Training Log Archive: dlevine

NAOC Classic

Ran strong to #1, beating the Red Y runner I started with. Clean to #2 and #3. Started to head straight to #4 and remembered the warning about "Fern Fancy" on the side of the hill. Slogged through the green to the road and went around. #5 and #6 were clean, but slow through the ferns/deadfall. #7 was fine until I got bogged down in the marsh inside the circle. Long run to #8 and I was very uncertain throughout. Spiked #9 and #10 and tried to hug the swamp to #11. Got too low and had to suck wind to climb into the control with a small pack. Traveled well to #12 and would have led the pack there if I hadn't glanced at the swamp and not seen the control. I went over one more rise to peek, saw nothing, looked back and saw many of the pack leaving the flag. Was very efficient to #13 both to and from the road. Clean to #14 and then made by best decision of the day, taking the road to #15, coming in through the isthmus with a very easy attack. [Note: compared many splits with David Yee who was part of the pack from #11 to #14; we were always close in the woods with him opening up a good deal on me on road-intensive legs; he took the woods to #15 and I took the road, beating him by 90 seconds; he would undoubtedly have taken me by a minute on the road.] Slow to the road for #16, but attacked off the water and saw the flag two steps into the woods. Okay to #17 (sucking wind, though) but did stop at the flag by the depression first. Missed #18 to the left, hittting the cairn (with a flag) at the edge of the circle. Realized exactly where I was and made a 90 degree error as I corrected, hitting the hill to the N of the control. Finding no flag, I sited back to the cairn and realized the error (2 minutes). Slogged my way in to the finish basically clean.

C • Ahhhh, the road.... 4

Red Y - Splits

NAOC Middle Distance Disaster

Spiked #1, hitting it sooner than I expected; that lead me to coming up short on #2 and #3. #4 was the first disaster (6 minutes) as I veered way S and ended up on the hill mass with #5. Then clean to #7 before I blew #8 before bailing out to the road and doubling back (4 minutes). #9 was fine; I was sloppy to #10 and #11 before spiking #12 and #13. I overshot #14 and hit the road by the field(!) before doubling back and finding the control (6 minutes). I was then clean for the last two, now unimportant, controls. Yuk!

Red Y Middle Distance - Splits

Event: North American Championships
 

Preliminary Sprint at NAOCs.

Started okay, caught by Emily Kemp at #3; together to #4, but I lost her in the weeds. Lost my shoe between #6 and #7 (hadn't taped my laces and had thought that I could run with it even after they undid) costing about 10-15 seconds. Blew #12 badly (90 seconds) when I veered way right.

Sprint finals at NAOC. LONG race...

Clean to #5 and then I decided to go left to #6 (a good choice); unfortunately, I then went to the SE corner of the parking lot instead of the SW (a very bad choice - 45 seconds). I was clean then until #14 (though slow up the hill to #12). #15 I chose to attack from the road, turned in too soon, and skirted the clearings just S of the one I wanted; found the road to the E and had to double back (lost 2.5 minutes). Third loop was clean except for overshooting #22 slightly and having to double back (maybe 15 seconds).

Sprint Red/Blue Preliminary - Splits

Sprint Red/Blue Final - Splits

Two loops of the Allegany River Trail with the gas-line plus option and the Francis option.

(Other) car in shop dictated short distance; warm pool dictated slower speed.

To get my haircut and then back via the woods options.

Two loops of Allegany River Trail with gas line option (twice) and Francis option (once)

Hunters Creek event (BFLO)

Started slow to #1 and bobbled just a bit as I momentarily forgot the map scale. Took the trail to #2 and hesitated slightly at the junction SW as the trail towards the flag was very faint. After four paces, though it was clear again. Aimed off right to #3 and came up at S end of marsh; no problem. Went a bit S looking for a path through the field, but basically spiked #4. #5 was the big goof; I didn't go to the trail and ended up high (E) where I found an unmapped rootstock (that I foolishly thought was the on NW of the control even though I was not near the trail) and an unmapped cairn (that shouldn't have bothered me as there were no cairns on the map). Total time for the leg: 10:14 - probably four to five minutes of error here. #6-#9 were completely straightforward, taking the trail around to #9. Going to #10, I cut over too soon and ended up in the slashed green, missing the trail. I tried to cut through directly, but ended up heading back to the trail on the N edge. Probably cost 30 seconds, but I had only one split for #8-#10.

All in all a decent run, but not a great one. Took 3rd behind Nate and Mike Lyons.

Two laps of the Allegany River Trail with the gas line option both times and the Francis option once.

Car had to go to the shop, so I got to the pool late...

One lap of the Allegany River Trail with gas line option

Played a "newbie" that I grossly underestimated. I gave him the first game on purpose and continued to be mellow in the second game losing that one with no sense of urgency. I started serving right-handed in the third, but took a while to find my rhythm and lost 15-12. Won the fourth 15-9, but was too exhausted and lost the last 15-12. There have to be any number of lessons to be learned here...

Mostly, though, it was odd to play a player who plays like me. No one else in the group does and I know that my style (softer, more placed shots) drives some of the other players batty. Doug did this to me, but was also quick enough to run down my other shots. Not a good combo for me...

Two laps of the Allegany River Trail taking the gas-line option.

Pool was warm, but I felt like I was gliding through the water well. Didn't push it and the time shows it.

Random @ 15

Random @ 17

Walk/Run at various speeds/inclines. Run speed averaged 9:30 with 3% incline; walk was 15:00 at 6.5%.

Pool was warm and I tried to go slowly to help a sore hammy. Net result; two seconds slower than Tuesday. Hmmm....

Felt much faster, but I did fight some proto-cramps, so...

Random @ 15 (7.1 mi.)

Slow due to break in middle (possible lane shift not made) and general stiffness of the back.