Training Log Archive: KFish

Event: SMOC Haven Hill
 

Lightning Strikes 8 hr adventure race

Got maps the night before, but there wasn't much planning to do. 2 UTM coords to plot along the bike route, which didn't leave any chance for innovation. Two O courses, one before the bike, and one on the other end of it, that we would get on the fly. Headed out to try to get some sleep, which was actually pretty successful.

7am start meant it was CHILLY! Started around 30F. Run from the amphitheater to the fort to grab an O map for camp Benson, 3 rogaine style points spread on either end. Took off at a steady jog and grabbed all three in about 30 minutes. We had been told it was "likely" our feet would get wet right off, so we had worn our spare shoes and left our good ones at the bikes. LIES! So a few minutes lost switching shoes, but took off a few minutes behind We Will Survive.

The bike up Messmer Rd actually went pretty well. 2 killer hills, but we were able to keep trucking up them. 1 downhill actually had be pretty scared of wiping out on the loose gravel. About 50 minute bike (15 km)

Arrived at CP5/TA2 just as WWS were taking off, so we didn't lose any time to them on the bike! (Granted neither of us were biking with a broken wrist...). Map at Mississippi palissades was a point to point 10 control O course, where 4 cps had bonus maps. If you didn't get all the normal points, bonus points didn't count, so it was kind of all or nothing. Bonuses tended to be out and backs, which meant we saw Rib Mountain Racing on each of them, probably holding about a 10 minute lead on us.

Got all the mandatory and bonus checkpoints and we were at 11am, 4 hours in, feeling pretty good. Back at the TA got one more bonus to hit on the bike that we had to UTM plot. Added about 6 km and a big hill, but also bypassed one of the hills on Messmer, and was more pavement, so it wasn't too bad. By this point the wind had picked up, and always seemed to be straight into our faces, especially when we would hit an uphill. Luckily the sun was out and it was around 60F, so it wasnt a cold wind. Slowed way down on this section, mentally and physically pretty beat. Walked up the second big uphill, and then traded packs with syd which provided a huge mental boost. On the plus side, we didnt get passed on the bikes either direction!

Back at camp benson dropped the bikes and hit the last 4 checkpoints, 3 of which were ropes. Got to 18, the ascent just as the first Rib mountain racer had finished the next rappel, so we were still only a few minutes behind. Had a chat with them while we were waiting. unfortunately, 3 "solos" who had raced the whole thing together each snagged one rope right before us, and crawled up the ropes, so we ended up waiting a decent amount of time. When a rope opened up I passed 2 of them on the ascent. It was an 80-90 ft cliff and it was pretty awesome. Then rappelled down the other side. Syd was ascending while I rappelled, but then got stuck waiting for the rappel. Lost probably 15-20 minutes waiting, which was frustrating, but by the time we had left the line had grown to 5-7 teams, and we aren't even sure if all of them were allowed to do the ropes, so we shouldn't complain. Also didn't change our placing at all, just our time. One last stop at the zip line before a slow jog back to the finish.

Finished 4th overall/28, 1st/5 2-coed. 28 minutes behind Rib Mountain and 2 hours behind the winners. It was fun seeing them out on the course, and they were pretty much the only people we saw for the majority of the race. The might have convinced us to take a drive out to wisconsin.

Still need to work on nutrition, no matter how much we bring and think we are eating, still end up a few snacks behind in the end. +1 to shot blocks, was able to snack on those whenever I started lagging.

Results: http://www.thethunderrolls.org/2016%20LIGHTNING%20...

C • re: LIES 8

Rappelling x2. Banged my knee getting over the ledge the first time around, much better the second.

Tyrolean traverse. I had no problem at all. Gravity must have been on my side.

Slack line. Still hate slack lines, even with a helper rope

Rock wall x3. First time outdoor climbing. Definitely much harder on the fingers, especially with the cold rock. Could definitely get into it tho. Did one route twice going around the overhang the first time and straight over the second time. 3rd route was up a crack, pretty easy but lots of fun.

Ascending. Long line, half the people struggled mightily, the other half zoomed. Went pretty smoothly after they switched my dominate foot/ hand combo. Right hand on top, left foot on bottom.

Zip line- not exactly exercise, but fun

Practice course at Mississippi Palisades. It was nice to get a feel for the map, having never been here before. It was also nice to go leisurely and take some pictures. We didnt want to kill our legs, and syd was still a little stuffed up, so we went slow and decided to turn in early. It was chilly, in the 30-40 range, and up to 30 mph winds!

For some silly reason I decided to wear a brand new pair of shoes for this, which left a few hot spots on the back of my heel and the side of my foot. Luckily they didnt bother me during the race.

Event: Lightning Strikes Adventure Camp and Race
 

Blue and Yellow loops at Island Lake, starting behind JCP. New bike made me so comfortable on single track, i think I'll really be able to improve my speed. Also think Ill be able to upgrade from cages to clips in the not to distant future, but I'd like to try out at least brighton, if not Highland to make sure im completely comfortable first.

Lower back was sore, but it usually starts out sore at the beginning of the bike season, so Im not too worried.

watch was dead

C • great ride on a weekday 5