Training Log Archive: PG

Event: DVOA Fall Orienteering Festival
 

Today's route. :-)

A meet at French Creek. 4.3 km beeline.

I haven't been to French Creek in many years. Back when I did go I never liked it, but I guess enough time had passed that I thought maybe I'd like it this time.

Though actually, I think the real reason I went was that I wanted to play golf with Clem. :-)

So Clem was doing the trifecta -- O', trail-O, and golf. I was doing my version of the same trifecta -- hopeless O', spectator trail-O and golf. And, as you would hope, things only got better as the day progressed.

The hopeless O' -- well, I couldn't find #1. At least that's what the split sheet said as it DQ'd me. I couldn't really remember, I mean quite a bit of time had passed and I don't remember most things these days. My initial reaction was that of course I'd been there. On a moment's reflection I thought it was reasonably likely that I hadn't.

No worries, time was passing, the day was getting on, the sun sets early these days, still lots to do. Rendezvous with Clem, he also just off a hopeless-O', golf clubs and proper clothing transferred to his car and off to the trail O'. He was competing -- you aren't allowed to just file a protest, you actually have to compete first, bummer -- and I was there in a support role, spectating and cheering I assumed.

But there was no indication of where spectators were allowed or not allowed, so, wanting to behave myself, I stayed in the parking area and chatted up the e-punch expert Sandy Ahlswede. Very fine use of time. And before long Clem showed up. The results would later show that he had the fastest time around the course. Bravo! Unfortunately, in trail-O the fastest time counts for squat.

So now onto the main event. We motor off to a nearby course, check in, they'll have us for $15 each, very fine. And then we have at it. Three and a half hours later, the sun having set a couple of holes earlier, the sky darkening, the full moon rising back over the 18th fairway, well, it was the conclusion to a most pleasurable trip around the course. The usual mix of the sublime and the ridiculous when it was a matter of the golf, but the company was always excellent. One just hopes that we get to do this again.

And then, the serious work done for the day, off to the wine tasting, with Clem driving like a bat out of hell, actually faster than that, but fortunately on the first part where the road was rather narrow and had a few bends, the car ahead of us was only going 75, so Clem couldn't go near as fast as he wanted. I was quivering.

And then the dinner and the course review, all very fine. Thanks DVOA.

Oh, and the rest of the hopeless-O? Hmmm, missed #4, technique was go where it feels right, but I got diverted by seeing another control. Checked it out, saw where I was, had been doing fine if I just hadn't see this decoy.

Missed #5, but not bad.

#7 was similar to #4, long leg across a blank map, technique was just go where it feels right, again the misfortune of just noticing a decoy off in the distance. Checked it out, saw where I was, maybe, went and found where I was supposed to be which was pretty much where I was heading. Oh well.

And fell down at least a dozen times. And tweaked an ankle.

But somehow by dinner time I was in the results with a time. Will have to get that fixed in the morning, unless they can prove I really was at #1. And I don't think they can. :-)

C • The Trifecta 4

French Creek - Day 1 BrownX - Splits

Up to the power line and back.

Entertainment was a Fresh Air interview with Tom Hanks and the guy who directed Captain Phillips. Very interesting, ought to go see the movie.

C • Tomorrow 5

Time for a little faster running, and the easiest way to do that is at the track. Warm-up. Cold and windy.

The plan was to run 7:40 pace for 3 miles, or until I started to slow down if before 3 miles, but that didn't really work. Had trouble with my pacing in the wind, plus generally feeling out of sorts. So at some point after about a mile I decided two would be enough. And it was. 1600s ended up being 7:35 and 7:30. Oh well.

And a slow mile up into the woods and back. And glad to be done.

Cold and windy, spent a long time trying to figure out where I wanted to run (mean that given the weather, nothing was very appealing). And opted for a place I'd never been, some conservation trails in Leverett that I'd read about.

Turned out to be very very pleasant, they even had copies of the trail map posted at most of the intersections, with the only hassle being that it would have been nice to have a map to carry along. But good footing, pleasant woods. And at one point I flushed a cock pheasant about 10 yards from me. They really are gorgeous birds.

And prior to the run, went with Seth to watch the UMass BB game vs. LSU, playing at 11 am on a Tuesday to get on ESPN, very entertaining and fast-paced, ended up 92-90 to the good. Lots of fun.

C • Leveritt trails 11

Trails near Eaglebrook, including a section of single-track I hadn't been on before. Gentle effort.

C • Eaglebrook 3

Event: WCOC - Ansonia Nature Center
 

Is there any CSU interest in the relay champs? Time to stir the pot a little? I hadn't considered going, but life is short and now that I'm training....

Of course, I may break down any day now.

WCOC local meet at Ansonia. This one gets top marks across the board:

-- The woods are wonderful, lovely for running, interesting topography.

-- Excellent course by Niels Lyng-Olsen. Not just the design, but also the selection of control sites and the precise spots the controls were placed. Just perfect.

-- And I had a good run, no mistakes of any significance (i.e. more than 15 seconds), put out a good effort, and the legs had some energy. Not that I still didn't walk a lot, but I also ran more and better than expected. A result of two weeks of training? What if I keep it up for another couple of weeks?

Standing around at the finish, Joe came over, declaring rather confidently that I had beaten him on at most one split, and maybe none. No doubt in his mind. Except when we looked at the actual numbers, I had taken four splits, and tied another. Sure sounds like a victory to me, though his total time, insignificant as that may be, was 7 or 8 minutes faster. I believe he still runs up hills.

So really nice day. And no doubt that Ansonia is better than even the best parts of Harriman, and way better than the Harriman average.

Blue - Splits