Training Log Archive: mayer22

Mission Adventure Race w/Stephen and Andrea
Weather was great. We were a little cold after the paddle but otherwise, it was perfect. The course explored the surrounding hills nicely. We did a fair bit of flat road riding between them. It was a nice mix of everything. The RD forgot the maps at home so we started the race without maps but made due. We got to look at a map of the first two legs before the race and take pictures. Overall the navigation was challenging at times as the forest was thick in some places. I had one major nav error (lost 30 min) and then 1 other small issue after I stopped looking at the map for a minute.

Group road ride to the paddle put in. We were supposed to be following the gear truck (so I didn't pay spend much time remembering the map for this leg) but it pulled away halfway through. Someone pulled the map up on their phone and made sure we made the right turn.

The canoes were pretty old and wobbly. I sat in front and was pretty far forward making it a bit sketchy with all my weight. But considering I was navigating with a self-drawn copy of the map (which was a major help) and pictures on my phone I couldn't be in back. We considered switching me to the middle but this worked.

The current was moving quickly. Stephen did a great job in the back and most of the time we were moving 6-7mph.

Stephen and I plotted the next leg while Andrea took care of gear.

Long orienteering leg. Started with a bit of a road run to get to the forest and hills. Then we were hardcore bushwhack up the hills to a large 4x4 trail network, most of which wasn't mapped.

After finding the first CP we debated how to get the rest. We chose a route that minimized climbing (there wasn't that much), was more fluid, and eliminated out and backs. It was the longer of the two primary options. We were worried we would have one long segment without a trail along a ridge, but there ended up being one so it worked out fine.

Everything was smooth until the last CP. I was tracking the ridge to our S and was waiting for it to disappear. I didn't track the approximate distance and thought it was taking too long (we were running along a flat trail). I went until I thought I saw the ridge drop and we attacked. The point wasn't there so we were trying to determine if we passed the control. I really didn't know how to know for sure. And we couldn't think of good way to relocate ourselves. We decided to walk back across the spurs to see if we saw it. No luck so then we went back to the trail. We ran the trail a little further and realized the ridge to the S hadn't dropped we just started curving around to get to the end of it. So know we knew we should be in the right spot and reattacked. We almost passed the CP because it had fallen on the ground. Luckily Andrea spotted it.

Plotting bike points

Longer ride from the S end of the course to the N end. Some road sections, rocky gravel sections, and double track and muddy MTBO sections. Lots of wind on the early road segments, slowing us down to 10-12mph.

The first "MTBO" section had us pass a bouldering problem we were supposed to solve but was too wet from the rain. We road around HQ along a ridge and then left on the road to some horse trail just to the N. We opted to try and avoid climbs as much as possible. Took the paved road around once and did an out and back to avoid a climb and decent.

Towards the end I lost focus and almost forgot about 1 CP. I remembered just as we were getting to it. I thought we might have been at the correct spur so we checked quickly but it was early. I should have known since there wasn't a matching spur on the other side of the ridge. But it wasn't a big deal as it only cost us 5 min and was maybe worth the certainty after being disconnected. When we checked the right spur all 3 of us walked right past it. Stephen looked back but Andrea and I were already way ahead. Lost maybe another 5 min.

Finished the ride on roads to the TA with a quick stop to climb a tower.

Quick plotting and change of shoes

Short trek section. Grabbed water at the TA. One big climb and traversed around another two hills.

Quick road ride back to the TA. No need to plot or route plan. I had already looked at this on our ride in to the TA. I did miss an opportunity for a slightly flatter route but no biggie.

Drank some soda from TA and plotted the last 4 CPs

Basically a lap around the lake with one big climb. I took a direct route but could have gotten a 30 before 31 and had an easier (but slightly longer) trail climb still with a direct route to 29. Didn't realize it until we had already gotten 31 though. Had originally started with a longer trail route but noticed the more direct option. Just didn't have enough time to stare at the map to see the other option.

We tried to shortcut some of the trail to 28 but the reentrant looked narrow and slow so we just ran the safe trail around and then ran back on the road to the finish just before sunset.