Training Log Archive: bishop22

Event: DVOA Club Long-O' Champs
 

Well, I'm not going to drive from Boston to the Poconos, arriving at 1:30am, just to watch Nate start/finish a Yellow course, nor can I bring myself to enter a shorter course than my class. I was not as hobbled as after last week, and I could jog on trails that were level or slightly downhill, with only minor discomfort. Uphills and woods were a different story, and I had to walk most of that, which does not bode well for a Long-O course.

I see that LPSPhoto has referred to some of the flags as "bingo controls", which is an interesting term, that seems to apply. I am used to our local courses where there always seems to be a well-defined attack point that you can fall back on.

Anyway, as slow as I was, Nate was fairly quick and managed to be first on Yellow. His plan was to go out on Orange afterwards, while waiting a couple of hours for me to return, but the DVOA folks said that this was not the place to run your first Orange. They reconsidered after he finished Yellow, and he breezed thru 3 controls before getting stumped on 4 and bailing. C4 was supposed to be at a stream junction, but both streams were dry, and Nate couldn't differentiate them from rocky ground.

Red - Splits

MIT XC Alumni Meet, Franklin Park

Just about any other race, and I would have skipped it, but a 100th anniversary of my old college cross country team doesn't happen often, so I suited up (but where was Ken?): instant replay of last Sunday. Made it almost a mile at a reasonable pace (6:30ish), before re-straining my achilles (plus the lower calf this time) on a quick rise. Had to limp along at 8+ minute pace, and finish DEAD LAST!

Nate jumped in for the last 2 miles with me, as planned, but since he has no business plodding along at 8-min pace on his weekly "hard" day, I made him do a fartlek workout where he had to catch Jeff Lukas 20-30 seconds ahead, then wait for me, and do it again.

The other aspects of the day were great - at least 7 guys that I ran with made it back for the race, and there was a nice dinner that included former runners sharing memories from each decade since the '60s. It was good to see Halston again, after being on the team to break him in 23 years ago.

Did about a mile warm-up with Nate, after walking parts of the course. No warm-down possible (or needed).

3:56/7:55
1:28,9,9,9,9 (on 2:00 to take it easy)
3:22,18

Achilles is more tight than sore now - should be able to make it thru the weekend without disaster (I hope).

Took Nate to Ellison Park to get his run in on an O map. He did 4x3 controls from last month's score-O - I ran/jogged/walked (as the achilles allowed) around and observed.
Splits:
(1,2+10) - 1:00, 5:36
(7,12,6) - 1:47, 2:10, 1:56
(5+11,13) - 2:56, 4:04
(20,19,home) - 8:03, 1:11, 2:32

Nate was able to point out a whole bunch of problems with the map. Maybe we can help update it some day.

Finally, the pool is open on a day I want to swim, which is a good thing since my achilles is very tight and slightly sore.

3:59/8:06
1:30,3,3,3,2,2,2 (on 1:50)
3:24,18

1 circuit - afew exercises were tough coming off first swim in a few weeks.

Did a 20-minute level 10 random hill workout - limited time and effort to make sure achilles would not feel effects of the stationary bike.

Should have taken today completely off, but Flour City was hosting an IAH Pre-lewd run from Ellison Park.

Did a mix of jogging and walking - achilles soreness tolerable on the flats, but not on the uphills.

Trail finished with a pleasant paddle down Irondequoit Creek as darkness fell.