Training Log Archive: arcticQn

Gah, the entire hike up to the start (a 200m vert climb over 1.5km) I kept thinking about that our course has 250m climb! Obviously it's over a much greater distance but still....

I made it to the start on time, with about 4mins to spare to fix up my cluesheet (I need a new type of holder) toss my jacket and tie my shoes. Oh and clear and check! I nearly missed that! I was at the 0min line when the whistle blew still tying my shoes..

But, I suppose that added some adrenaline and I dashed off down the trail barely looking at my map. Actually, I think I was still looking for the start triangle 20m past where it was...never saw it. Anyway, I was so excited to run fast down a trail that I blew myself up and took a few extra minutes and fussing to find #1.

After that it was fairly smooth sailing. I have such confidence in this terrain I don't think I could get lost in it but... I can NOT make decisions on route choice! To 5 I think I lost about 5mins just debating my routes. Stop, which way. run. stop, which way. run. igh igh. In the end I just went straight and I think I shouldn't have thought about it so much.. if at all. just do it. right?

Near the end scrambling down a cliff, I saw Sam out of the corner of my eye. My old school self wondered if she was lost and I had caught her. HAH! No, she started .. oh, about 15mins behind me! DAMN girl! I didn't think I was that slow, but I suppose a lethal combination of not training, not orienteering, not making route choice decisions and that girl running like a mad-woman makes a lot of difference! :) I stayed ahead of her for the next leg, but there was a 3 contour hill (huge, i know) on the following leg and I huffed, hands on knees, as she pranced up and over and out of sight. (It was fun running with you for a bit though!)

All in all I had a great weekend. Yes, the competitive juices have been sapped out of me, but I definitely still enjoy dashing through the woods and seeing all of my friends. Great event by EMPO and a fantastic new map and forest! Thanks to all!

C • like 1

Day 2 Red Y - Splits

Event: US Two-day Classic O Championships
 

Well, I suppose training does count for something..

Had a nice relaxing walk to the start, perfect amount of time at the start to get my cluesheet sorted out and shoes tied. Certainly no nervousness and I hardly felt as though this were a race at all, let alone a championship. But that's my fault. The event was great, the map and course was fantastic, the woods were tons of fun, but I did not have an ounce... ok, maybe one ounce.. of competitive juice flowing out there.

My strategy (nothing i had pre-planned, this is more of a figure it out as you go type of strategy) was to run to something and figure out where I was when I got there. The features were big enough and mapped impeccably enough that I was able to do that so perfectly well for nearly the entire race! (rare.)

On my way to 8 I was doing just this... I had decided to cut up through the two large marshes and then was winding around to the northeast when I felt like I should cut off the marsh and head north more. So I did, came to a marsh and realized I had no real solid idea where I was. Well, shit, it was a long way back to the marsh, I didn't want to relocate. So I stood there for about a minute trying to match things up. Finally I decided that I would be (still not knowing for sure, just making things up!) at the southern tip of a small narrow marsh. So I looked up to see if things would match up well enough. Immediately I saw a clearing in the tree canopy and knew right away that that was the marsh I was looking for. Sure enough, I ran up and over to it and there was the flag. Weird.

And yes, that is most definitely how I typically orienteer. It's a miracle I make it back to the finish at all.

Day 1 Red Y - Splits

Went to look at a property in West Fairlee, VT with K, L, Mom and Dad. We'd been there before, but this time had the guy show us where the property lines were so we ended up walking the perimeter of the 25ac parcel. The whole thing had been raped of trees and soil about 4yrs ago and was bare ledge nearly everywhere. Would make excellent orienteering map once the raspberries were gone and and either a healthy stand of older trees grew up or it was worked into nice pasture. But, with the lack of soil and the way the wind whips around up there, I doubt either will happen in this century.
We will keep looking.
Tough though, it was at the end of an improved unmaintained road, 2mins to town, 20mins to work, great school, trails right at the edge of the property and open enough to have a 180deg view and tons of sun! but otherwise, just not right.