Training Log Archive: GlenT

Event: HVO/DVOA Dual Meet @ Wanaque
 

Brown course at Wanaque. Using the map (mostly) from the 80s. Struggled with matching map and terrain. The 5m map contours are actually about 7.5m, so prominent terrain features may or may not show up. The area is very rocky and I never got to the point where I understood what rock was actually mapped. The map is actually pretty good - I just didn’t adapt. Biggest error was on #9 where I think the bag was hung on rocky ground near the edge of the circle rather then the described boulder field which was at the center of the circle. Carefully relocated and returned to where I had been and noticed other people at the actual control location, but 6 or 7 minutes later. Lost additional time on 4 other controls. Probably could’ve been about 20 minutes faster overall. 50s and mostly cloudy so nice running weather.

Brown - Splits

Event: EMPO - Plat-O Traverse
 

“Mini Plat-O” first course, the first 7 controls of the long course plus one additional control to keep us on our toes until the finish back near the Pineridge parking area. On the southern part of the Pineridge map which is very rocky and quite technical. 3.1k straight line with 90m climb. It was raining lightly at the start (transitioning to showers) and temperature was in the low 40s. Only three of us were doing this course (Janet, Doug Swank and me) but we mass started with the 9 or 10 people doing the long course.

With J-J to the first 4 controls with Doug and others not far behind. On control 5 I intended to head around the hill to the left but headed too far to the left - finally saw the hill an headed up it (verifying my location using a boulder which had been used as a control site in the A-meet three years ago). Misread the trails up top and spent some time searching boulders in a boulder field then spotted the cliffs which I had seen in the terrain on the map and headed to the control. Lost 4 or 5 minutes and J-J was long gone. Lost Doug on the way to 6 and was alone the rest of the way. Small misses in the circle on 2, 4 and 6.

Second part of the Mini Plat-O, a 3.3k “Green/Orange” course on the Grafton Lakes map. Much more runnable course with less rock underfoot and really nice, more open woods. Navigation was easier than the earlier course too. Rain had stopped except for a brief shower shortly after I started. Only time loss was about 30 seconds on control 8 when I got a little off to the left and hit the stone walls NW of the control.

Thanks to Phil, Sue and the rest of the EMPO volunteers who made the event happen!

Mini-Traverse - Splits

Green-Orange - Splits

Nockamixon SP - Old Mill Trail starting from the big gravel parking lot to the NE. Mud, rocks, roots, grass and more mud. Mostly sunny and about 80F - summer lingers on.