Nice weather. First bike ride in what seems like a month or more. Had a flat on the way back. First one of the season. Seems like I used to change flats a lot more often.

workout today was 30 reps snatch. Did a bunch of warm-up stuff, then got to the snatches. Hadn't done these before, so instead of the 135 that was prescribed, I did it with 55. It went up easily enough, but coming down made my shoulder ache. Stopped at 5 because no reason to injure my shoulder even more. Anyway, it was pleasing that I could do it at all. With an intact shoulder I could certainly have lifted a fair amount more than 55, and I could certainly have made the 30 reps.

Back injury from falling at Hickory Run seems to be resolving itself. No longer hurts that much to cough or sneeze, which was killer up through yesterday. I don't think I'll try a golf swing until next week, but the overall evaluation is that it is mostly better.

Event: EMPO - NOD - Grafton Lakes State Park
 

Red course at Grafton. I usually put my contact in well in advance of running, but forgot about it until I got there. Had trouble getting it in, and then it was running around loose in my eye for a while. Finally seemed to be ok, but as soon as I started running it was a problem. Saw lots of halo images in the forest, and had a great deal of difficulty making out the map. Also having trouble getting through the forest, getting poked by hemlock branches repeatedly, even at my slow speed. Fun course, though, and lots of trail opportunities.

Red - Splits

workout of the day was a variant on the so-called filthy fifty: fifty reps of each of 10 exercises. Only made it through 7 of them because I was running out of time before taking Erik to his cross country race. Hardest one was the new addition - knees-to-elbows. Hanging from the chin bar and lifting knees to elbows and then down again. The others weren't bad.

Some miscellaneous warm up exercises, mostly to see just what hurts, and then the workout known as Fran - 21 thrusters, 21 pullups, then 15,15 and 9,9. Elapsed time 8:41. Used 25 lb dumbbells for the thrusters, up from 20s last time and it made quite a difference.

Back is still pretty tender, but definitely improved over a day or so ago.

Followed it up with about an hour or so with the brushmower, clearing a field for winter.

set of tabata squats in my hotel room this morning. Not much time, and my back is not going to permit much, but this was pretty benign, if invigorating. Back seems slightly better this morning, if still pretty limiting.

Still a lot of discomfort. Went to PT for heat, ultrasound, electro stim and stretching. Then hopped on a plane for Dallas. Brian said that if it's not better by Friday I should go for an xray.

Back spasms along the left side above where I hit when I fell at the night-o on Saturday. Had hoped for crossfit and a bike ride today, but the spasms are pretty hard and walking is difficult enough.

C • Bummer 2

Red course at Hickory Run. Hot and humid, and got very tired, particularly on the longer legs to 12 and 13. Still, it is a difficult area and satisfied overall with navigation.

Red Course - Splits

Event: DVOA Training Weekend - Hickory Run
 

Night-o at DVOA training weekend at Hickory Run. Started out well, hitting the first six controls right on and moving ok, but then a variety of problems, including a bad fall on the way to #9 slipping on rocks and hitting forearm, hip and lower back. 2nd night-o in two weekends, and second bad fall. Is there a lesson to be learned?

Advanced Night-O - Splits

on the stationary bike

with Rhonda and the usual morning girls: Jan, Sue and Betsy. run 550 meters, 15 push presses, 15 20"box jumps. 4 circuits of this and then finishing with another run. Did the push presses with 20 lb dumbbells, which made a big difference compared to the 25 lb ones I used last time. Not as out of breath.

In solidarity with our intrepid representatives at the Rogaine championships, some Estonian-style rogaine practice with Nysse and Brian Magna the younger, replete with driving rain and cold, but, alas, not a viper in sight.

Then returned to a spate of Weather channel watching to see the flooding and other mischief at Mimi and Pawpaw's in SE Houston. Rhonda had prevailed on them to leave, which they finally did earlier in the day, for relative safety up in San Marcos. Suspect they will not be able to return for a while, and the house may not be habitable.

workout of the day not interesting, so Rhonda and I did the so-called filthy fifty - 50 reps of each of 8 exercises - box jumps, jump pullups, walking lunges, push presses, kettlebell swings, back extensions, GHD situps, medicine ball throws. The classic version has two more exercises, but so far I am plenty tired after these.

20 minutes later I am still breathing hard.

Down to the farm through the woods and back up over the hill. With Rhonda and Hazel. Rhonda sets a pretty strict pace, so it's hard work.

a bit out of sync with the website after being away at the o-meet, so Rhonda called the workout this morning, with Sue and Betsy: 20 minutes of run ~500 meters then 15 push presses. I used two 25 lb dumbbells. Made 4 loops in 18, and pretty clear I wouldn't make another one, so stopped then.

rest day today. Thought I might go for a bike ride, but waited for Rhonda until she decided she didn't want to go. Did get a fair amount of lawn mowing in.

Red course, day 2 at camping weekend. Started so well, clicking off the first five without incident, but then two real clunkers in a row. Second one was a classic, involving relocating several times from nearby or not so nearby features, but wandering close by without finding the flag. Partly a rather vague feature, partly a rather faded flag. Then ok the rest of the way, but with a little less snap. Best news is no knee pain the whole weekend, which is very encouraging.

Plenty fine time visiting with friends, especially sitting around the car in the parking lot with Rhonda passing out treats.

Red Day 2 - Splits

Event: UNO Annual Camping Weekend
 

Pawtuckaway day 1 red. Not bad, but blunders at 3, 4, 5 and 7. Otherwise pretty good navigation. Blistered my right heel, and figured out after that the little tab on the heel on that shoe had gotten tucked in when I put the shoe on. So not only a blister, but my own fault.

With Rhonda trailing along behind, in the kayaks. Conscious decision to keep it mellow, so didn't even try for 13 and 14, the furthest off to the E, and it was pleasant going. Shoulder tired by the end, but much better than my only other kayak outing this summer, about 6 weeks ago. We got 11 out of 14, also skipping the land control, since the blister on my heel was pretty sore and I didn't have much interest in getting out of the boat and running around.

WHNO at Pawtuckaway. Mostly with PG and Jim A, and a few others from time to time. At #5 decided it was still fun and so a good time to think about heading back before it stopped being fun, and on my own from there. Very, very wet. Anxious about the blister, but it was basically fine after I started running.

Red Day 1 - Splits

Wicked Hard Night O - short version - Splits

Deadlifts today 5 x sets of 3. Last time I did deadlifts I tweaked my back, so a little cautious about going too heavy. A few warmup rounds, and then did my sets with 185, 205, 205, 205 and 205.

Part of Rhonda's morning class, many high school kids in attendance.

C • Ratlum Mtn is becoming quit... 2

With Rhonda and Kathleen. Down Doyle Rd and then up all the nasty hills going N on the Tunxis trail, until Rhonda declared a switch and we headed back down, only to have to climb Doyle again. Keeping going would have been longer, but more pleasant. The girls were walking and running, and I was grinding along like a tractor in low gear. It sort of evened out. 32:50 when we turned around, so apparently 34:10 on the way back.

workout today is 5x sets of 3 squats. I am not good at squats, but I think they are good for me. 95-115-125-125-125. A little wobbly legged after, and tender along the top of the right quad, but basically fine.

Not much time, so did the old Ratlum route down Wright to 179 to Case St to South Lane and back via the dreaded Devil's elbow, peaking at mile 11. Pretty hard work, for a short ride.

Rest day of sorts. Drove into Hoboken with Rhonda and the boys and visited Jessica. Went over to NYC and did about 5 miles of tramping around and sightseeing before heading home.