Training Log Archive: ndobbs

What is proper etiquette for people with colds?

Should I have skipped NAOC and locked myself up in a hotel room somewhere for the weekend? If it were two weeks before WOC or some such, I would have.

Will was most exposed, thanks to him driving me from New Haven to Quechee. After that, TG and Ian, sharing the room. I did my best not to shake hands with people, to not breathe on people, etc.

It's tough to stay away.

C • NAOC 6

soccer@ibm.

Wasted an afternoon waiting for locksmith to open my car after I intelligently shut the boot with the keys inside. Ian fixed everything temporarily.

I ordered assistance from Hertz at 3.15, after various calls, ETA 4.15, but be ready from 4. So I went out to the damp lot and waited, jogging a little to warm up. I still had wet socks on, and not a whole lot of other layers. A bit after 4.30 Todd M turns up, we chat a bit, he lets me call Hertz (my phone being in the car)... apparently they are "on location". We go in search, no luck. Call again. They ought to be "on location", but can't actually be called. Terribly sorry, as a hertz gold member, service should have been expedited etc etc. Maybe they will arrive soon. Call again later, put on hold as matter is investigated... they have been "on location" since 14.59... which seems a bit fishy. A bit more holding, by now it is nigh on 6, they cancel the first order, find me someone who will come at twice the price at 6.45... extortion but ok. Todd hands me off to a wonderful colleague who lets me do shoulder exercises to warm up in her office while waiting and waiting.

Locksmith eventually turns up, nice guy, chatty, all I want him to do is shut up and let me into the car before my body shuts down. Hadn't had much lunch, and only a banana since soccer. First thing when the boot opens is to bit into some pastry. Relief. Paid (cash) and ready to go by 7.03.

Second act of stupidity this trip after leaving my raincoat and a shirt in Oaxaca (they are now in Stony Brook).

Hudson Highlands Gateway Park

Just to explore, somewhere I'd never been before and it was en route, more or less, home to T&K's.

Nice place for a wee jog, bit near the parking was jungle, woods were clear on top. Not a priority to map, but I presume it'll eventually happen (as a byproduct of surpassing 2000 orienteers in Westchester).

Stiff from soccer. Loosened up a bit towards the end.

Football at IBM

Used lots of strange muscles.

I may have to run here instead of Shamrock. Silly sister, silly.

Blue Mountain

Team Trials! Met up with some visiting Finns, walk-jogged the first six controls of the Red long, then did the Blue middle. The area and courses still hold up as pretty fantastic, imHo. At least, it remains my favourite map.

The gas pipeline is all cut up and being worked on pretty hard. I saw a good-sized boulder being moved. And the lovely reed marsh between 4 and 5 was destroyed.

Hopefully I was past the tipping-point back into recovery. Still coughing and sniffling.

And I'm very lobsterized from yesterday, oops.

C • Cold 4

Hopefully nearly recovered from the cold now. Awful not being able to run yesterday.

And a weekend is too little hanging out time.

C • Too short 3

Sprint - Blue (WRE) - Splits

Met this girl's mother this morning. Sad story.

Some photos

Jogged and walked partway to Monte Alban, passing through some parts of town where breathing was unpleasant. But the destination was fresh.



After wandering there for a while, I found a wee trail leading from the smaller ball court near the first carpark out along this ridge.


Found a way from there to the trail heading around the right of the next ridge.


Looking back up the valley. Trails were all wonderful, just had to stop occasionally to pull some spiky stuff from my socks.


From there, re-entered civilisation via dirt road into some slightly slummy area (intersection of zapotecas and donaji, nothing unpleasant.
Bought a drink, jogged down until the pollution overpowered, hopped on a bus back into the centre, had a good meal and a couple of glasses of watermelon juice. Yum Yum.

Hiked many kilometres from Benito Juarez down towards Teotitlan before being picked by a truck. Sat for many more kilometres in the back with a couple of locals and a pile of laurel and pine branches to be used in festivities tomorrow. Managed to reach Teotitlan before accepting a shot of mezcal.

On the bus to Oaxaca, chatted to a Teotitlanic who'd spent decades working in construction in California, became an alcoholic beggar, became a runner, became a man with a banjaxxed knee who wanted me to go into rug business with him. Better Tortilla Curtain than Man on Fire (watched on the flight over).

BBA. Benito Juarez to the Mirador (3200m?) with a detour by piedra larga. Walked some bits. Signage leaves a lot to be desired and the 'map' is worse.

Went off in search of las cascadas. They may have been past where I turned back, or somewhere else entirely. Ran better on the way back.

Sleep hasn't been great. Perhaps some jetlag, perhaps the 3000m altitude up here, plus it wasn't overly warm.

Read a Confederacy of Dunces, pretty good!

Finished reading Tortilla Curtain. Explored Teotitlan a bit, saw some Zapotec squiggles. Took a taxi up into the mountains. The tortillas are solid up there.

Failed to find the mirador on an evening stroll.

Hung out in the 2nd class bus station in Oaxaca for a couple of hours. Took a 10 peso (50c) bus ride to Teotilan, somehow found a place to stay, waited out the evening storm, caught the last of the drizzle and jogged up Pichaco. Moon was out which helped with the descent -- properly dark before I got back. High point 2200masl.

Not moving fast. I'll blame it on jetlag.

Since when does lichen grow on cactii?

C • Oaxaca 2

Someone I brought orienteering last week is taking three people today, as I fly across the pond...

Maybe the sport will take off just a bit too late.

Lignon loop

Felt pretty strong on the uphills, not so bouncy elsewhere.

Hiked almost to the top of Tour d'Aï. The last bit is along a ridge with vertiginous drops on both sides. Not dangerous in the weather we had, but after the 4th or 5th exposed patch I decided not going on was just as much fun.

Only walking, essentially. Felt like we hadn't really done much by way of exercise, though food during and after was welcome!

Came home with more cheese, produced halfway up the mountain.

Given that I spent a lot of time on Col de la Faucille this time last year, I really ought to have done better. Though the map and printing were a bit sketch. Over 5mins of mistakes. Three fastest splits.

Just looked up the WC Final info... sprint relay, long in woods where you can't get more than 100m from a trail, sprint. Where's the pride?

Changed flights. Entered Long and Sprint!!!

the usaagmvotingthreads are insane

C • I agree. I don't want to re... 1