Training Log Archive: Sandy

Another basement workout, similar to Tuesday. I think the soreness Wednesday into Thursday was from workout and not the hike. I'm feeling those same spots already this evening.

Elliptcal

Class at SJU.

A nice stroll around the meadow loop with Sandy and no pack and no pole and lightweight shoes. Felt good but it was still humid. A bit sore from yesterday's escapades so probably good to get out.

For a variety of reasons I don't think I'm going to make it to any more SJU classes before I leave. And I haven't been doing as much as they've recommended in any case. So I did some things at home this morning:
4 x (15 non-jumping burpees, 15 various arm things, 15 squats, 15 pulse squats) followed by 4 x (15 stepup/step down with back lunge on right leg, 15 on left leg, 15 V-situps, 10 twisty thingies, 30 sec bridge) all with a 5lb weight in each hand.

Breathing hard by the end which was the point.

I had an appointment with the ranger and environmental compliance officer this afternoon up at the Water Gap. The meeting went well and I think we'll be allowed to have events on the Egypt Mills, Stuckey and Spackman maps going forward. Adams Creek is another story but one step at a time. There was a huge swath of Stuckey that we supposedly had to stay out of the last time we had an event, but the compliance officer thought that was crazy and if the area wasn't being closed to everyone it shouldn't be closed to orienteers. So she plans to look into why someone thought it needed to be off-limits and hopefully reverse that decision.

Apparently included in our big thick file for NAOC 2012 was the environmental reports done back in 2000 and 2003 in which the environmentalist at the time said we did a great job and although retired, his word still carries some weight. So a good meeting and hopefully a rogaine there in 2020.

Then I decided that I had time for a hike and I had brought along my gear. I had seen what Greg did a few days ago and thought I could do that. This was probably my stupidest decision in a while. It was about 4 when I started and I estimated I would take somewhere between 2 and 3 times what Greg took which was 45 minutes. That was pushing it in terms of daylight but I figured I could always turn around and go back if it was taking too long. So the plan was to go up the red dot trail and down the blue dot trail which looked on paper as a bit longer but more roundabout so easier to get down.

Well, about 20 minutes in I'm climbing boulders because this trail is straight up and you have to climb boulders. And I'm thinking I really shouldn't be doing this and definitely shouldn't be doing this alone. And I'm watching the time since there is no way I want to go back down the way I'm going up and now I'm really regretting not having a headlamp with me. I was pretty sure I could physically do this but not sure I could get done before dark.

I keep climbing not wanting to take any time to rest or take pictures since I'm really worried about the time and whether I can get to the top and the less steep - I hope - trail to go down. Seriously, I don't even know if I could have gotten down the way I went up since there were some serious rocks to climb. I guess I could have but it would have involved a lot of crying and cursing I'm sure.

So I keep plugging away stressing over the time and feeling the effort and eventually after an hour make it to the top. I futz around for a bit at the top losing the trail and not finding the blue dot trail and starting to think I might in fact have to go down the way I came up but then found the end of the red dot trail which I had missed and that led right into the blue dot trail. Whew. Disaster averted. Again, still worried about the time so no rest and no pictures just hustle along.

And luckily the blue trail was much easier with no big boulder sections as I had hoped. Lots and lots of rocks but not big ones. Couldn't really enjoy it as much as it deserved - there were some great views and it was a beautiful trail and the end was by a gorgeous creek - but I made myself just keep moving even though I was getting tired and got back to my car still in daylight and was very relieved to have survived.

So all's well that ends well but that was not one of my better decisions. I'm really impressed with Greg's time now!

C • Glad 8

Hit stop at the top and then started it again so this is the down.