Training Log Archive: bl

Event: CSU Orienteering Weekend
 

Frosty DP. Left achilles making slightest of noise, new phenomenon. Need new running shoes.

CSU middle distance at Boojum, course by Ross Smith. Sunny, 50F, seemed cold. Second time entering this as previous vanished into thin air.... Not a good run at all, est 10' mistakes, can't recall when this many minutes lost. Worst was #4. Had just lost maybe 1-1.5 on 3, said 'clean performance' from then on. Left 3, hit N-S path & ran right across E-W larger path (never occurred to me I might not see) - too eager, not enough concentration - then did not recover at all well on the larger NW-SE path. Had a distractingly hard fall on way to 6. #10 was also traumatic, though less. Had to go back to open knoll top for a more careful bearing. Found an open area with what might have been mapped as a knoll - not on map, tho large. Went to #16 before 15, just about to punch when I realized this. Would have been the curse of Middlesex.

Nice course, scratchy, detailed, rocky woods, lots of paths...Boston metropolitan O. Pulled out a '79 Boojum map, NEOC champs 10/17 - not much change. Such a small area, est 1.4 sqk. Paul Thompson note re early field work...MD/cardiologist, believe US team trials marathon early '70s, ran the '76 Mt. Washington RR with him (couldn't keep up); we returned together to bottom on our own power. In a Google instant I could probably see what's up with him. Boston Regional MC a ghost to behold.

Map, course, route...



Color at Montvale Ave, Woburn McDonald's - once worked in Woburn, stopped by here for occ replenishment after O at Harold Parker, whatever...inside 128 is a world apart...

C • Splits and GBU 1

Middle - Splits

Noon non-macadam meander as Diane was busy doing good work - got to run/walk/jog thru scratchy woods, around marshes, over some small streams. a few backyards and one business parking lot, feet not really very wet.

Had middle distance from Buffalo A meet in May & went over that good course at end - likely intimidating to a nonorienteer as lots of controls on a small portion of map.

Boojum on the horizon. Long, long time since I've made a visit.

DP, started as jog but deteriorated to walk - what better to behold brown & bare November splendour. Over to Amphitheater Field & thru remains of Ruined Wood and sandpit & back to car, again cold fingers, say 32F. Wonder what, where, when geological event put all the sand here, undisturbed for millenia until most recently.

Drove to CH at noon, woods behind & slope of Winant. Myriad of paths, brown carpet, bit slippery, no cars, no energy either. Nice mix of contours, rocks & white pine patches. With an extra hour of darkness, can do many inside things including reorganize a mess of O maps.

Sun setting on DST...

DP, crystal clear. Had a creative thought & took a walk/jog thru Enchanted Forest & to Bog, lit with early sun.

Luti 5 SloGo with Diane. Spotted 2 mi & then 1 mi marker which took 9:55. Tired from yesterday perhaps but going slow is also tiring after a fashion. Chillier than I gave it credit for.

Misty morn DP, 30F. "Got Sno", white pickup (hunter) always there, most morns, recall same the fall '07 at BD period.

SPS

Got out of bldg at 1130 to go to AGs office. Now it's 1150 & undecided where to run. Was going to go to Audobon area for some change of venue when SPS XC popped up its head. Not really up for any gut-busting but when honor and or effort call, I listen & maybe go slowly or even sideways. Anyway, maybe 53F in sun but downright chilly in woods. Recall similar day fall '07 when I pulled leg muscle under similar conditions/same place, nailing coffin for USOC attendance at PWF.

Jogged a 17:54 first then, feeling good & in need of something honest, ran another 13:56, like last week but loosened up. First split 2:33 vs maybe hi 30's, 4:49 for total for first two (might see low 5s) suggested something pretty satisfying, a 3:05 where 3:10 would be quite ok, finally 12:24, add 2' subtract 10" for a 14:14 but did a 1:39 for previous 13:56 (diff direction), so subtract an extra 10', maybe more - 1:33. Last 2 splits better w/ Tee off - felt perfect, mildly air-conditioned. So feeding self-fulfilling prophecy as well as near busting the gut, as the expression goes.

DP, blue, clear, 32F ice crust, cold fingers.

Noon Water Tower loop, first half with Diane. Over Winant Hill, great view, could see Monadnock, 35 mi; trails excessively labeled - too much money floating around:). Woods nice this time of year - not too cold & wide open views. Added a lap at CHS track at 7:10 pace, not easy, not hard. Thought this loop was longer than g maps reminded.

CSU Rocky Woods put on by Clem McGrath with Larry & Sara Mae as well. Warm, maybe 60F, sun caught up after recent rain. Good run, concentration & contact fine for most part. #12, only place where contact was fuzzy, lost maybe 2', 2.75' mistakes total est. Good contours & control placement. Map (1/15) needs alot of green added. Even at 1 to 15, features came up fast. Did not need pace counting. Tim P was 46+, fine run. Bill P there but did not see his time. My first run since Ultra Long ROC USOC meet Sept 21 or so.

Was gone 5 hrs, 5', 158 mi RT. Phil B. there & returned to same part of MA both days; now there's an addict afraid of withdrawal:-). Lex B was there, on call. She says no calls since Fri night. I see her sitting on a log at second control fielding a call:). Nice outing/meet.

Fred Pilon there - been years since I've seen him. In the busy fall of '80, we made a 4 day trip to Arran, Scotland for a Karrimor Mt marathon. Next weekend, I was at Cuvire River west of St Louis for the US champs. The first week in Oct of that year, I was map maker/course setter for the New England champs at Upton. In mid-Nov, I bought Rhodora on the Chesapeake & returned her to Falmouth, MA. Those were the days when I somehow, for some reason, had more freedom.

Came home & finished the cover. A year ago today, I put on a Nottingcook meet after 10/28 boat arrival. This year, boat arrival was 10/29 but at least had the sense to go to a local meet vs be responsible for one.

Map/course/route:




3 photos showing magic transformation:







Represents some 7.5 hrs work, a good week of AP training:)

NYC marathon day, looked course over - once lived near NYC, passed under VNB several times on Rhodora.

C • FFI success 5

C • Philantropic O (PO) 3

Green - Splits