Discussion: Training

Hey Gabe,
it's great to see you posting training again. I hope you can keep it up at least all the way through JWOC!
Do you have a specific training plan and training goals in mind for the next couple of months?

Boris,
My training plan for this month is an adaptation of my cross country coach's program. Essentially I'm doing urban sprints on mondays and wednesdays, with wednesday's one ideally being longer, or else I do several that day. Sunday is my long run, hopefully a red course and then some (but I don't know if I have a ride this weekend, for example; all the events in michigan are well over an hour away). Friday I do a lot of running and usually some sprints, hills, and compass exercises. This may be a good day for another sprint too, but so far I haven't dared. The remaining days are just easy running, and I haven't mapped enough to effectively do the technical exercises I'd like so I just run the roads for now. I suppose my goals would have to be strictly for urban sprints as those are my most measurable indicators of progress. I think today was the first time I broke 5 min/km, so I'll probably just try to break 4:40 or something like that before leaving for the summer but I'm not sure yet. June I'll be at my grandmother's in the French Alps, and I've already ordered several maps to train on over there.

How often do you get to go to a real orienteering event in Michigan?

It sounds like you are doing excellent training given opportunities available to you. Training in the French Alps should be great preparation for Italy, but don't overdo it, especially if you'll be there close to the time of JWOC. The last thing you want is starting JWOC races already exhausted!
Do you manage to do any armchair training in addition to the sprints and the occasional red course? Looking at the JWOC training maps and planning some courses while trying to visualizing terrain can go along way towards preparing you for the terrain.
Anyway, you are doing a great job. Keep it up!

Great to see you logging regular training, Gabe. Keep at it!

I actually only went to a couple of michigan meets all year, but I did a good deal of orienteering in ohio over breaks, as well as two events in the south. I guess I do armchair training when I have time, which means I do a lot now but pretty much not at all last semester when I was busy with school. I've run with the JWOC maps on roads but have yet to do formal armchair exercises on them.

Are you planning on doing any more real races before JWOC? I know that everyone's preparation is pretty individual, but I would recommend putting yourself in an orienteering race situation at least once or twice before JWOC, since it's very different from training, both physically, and especially mentally. If you can make it to an A-Meet between now and the end of June, do it!

Hopefully I'll go to a michigan meet next week, and I'll go to a couple meets in ohio before leaving. I'm thinking about going to the Swiss National meet in Lugano but I have to look into the travel costs. Unfortunately since I'm leaving so soon after getting done with school an A-Meet won't be possible.

Gabe! Good luck with your jwoc training. It's nice to read about what you're doing again. When do you leave for Europe?

Thanks Gerald- I'm leaving June 1, right after school ends.

What are your plans for June, Gabe? Where will you be?

Ah, I won't be back in the States yet. Was hoping to get in some training together with you before you leave... but you'll probably get a lot training done in Europe.

I'm training at my grandmother's, with Annecy club maps.