Training Log Archive: possum

Day two which was even more of a disaster. I couldn't find one, and had to relocate, then got it. With 2, I relocated twice, and carefully set a bearing and pace counted. After the second time didn't work, I thought I must be close, but went on to 3, and walked right to it. At some point during this relocation, I stepped into a hole all the way to my knee, which is scary for someone without proper knees, and I am spending too much time looking at the ground, instead of the map and terrain. Only stepped into small holes after that. From 3, I missed 4, relocated and missed 4 again. Unlike yesterday, I did have a good idea where I was, so I headed north and got 6. This was another case of being way off on my bearing. Then I went to 7, couldn't find it, although I knew I was in the right vicinity. I purposely skipped 8, since it was getting pretty late, and I knew it was in the blowdown area. I picked up 9, 10, and 11.

As a side issue, 6 was a water stop, which I needed since I typically don't carry water, but I will start doing so. The control was in a ditch, and three or four boys, with the same uniforms were near the ditch, and one was drinking out of the jug. I went into teacher mode, and yelled at him that he was rude and could be disqualified, and they needed to learn the rules. I then had a drink out of a different jug. Ick!

I have been trying to think about these failures as little as possible, but need to face reality and think about what is good, and what is bad. First, the good. Physically, I am getting better, but my brain is not working like it should. The Fitbit told me that my climb today was 267 m. I actually still had the energy to run from 11 to the finish. So carrying my Clif Blocks was successful, and my overall fitness level from 9Round and my trainer is good.

I probably need a lot more practice and thought to start making better route choices. First however, I need to find out why my bearings are so messed up. I had been doing well with my compass work. Maybe I'm holding the compass differently. This needs to get sorted out before going to Texas. I'm going to Lawrence on Sunday, and just need to practice bearings.

Day 2 - Brown - Splits

Today was a disaster. Slow to get into gear going to 1. Good from 1 to 2. Then I came apart, starting with a bad route choice. Wandering up and down spurs. Lots of holes covered with leaves kept me looking at the ground more than the map or the terrain. Since I didn't know where I was enough to relocate, I didn't. Finally I found a dark green area, which I thought I could identify on the map, but so much time had elapsed by then, 1:35:05 from the second control, than I headed west to find the road and go in. I hit the hiway north of a gravel road fairly close to the last three controls, so definitely needing the practice, I picked up the last three. Again noticing that I seemed to be navigating to the right, just as I had done on the models. Not a happy person today. As a side note, after I got home and downloaded my Fitbit, it had me climbing 283 m during the race.

Day 1 - Brown - Splits

Event: GNC 2017: Georgia Navigator Cup
 

We first did the model for the McIntosh Reserve Sprint. I should have worn my O shoes, as it was steep and the leaves were slippery in places. Not a bad effort, but my bearing was significantly off to the right on control.

Sprint C at the McIntosh Reserve. A longer, woodsier, and more technical sprint than we usually do. Two mess-ups. Got a little rattled going from 1-2, saw two controls that turned out not to be mine, then settled down and did pretty well until I got to 10. Turned in too soon and went too far up the hill.

I even did some light jogging in a few places which were open. Not too bad an effort except for the silly mess-up at 2. This was not a thoughtful mistake.

Sprint - Brown - Splits

Possums decided to do the model event after flying to Atlanta. I went around the wrong side of no. 5, but this was easily fixed. The major time error was no. 7. I went down too soon and too far on the spur. It didn't help that the clue was "NW boulder cluster" and the boulders were less than a foot high. It was really good to get out into the woods and move around, after sitting on a plane and then a car.

I never got out of breath today--that was good, but I feel very worked out.

The weather has been so awful, Elray and I haven't been taking our usual walks, and we both missed them. So, even though I am getting ready to go to Georgia early tomorrow, and still get to see my trainer this afternoon, we had to walk since it is so nice outside. We went to Mack Porter, but they have closed off both access roads. We parked at the Catholic Church, and walked about 100 meters out to the closed off road, then down the road to the woods loop, and looped and returned. Elray pranced, and I almost did also.

Mostly just a tough workout with my trainer. Did my agility drills holding a medicine ball overhead.

An interesting little diversion was pushing a tire down the length of the gym and back. Got my heart rate up.

Finally a day when my glutes aren't sore. The CHOW was three minutes of plank jacks, but I don't do jumping, so I did plank spidermans instead.

Restorative.