Training Log Archive: Charlie

Event: NEOC: Blue Hills Traverse and Regular Meet
 

Blue Hills Traverse. Lovely weather, fun course with the butterfly loops. Physically I am not up to this sort of thing. My back was protesting mightily the whole time, mostly walking. Unfortunately, also making several mistakes, even at the slow pace. Unless I can get this back rehabbed, I don't really think I am going to be doing long-o much longer. By the time I finished most folks were gone, never figured out who did what. Perhaps when results are posted.

Map and route: Blue Hills East, part 1

Blue Hills West, part 2

The general story. Stumbling along the path to 1, watching folks disappear up ahead. My back was already in full revolt. I don't think I was actually last, but it sure felt that way. Went past it and around in from the S, saw a lot of people punching ahead of me and coming from the E. To 2, trail headed S for a while, then cut up the hill. I was a little too far E coming up, and it was farther up than I expected, but just kept going and came to it fine. First big boom going to 3, which was pretty surprising, because I went right by the little rocky spur before the road, but somehow I was too far N and had to hunt a bit. Ian went streaming past on the way to 4. I came to the cliff SSW of the control, but confused it and thought it was one of the rocky spurs further down the hill, so some searching too far W. Passed Jim Crawford on the way to 5, which I got cleanly, saw Sam L near 6. Trading leads with Sam and Jessica R on the way to 7, came down the hill too far W, but saw the reentrant developing so went right to it. Tried to go around the big rocky spur, but got a bit confused by a reentrant and ended up climbing it with Sam from the S, so a bit of extra climbing and crossing the reentrant before it. Easy coming back into 9. Trail around to the R until after the stone wall on the way to 10. Could see the hill developing. A couple of guys I don't know near the control. Down to the road near the little parking spot and across pretty quickly. Veered off on the trail where it meets the road halfway to 11 and along the trail, mostly walking. Cut across from just after the bend, getting down near the marsh and straight in.

Walking to 12, where I had a very pleasant visit with Hilly, watching as Jessica R came in, punched and left. I was in no hurry. I was feeling depleted and ate some fig newtons, but apparently not enough. I should have put some in a pocket. Hard to believe I was so distracted not to bring as much as a Gu packet. Back down the trail toward 13, looking for the EW wall on my left as an attack point, but not finding it. Jessica was standing on the trail studying the map. Just headed up, a bit too far R, but the shape of the land straightened me out and soon I saw rocks to the L and straight into it. Walking, walking trails to the left, a little jogging on the downhill, but it was painful. At 14 with Jessica again. I think she went L around the marsh, I went right. Somehow got above the EW trail on the way to 15, and by a fair amount. That was a big surprise, but when I hit the NS one there was really no doubt, so took the trail S and then angled over more or less on compass. A little further than I thought it was going to be, but no further problem. Got down near 16, peeked in the reentrant but didn't see it, so I wandered E a ways before relocating and heading back in. Jessica was there, just in front of me. On compass to 17, and an easy leg since it was going to be at the base of the big hill. Ahead of Jessica, saw Nancy D coming in, seemingly from the N. Turns out she was on green, but she was also coming to the butterfly control, so more or less with her back. Got hung up in a little greener stuff, came to a fairly substantial ruin off to the SE a bit, and then in to 18. Trails around left to 19, saw Scott T walking and looking beat, J-J jogging. Walked almost all the way. Cut in left of the marsh, almost fell over the control, apparently, but somehow missed it and got out to the trail. Headed down looking for the rock and came to the rock right next to the trail, which is what I thought I was looking for, but realized that wasn't it, and couldn't see it on the map since it was under the line. So headed back up looking, missed it again, got up pretty high before admitting defeat, working my way back down trying to puzzle out the reentrant on the right. On compass to 20, down the shallow reentrant and on pace count, should have spiked it, but in the circle and just a little off to the right, didn't see it and ended up going down past it and then back up. Very depleted, lightheaded. More or less straight to 21, didn't see the trail as I crossed it, but hit the hill across the stream and gratified to find the control hiding behind it. Back out the way I came in. The devil you know. A little jogging on the downhill. Straight in to 22. I know it by now, and then straight to 23, picking up the stone wall to lead me in. Fortunately the control was there. Apparently it wasn't for some of the earlier finishers.

Five (5) cups of soup at the finish. And then hopped in the car pretty promptly, arriving at Bradley just in time to pick up Kathy and the grandchildren, here until Friday.

C • what people did 2

C • BHT 2

Traverse - AD - Splits

Watching The Game. Alas, a familiar result.

C • football 3

Rhonda's morning class.

A couple of hours of modest laurel wrangling. If anyone is concerned about a looming world-wide laurel shortage, it appears the danger is minimal. No signs of laurel weevils here. The aim was to do a little RHINO improvement, and the session was quite successful.

C • I wonder if... 4

Usual stuff, with Rhonda

Another loop on the RHINO course, trying out a few things. I'm pretty satisfied with it now.

Rhonda's morning class

Usual exercises, plus planks, tabata

Night O test run on the new improved course. Definitely much better. Tried a couple of route options, will see how the times compare.

Reasonably successful. No recurrence of the chest discomfort. L arm feels week, a bit overextended. Winded. Not used to going fast anymore, whether rowing or other activities.

Test driving night-O course by day, with Sassy. She was way ahead much of the time, but I kept catching her by superior navigation. Lucky for her it was a mass start, as she had not brought a map or compass. Good that I checked. I ended up throwing out a couple of legs that were unpleasantly full of laurel. Seems the stuff has been growing in areas that have not been wrangled lately.

Planning on an easy 5K, but my chest discomfort returned after 3K, so wrapped it up not long after. May start with shorter pieces for a while. This definitely seems to be something inflamed in the vicinity of the ribs, rather than anything further inside, but still uncomfortable.