Training Log Archive: Kseniya

Stomach not 100% yet so did some yoga instead of a recovery jog. Balance was dodgy.

Stomach and ankle 90% Ok this morning so decided to start the race as planned.

I was a bit nervous for this Middle race because Alex was starting two minutes behind me. I tried my best to not focus on that before the start or during the race, somewhat unsuccessfully. Started out well, hit easy #1 no problem, down to the road to #2 but confusion when I was on top my spur looking for the bag. The clue description read NE side but the control placement was closer to the N side, at least that was my impression. #3 and #4 were good but had an element of surprise, like "oh, I am actually doing this right", which should not happen at this stage of my orienteering career. "Slow down." I tell myself, "no need to rush, execution is key". I specifically choose to contour to stream first on the way to #5 and then climb up to avoid a potential mistake (this is the control/dot knoll I relocated off on the long but did not realize it during the middle race). On #6 I was a bit low and on #7 I let the reentrant carry me too far north to the pond and I had to correct myself. If I planned that, it would have been a good route. Hesitation to #8. Up to the road to #9, solid attack. Straight to #10 and 11, getting tired and the thoughts of Alex catching up to me are starting to annoy me. I consciously focus on the map with effort. #12 Ok, easy last loop, "don't mess up" mentality with good effort. Saw Alex going into the last loop and I knew it was a good race then. Happy not only to win but to not have made any major mistakes. This race has given me a boost of confidence in my skills, which for some reason has been lacking in the last few years.

C • 1 min/km faster 2

C • Congrats!!! 2

Middle Red X - Splits

Didn't sleep well at all and the ankle was in pain all night and morning. I considered not competing today but thought that this type of pain is not of the serious kind and some painkillers would help put it out of my mind. Took 1 tablet of Aleve in the morning but when tried to warm up I could still feel a very sharp pain. Took another tablet and set of to the start.

My mom put me in a better mood for the start of the race and I felt like I was focused solely on the race in front of me. Getting used to the scale going to #1, slight hesitation as to what was the reentrant and what was the spur going in from the trail but hit it Ok. Good to #2, road to #3, which was a good route choice. Ok to #4 and #5 but it is possible I was running too fast because my focus started drifting. I chose to go straight to #6 instead of the original planned road route. This was mistake and although I was going straight for it I started doubting my position on the side of the slope and couldn't make sense of the map. Popped up to the road, attacked from the stream but was low and had to go back up. Major error. Put it behind me, straight down to #7, 8, 9 Ok, high on #10. Tori was with me here as well as another woman. #11 route I did not execute well at all but I had decent energy and it felt really amazing to run in the forest, felt like I belong right there at that moment. Up the hill to #12 but coming down I veered left and made a parallel error going down the reentrant. Lost some time here. Good the rest of the course.
Props to Lindsey for great course!

So right after I finished I knew something was wrong with my stomach. There was much pain and discomfort. I ate some soup but my stomach was rejecting it. Nausea and pain stayed for the rest of the day. The two tablets of Aleve I took in the morning was probably too much for my 'fun size' body, coupled with the strain of a long race, the medicine turned foe and irritated my stomach lining. Upside, I did not feel my ankle at all during the race :)

Long Red X - Splits

Event: 2014 US Nationals
 

The plan was to take the Sprint course at a comfortable pace and not at full effort. I didn't feel like I had lots of energy out there and the course was too simple to provide any excitement or intrigue. I was only confused when crossing underneath the highway and trying to figure out where to cross the fence on the way to #6. Tori Owen caught up to me on #7 and we ran together to #13, well, me mostly behind. She went around the unmapped fence after the bridge and I went over it, passing her and finishing the rest of the course solo. Good effort but I felt slow.

After the sprint I could feel that something was not right with my left foot. I cooled down fine but as the evening progressed I could barely walk normal. There was a sharp pain going from my arch and up to the outside and in front of the ankle. I did not twist or sprain it so it must have been due to the shoe or tying the shoe too tight (although it didn't feel tight). Hoped it would be a very temporary phenomenon.

Sprint Red - Splits

I trained every single day in September! Some days were super easy but nevertheless, this is the first month ever that I was able to do that. Switching my work schedule to avoid rush hour traffic and subsequent morning training was key.

C • Nice! 3