Training Log Archive: Charlie

Caught the 6am bus at the stop across from the hotel, with a few Norwegians and a Kazakh woman from the meet. Comfortable double decker, and we were the first aboard. A few more at the bus station, and then filled up at the station in Pescara, in full light. Then straight to Fiumicino, through beautiful countryside, green fields, mountains, forest, hilltop towns.

Long day. Arrived at JFK at 8, rented a car, went to Jess's to meet Zack. Jess's friends Meg and Kevin, also friends of Zack's were there, so we hung out a while, finally home at 1:15 am.

Very intricate sprint race in Montorio nei Frentani, small town in the mountains of Molise, not far from Campobasso. I went back later and walked the course quite a bit faster than I had run it. We had a remote start and somehow I didn’t comprehend how I had arrived at the start triangle and so was mistaken leaving it. Nothing lined up and so I lost a good 3 minutes before I found the first control. Rattled, I had a hard time settling down. But others did as well. We had a map change, flipping it over after 6 controls, and that was the occasion for another error. Took me a bit to find the second triangle at the 6th control, in part because I was looking for a 6 and not a triangle, and then didn’t see the 7 right away, but instead headed for 17. When I got untracked, I still found 10 before 7, which at least made it easy to find 10 later when I needed it. Again 5th out of 6, ahead only of my friend Stein and only by 20 seconds. He had also got stuck flipping the map over.

Lovely town. Had some excellent pizza, only 5€ for a mushroom pizza I could only eat 2/3 of, but plenty of Norwegians to share it with. €0.80 for a coffee. Not a town up to date on modern prices.

Plenty of opportunity to chat up the mayor, the carabinieri and several residents, complimenting them on the lovely place. Very colorful- we were serenaded by a fellow who played a fine fisarmonica (accordion) and another on a zampogna (Italian bagpipe), playing traditional songs. Quite a festive occasion.

Montorio nei Frentani sprint part 1

Montorio nei Frentani sprint part 2

C • Montorio nei Frentani 5

Back early enough to get mostly packed and head to the beach for a last swim. Warm water, soft sand, sun shining, beach deserted. Really fine. And then a walk along the sand for half an hour to dry off enough for packing. Excellent.

Today was for me the nicest day. I really enjoyed the tiny mountain town and the atmosphere, had a short nap on the bus, and nice to get back in the daylight.

At the ski area above 1500 m at Passalanciano. In the fog, and couldn’t clear my glasses. Generally ok, with some errors. Worst was #3, wrong side of a patch of trees, and lost about 3 min. Then smaller errors, less than 1 min each, at 5 and 6. The fastest guy had caught me up at 6, and I was pleased to hold him off the rest of the way.

Maielletta ski area morning race

2nd of two races in the forest along the ski slope at Maiella. This was primary la a downhill run, with a bus to take us back up to the start. Very rocky and slippery, and re-injured my bruised foot from ten days ago at Harris Center. Mostly quite good, but the best runner in my group had caught me up from 4 minutes back at #7, and it was pretty illuminating to see him scamper through the boulder field that I was finding so difficult to traverse. Only one real mistake, when I stopped too soon on the way to #3 and was confused in the rocky ground. Probably cost around 3 min. 9 min back of the leader, my biggest deficit, and 5th again.

Maielletta ski area afternoon race

With Giulia again, at the beach. This time there were several orienteers, so she led the class in English. Very nice class. It would be good to do it right before the race.

Fun race in the beautiful old town of Lanciano, quite old, includes the Bridge of Diocletian from the 3rd century. Once again mostly fine, but rounded a corner lookin for the third corner on my right and found myself in a group of kids and got distracted enough to lose count, ended up going down the wrong set of stairs and around cost a minute or so. 5th again today, bit only 3 minutes behind.

Lanciano sprint

C • Was this... 2

Pleasant gentle yoga class led by Giulia, who just took her certification exam Saturday, so her first time as a pro instructor. It was advertised to the orienteers, but only I and 3 of the meet staff showed up, so instruction was in Italian, even better.

Nice city sprint in Vasto. Mostly ok, but a few bobbles. The worst in an area we crossed a few times. Lots of circles there. I was headed right but convinced myself I had to go back one corner. So I did, and then realized the mistake. About a minute there. Others more minor. One where I thought the control was on an unmapped statue in a park, circled it, scratched my head, then found it on a light pole on the other side of a bush. Best time was about 24:56. I was 5th of 7.

Besides the usual Scandinavians, I chatted up the Belgians who had been in Laramie this summer, Dirk Goossens and Linda Verbraken, and also Nick Barrable and his young family, wife Sara-Jane and baby 9 mos.old.

Vasto sprint

Intended to walk to town, but felt like I was getting roasted by the sun along the beach, so doubled back for sunscreen. Try again.

So this was the walk into Vasto, along the beach, with a pretty ferocious climb up to the top, then a stop for lunch at a place along the Loggia Amblingh, the footpath that climbs to the upper town. Forgot to turn off the watch, so I deducted about half an hour. Lunch was very good, Cozze ripiene ala vastese, that is, stuffed mussels, Vasto-style. Not sure how they do the stuffing, but it was very tasty, with a clear broth that tasted of the sea and tomato and onion.

By the end I was a bit tired and footsore, but no race today, so just a little time to relax.