Training Log Archive: JanetT

Event: WCOC Gay City State Park
 

4.8 km Green course at Gay City, set by George and Lyn (thanks!!). Nice course with mostly short legs (longest was about 400m) and changes of direction, so a middle feel. Red was three separate woods sprints which didn't interest me as much.

Fun times in mostly nice woods, though I managed to botch the approach to 6 once I got across the stream north of the swamp, finding some rocks to use as steppingstones. (Swamp is mapped as uncrossable and I didn't want to attempt it, plus I figured it was a test for North Americans, where marshes and ponds mapped as uncrossable are really "forbidden to cross" as much as "you don't want to go there.") Talked to Karen M. later, who said she went straight across but was in water up to her upper thighs doing so.

Anyway, once I got across the stream I passed by my number 8 and took a bearing from there, but was drawn off by the hills to my right and had to correct from there. Otherwise I was moving fairly well through the woods and in the right direction, though ferns slowed me down in places.

Three micro-sprints near the start/finish. Very tricky, but I managed to complete them all with no mistakes though not very quickly. Similar to the ones we did at Macedonia this past spring, but that was a much more open area; these were set in an area with trees and picnic tables to block your way and your view. Still a lot of fun to keep track of where you are and where you're going next.

Green - Splits

Maze A - Splits

Maze B - Splits

Maze C - Splits

Thacher Park Centennial Run -- 5K ?

http://www.thacherparkrunningfestival.com/

Acadia NP

The Bubbles (South and North) including visiting Bubble Rock, plus Conners Nubble, then back to parking via carriage road and woods trail. South Bubble overlooks Jordan Pond (and Jordan Pond house at the far end), and North Bubble/Conner's Nubble overlook Eagle Lake.

Less rockiness on most of the trails, though the rock scramble of the final ascent of Conners Nubble was a bit steep/tricky for these old legs.

After finishing our Bubbles hike we drove down to Jordan Pond to see the J.P. house and lawn which we could see from South Bubble. Both the hike and the house visit were popular activities of park visitors a hundred or more years ago. We skipped the snacks (blueberry soda or popovers), and saw another loon in the pond there!

Acadia National Park

Beech Mountain trails (including Beech Cliffs and Canada Cliffs overlooks); temps in the mid 60s and sunny

Trails more rocky than I was expecting, but I managed okay.

Acadia / Ship Harbor trail on southern MDI coast near Bass Harbor light

First sighting of a loon! Surprised to see it diving near the inlet; thought loons were freshwater birds only. EDIT: they breed in freshwater, but fish in coastal areas too.