Training Log Archive: GlenT

66N to the gas plant and back. In the dark, and daylight savings time hasn't even ended yet. 37F but dressed right (including hat and gloves) so felt OK.

Green X Day 2 at NEOC Troll Cup Revival meet on Mt. Tom map. Good run except for one control, # 3. Was too far SW of the control, relocated poorly (back to where I hadn't found the control) and fumbled around until I saw Janet punching at the bag further downhill from where I was. Lost 6 or 7 minutes. Pretty clean for most of the rest of the course, which was somewhat less technical than Saturday's and with some nice open fast woods. A very good course set by Jeff Shapiro (who also did a nice job as meet director). Weather was outstanding, 50's and sunny (warming into the 60's by awards time), after an inch or two of rain overnight. Was 3rd overall in M55, about 10th on Green X, and second for two day total time in M55.

C • tnx for the splits; Charlie... 1

Green X Day 2 - Splits

Event: NEOC Heart and Troll Revival A-Meet
 

Green X Day 1 at Mt. Tom. Very nice course set by Phil with lots of technical stuff and good route choices. Started and finished up near the top of the ridge. Lost 3 minutes on the first control by trying to go straight rather than take the trail, then lost another 2 min on 2 and relocating where the stream hit the trail. Settled down after that and did OK except for losing map contact going to 11 and lucking out to relocate when I saw a bag on the stream junction just north of the beeline. Lost another minute or two on hesitations while executing various legs. Total errors about 8 minutes. 2nd in M55, 6th overall on Green X (M50, 55 and 60).
Overcast and 50's with a few sprinkles during the race.

Whacked my shin just above the ankle on the end of a log just after #11. Ouch!

Green X Day 1 - Splits

Cold (~40F), getting dark. 66N, Albany Tpke and back.

Event: WCOC Sessions Woods
 

Red Course at WCOC local event at Sessions Woods, which happened to be the same course I ran at the A-meet six years ago (to the day) with a few minor modifications. A rather poor performance, with 12 - 15 minutes worth of errors. One route choice error, on #4 (took the stream route rather than the trail and then also bobbled the attack). The rest of the errors were in execution, on 2, 6, and 14. For 2 and 6 I got pushed way off the line I had intended, probably due to thicker vegetation. On 14 I headed down the wrong reentrant and ended up relocating on the trail at the bottom. There were several legs where I started to look for features early, so my mind must've been still in 1:7500 mode from yesterday. Six years ago I ran three minutes faster for the course. Nice day for orienteering, mostly sunny and low 50's.

C • 4 2

Red Course - Splits

Red - Splits

Event: EMPO - local - Schenectady Museum Nat. Pres.
 

Hanging bags at EMPO local meet. A bit of a surprise extra warm-up. When we arrived at the meet site at just about 10:00 (the start time for the event), Dylan was standing there holding a handful of bags that were supposed to be out in the terrain. I hung about 6 of the closer-in controls, some of which were even on features which had been field-checked. :-)
Distance is a guess, time also includes some additional jogging around before I started.

EMPO local event at Schenectady Museum Nature Preserve. Nice course set by Dylan T. Orangish, since that's about the best you can do with this map (lots of trails and fairly small map). A couple of small execution errors so could've been a minute or two faster. Tried to practice reading ahead to plan route choices on future legs (did OK with it until about 2/3 of the way through). Wore trail shoes since they worked OK while hanging bags and I knew there would be plenty of trail running (and some paved running).

AOWN: Saw the biggest skunk I've ever seen wandering around near the registration area (not too close fortunately). Jogging around warming up I got a bit too close for his comfort and his tail went up as a warning. I decided to jog the other way rather than test his comfort level any further. One of the other orienteers had a somewhat closer encounter out on the course (with a different skunk?). I smelled the result of that encounter as I ran by (near control 8 I think).

66N, Shaker Museum Rd. beyond cemetery, back via Howes and Albany Tpke. Upper 50's and getting pretty dark by the end.

Event: EMPO - local - Colonie Town Park
 

EMPO local event at Colonie Town Park. Fast running due to open fields and an extensive trail network, making navigation fairly straightforward too. Still lost about 3:30 by trying to go too fast on a map I am pretty familiar with (I've set courses here a few times and updated the map in 2001). Epunch was in use but the clear box wasn't working correctly so I had to pin punch from the 5th control on (and got a printout of my Highlander splits with meaningless times). Overcast and in the upper 60's, so nice running weather. Forerunner shows I covered about 5 km.

Green - Splits

Event: Hollis O-Ringen
 

Checking control locations and placing markers for a permanent o-course at Grafton Lakes SP with Janet. Gave instruction to two park employees and walked around the "easier" course with them - showed them how to read the map rather than just follow a bearing. Marked 10 control locations which make up two courses, one yellowish (easier) and one orangish (intermediate). Courses are only 1.5 - 2 km, but they'll be used mostly by the park with school kids. We did this as a "service project" in exchange for not having to pay a use fee for our last meet. Weather was perfect, sunny and upper 60's so it was a great day in the woods.

West on 32 to N. Chatham (turned around at the Valatie Kill), including a side loop on Smith Rd and 203 on the way out. Thought about doing intervals and/or hills but wasn't motivated. Just felt like running. Legs are still feeling the Highlander a bit anyway. Nice October day - about 60F and sunny.

Legs still a bit sore but it was time to get them moving again. 66N to Pitts Rd. and back. Upper 50's. Had to dig out the reflective vest for the first time this season since I didn't start until almost 6:30.

Event: Hudson Highlander
 

Hudson Highlander XIII. Course consisted of the Men's Classic WOC course on Surebridge Mountain map (printed at 1:10000 rather than the 1:15000 the WOC competitors used), followed by a 3.5 - 4 km trail run, then a loop on Pole Brook (with significantly easier controls than on Surebridge).

A decent race in terms of place (30th) and total time - anything under 6 hrs is good for me - but had a few big errors which meant I ended up passing several people a few times. Bobbled 4, stopped short on 5, missed 6 way to the right, got drawn way off on 8 and got help from Bernie B to get relocated (was about 200m towards 9), and bobbled 11. Probably had at least 20 minutes of errors.

Avoided any cramping which caused me to stop, which was one of my goals. Alternated walking and running on the trail run, much of which was paved or gravel road. Walked almost the entire last leg (which made it easy to be accurate navigating) to avoid cramping. Consumed a liter of Hydralyte (at aid stations), about 3 liters of water and ate 4 Gu's over the course of the race, plus a banana at two of the aid stops.

Raining lightly at the beginning of the race but stopped and the sun was out by the end. Temps in the 50's most of the time.

I've now covered over 300 km in Highlanders! Twelve in a row (missed the first one).

Thanks to the HVO team for a well organized and challenging event.

Highlander - Splits

Cooler than it's been (50F) - long sleeves and gloves, but still shorts. 66N, Shaker Museum Rd to cemetery and back. Didn't feel like I was pushing but time says I was a bit quicker than usual.