Training Log Archive: kissy

Today's planned activities -- mountain biking at Vedauwoo with some letterboxing thrown in -- were scrapped when the day dawned grey, rainy, foggy and cold. So, all I could muster was a ride down to Grand Ave. Newstand and Coal Creek Coffee for a Denver Post and an afternoon cup of tea. So fine.

C • Coal Creek 3

Just toodling around on Pelican Bay map.

Ran the Green Y course again from Day 2. Mikell had hung controls, but I didn't punch...just touched. I took a much worse line into #4 than I did during the race, but otherwise was pretty much the same, except for a few small changes.

Collecting controls, along with an additional trip around Conical Rock.

While running the Green Y course, I saw 6(!) mule deer bucks between #5 and #6, running in a line. All of them had huge racks...a hunter's paradise.

A tour of the Flats and the Hills. Another beautiful Wyoming day.

Went out to Remarkable Flats and Diamond Bay to pick up the last of the controls and water points. It was an incredibly beautiful evening, with unbelievable light.

I felt much better running today on the Flats and navigating on the Diamond Bay map. The "it's a small world" moment of the day happened at a water control near Diamond Bay itself, when who should I run in to but Rick Oliver! Two Virginians meeting in the middle of Wyoming prairie land. So fine!

Green Y at Remarkable Flats; Day 2 of US Champs. This day started out fine...I felt good, ready to race. That was about to change, though. At the second control, I smacked my head very hard on the tree limb that was holding the control. I had punched and was getting ready to take off, when head and tree made contact. It almost felt like my brain got sloshed around. I kept running on towards #3, holding my forehead, feeling the beginnings of a headache. Found 3, headed to #4, when I started getting a little nauseous. Stopped behind a boulder on the way up to 4 and lost my breakfast. Not good.

I finished the course, having to stop one more time on the way to #11 to be sick. I was nauseous the whole time and my head hurt so bad. When I got in, I took a look and there was definitely a bruised, scraped bump on my forehead. I sat down for a while and felt a little better.

Other than feeling sick and not being able to run as strongly as I would like, my run was fine. I found all of the controls right on with no problems. It was kind of cool to see these wide open plains covered with orienteers, like little ants. The final slope towards the finish was especially fun to watch.

Even though I managed to eke out a 2nd place for the weekend, I wasn't happy with either of my runs. I needed better navigation on Saturday and better running on Sunday. I need to get those two in sync!

C • Maybe getting sick after hi... 3

US Champs: Green Y Day 2 - Splits