Training Log Archive: PG

Relay Champs at Mendon Ponds, third leg for CSU 4-point team, Brendan, Alex Jospe, me, and Ross. Awful slow, but no errors to speak of, so ok I suppose. Team finished second, about 10 minutes behind DVOA, about what I would have expected, actually maybe a little better than expected as we all ran pretty well, especially Alex. But DVOA had 4 U.S. Team members so they should have won. Team from West Point was third, just behind us, pretty cool. Overall, field was lacking in depth, at least as far as official 4 point teams.

My routes: first loop, second loop.

Real nice weekend, great of Rochester to step up and organize both championships, done well and with panache.

One last round of rogaine practice with Gord and Lise before heading home, at Victor Hills, nice terrain, interesting topography, similar in places to the O' terrain of the morning, moderately hilly. When I told the guy at the pro shop that I wanted to walk (not get a cart), he asked me about three times if i was sure, it was a hilly course, etc. etc. Did I look that feeble?

Got around pretty quickly, once again taking an unorthodox route choice to avoid some traffic. Hustling a bit to keep up with the other two in a cart, getting a little tired towards the end, but still lots of fun, though it meant not getting home until a little before midnight.

It actually is good rogaine practice, just being on your feet for a few hours and carrying a bag. Too bad it doesn't do shit for orienteering conditioning.

C • O conditioning 1

Event: US Middle Distance and Relay Champs
 

Middle distance champs at Letchworth West, M60. Won class, but a very unsatisfying "run" because of really low energy. A bunch of better times in M50 and 55. Warm day, but just felt tired even by the time I reached the start triangle. Pretty much no redeeming values. Course, woods, organization were all excellent.

My routes.

Sprint in the early afternoon, a fundraiser for the junior team. Surprised myself by feeling better. The course was clearly flatter and shorter, but I ran all the hills as compared to running none of the hills in the morning. Navigation was fine.

Thought it was an excellent course, not too easy, not too hard.

My routes.

Haven't seen any results because....

.... I headed off before too long for some more rogaine practice, this time with Peter and John Goodwin. A fine outing, as usual a mix of the sublime (3 birdies) and the absurd (two quadruple bogies), and certainly made more pleasant on a very warm afternoon by the offer of the guy in the pro shop -- You want a cart, just take one. So we did. And since there was no e-punching, we could take the holes out of order, I think we went 10 through 17, then 2 through 8, then 1, 18 and 9. All to avoid other rogainers who didn't seem to have quite the sense of urgency we had. Got around very quickly and just made it to dinner in time.

Off to Rochester at the crack of dawn to meet up with Gord and Lise for a fine round of rogaine practice at Ravenwood.

Freedom, opening of golf season

C • Happy Freedom Day 1

"13 hills" loop in Greenfield, good effort. All the ice is gone, and the soil drains well so there is no mud. The only downer is that a year ago 56 minutes would have been an easy (very easy?) pace.

And then out to the golf course. A beautiful day, nearing 70, time to put on the shorts, which seemed to be distressingly snugger than when I last wore them last fall. But really, what did I expect?

My game itself, just played 10 holes with some old friends, was remarkable only for its variety -- a 2 and two 3s on one end and an 8 and a 9 on the other. What will be interesting is that the plan is to try to make some significant and specific changes in my game, and I am excited about the possibilities.

And also wondering if something similar happens in orienteering. Does one start off a new year with the intention of making certain very specific changes in technique? Picking a couple of weak spots, figuring out what needs to be changed, and then practicing to make it happen? As opposed to just vowing to get in better shape and not make so many mistakes?

I think our orienteering performance might be better if we did a better job of identifying weaknesses, figuring out what needed to be changed, and then working to change it. But do we ever really do that?

C • O weaknesses 1

C • Thanks 14

C • 1