Training Log Archive: JanetT

Event: Falls Classic - Letchworth State Park
 

Brown X at Rochester Falls Classic, Letchworth East map, nominally 4.2 km and 170m climb...hah! Dnt know how they counted contours but I counted 200-210 on my route, and I didn't climb the 6 contours to the road for the optional left route choice from 2-3. Slight deviations to 1 and 7 so not quite spikes. Long description follows.

Slightly unsure of my location on the way to #1 having climbed the hill near the seasonal stream (a 10-contour climb right off the bat), but thought I identified the distinct tree (big conifer); it seemed farther N of the conifer than I expected but I found it. Quick and easy short leg to 2; contoured to 3.

Above the earth bank to 4 and then down the reentrant where I caught up to Lex B. who stayed right on my tail until most of the way to 7 where I hesitated a few seconds and let her get a bit ahead, then I took a higher line and was lucky to see the flag off to my left.

Slogged up the hill to the rail trail and used the water drop as my attackpoint for 8...a bit confused as to why the land appeared to my eyes like there should have been a rise to my left per the map but it sloped downhill instead...but I just stayed steady on the bearing and then things made sense. 8-9 seemed to take longer than it should have but it may have just been thicker vegetation. 10 was "cross two gullies and climb a hill."

10-11 was basically almost all downhill (some of it through green) and included potential for a trail run. Although almost twice as long as the 8-9 leg it only took me two minutes more. I distinctly remembered the slope on the downhill side of the rail trail from the a Middle Champs here a few years ago, having really botched a control on a reentrant here. So I ran the rail trail until I reached the particular spur that the reentrant hid on (attacking across from the rough open W of the r.t.), ran down a very nice deer path to the flat then across the flat to the slight rise where I kept to the east edge. 11-12 was just "head off in the right direction."

12-13 I was pretty much just on the line even across the bland white nothingness; hit the clearinged-marshy flat area at its S edge and angled up the hill to the r.t. once more...my legs could barely move because they were worn out from climbing. Once I crested the r.t. I needed to go down across a wet ditch but caught a toe and landed *in* it instead, getting my whole right side wet and muddy and bruising my left knee as well. (Saw another competitor later who was even muddier who said that's where she fell as well.) I was glad to see the actual finish much closer than mapped (it was at the building within the circle for the Go control).

11th overall on the course (~38 competitors). Still have to get through tomorrow. Fastest on the course was Walter Siegenthaler at 66 min.

Day 1 results by class

Day 1 - Brown X - Splits

Sat for two hours (selling raffle tickets for the Crazy Quilters guild's raffle quilt), then was on my feet at the PA Sewing and Quilt Festival (same people who put on the Mid-Atlantic show that peggyd goes to) for another 3.5. Not really training but at least I wasn't sitting down all that time.

I find it interesting (when I go to these shows) to see what draws my eye. What I like now is totally different from what I loved 20-25 years ago (I made my first quilted object about 30 years ago). Fun afternoon.

C • quilt stuff 2

Neighborhoods, hoping to finsh before predicted showers/rain (remains of Irma). Added a bit of the "walking path" near the end so the total would be over 3 miles/5 km. Felt a bit of light showers up in the hillside neighborhood, none in the Curly Horse development, and then it picked up again when I was on the walking path, prompting me to jog the last little bit in from W Hopewell.

Oddities:
A drone (quadcopter) flew overhead as I was walking down Bowood from Pineview...I waved to it.
And a farm vehicle was plowing (turning over) the dirt near the new elementary school, where the old school used to be. Maybe they'll plant some grass or wildflowers, or make a soccer field. Wait and see.

Needed this. No quad stretching but I can add that in on my own. Kind of an all-body class.

Event: DVOA Hickory Run Sand Spring
 

"Green" course at Hickory Run, nominally 6.5km, 140m climb, designed by Steve Aronson.

Courses were too long for these woods. Light green was lots and lots of beech saplings that will make the woods really thick in a few years.

I would have been happy if he'd cut it short, maybe 6-10 then in, or skipping 8-9-10 completely. I reached 8 at around 85 minutes, and typically do a green course wth few errors in about 90-95 min, so knew it'd be a slog the rest of the way. Then I started making mistakes (good thing I had an extra Gu or they'd have been much worse).

Errors:

1 - Tried to go straight down spur from hilltop on trail, but planned to go out to power line trail and relocate if I missed it, which I did; J-hooking around to it.

7 - On a line to it but when I hit the first batch of stony ground turned left instead of right. It was slightly hidden.

9 - Totally misread the stream (never saw it) and rocky ground beyond (which I thought was the stream). Spent too much time trying to figure it out.

11 - Lost confidence partway and headed left before relocating off the black circle (permanent control marker).

13 - At trail split, didn't notice the left fork! The mapped amphitheater looked like two buildings to me, despite my using reading glasses AND a magnifier. Ugh.

Happy with my navigation on several technical controls; 2, 4, 5, 8, 10.

Before we went out on morning courses we said we could help pick up controls after the event. Fortunately they kept some fairly easy ones for us. Rich Boeme and I split up the ones on Camp Daddy Allen, and Glen drove out to a few near Sand Spring.

Not included in the track is picking up the Go control which needed to wait until a few more folks finished...by the time I get back they had.

Started my watch late, at the basketball court, so this should include another minute or so.

C • help 2

Green - Splits