Training Log Archive: DWildfogel

Drove up to the Alpine Visitor Center in Rocky Mountain Natl Park, driving over the 12,100' high point before we got there.

Just before that, while pulled over at a view point, a big thunderstorm came in and we sat in the car, pelted by hail, for 20 minutes.

Diamond Bay (Medicine Bow Nat'l Forest, east of Laramie, WY). Day 6 of the Rocky Mtn O'Fest, Day 3 of the 3 day Western States Champs. Start 9:52.

Brown, 4.6 km, 70m climb. 3rd of 46.

Legs were really tired, had to really push it but didn't feel like I my speed was anything like the first two days. Navigation was much trickier (and, again, the part of the map we went through was quite different from where I'd been years ago). Made a one min error coming out of the start triangle (bearing was nearly 45 deg to the left), but recovered nicely once I saw a big hill I didn't expect to see. Also a 1.5 min error on #6, part of that when I was stunned to see two giant rock towers in front of me (finally located them on the map - they were much further away than they appeared) but most of hit when I hit the aspens, knew I must've drifted right, then corrected. Otherwise, good navigation but had to really concentrate. Seemed like such a physical struggle at the end, but I still had the second fastest time on the last two controls - nevertheless, lost half a minute to Sverre (plus another :11 on the run in), who wound up one sec ahead of me.

[Orienteering race]

Warm up. Had to jog to and from the portapotties (which were far from parking) before jogging to the start. Legs feel like they're dragging, and rt knee is hurting a bit.

Brown - Splits

Remarkable Flats. Day 2 of Western States Champs, Day 5 of Rocky Mountain O'Fest. Brown, 4.7 km, 110m climb. Start 9:36. 9th of 49.

Silly but significant error on #3 (3 mins), followed by disastrous 13 min error on #4, including some time off the map. Pulled it together after that, and had the fastest time from #4 to the Finish. Very disappointing to have an error like that.

[Orienteering race]

Warm up. Jog to start. Legs still feel pretty good, but not as lively as yesterday.

Brown - Splits

Twin Boulders, (Medicine Bow Nat'l Forest, east of Laramie, WY). Day 4 of the Rocky Mtn O'Fest, Day 1 of the 3 day Western States Champs. Start 9:48.

Brown, 4.5 km, 115m climb. 1st of 49.

Loved it! No mistakes, ran hard when I could, had to walk some due to the rarified air, a little over cautious at times, but the idea was to be mistake free for sure, and I did that. This is what orienteering should always be :-)

--Lost a few secs at #7 because I didn't immediately recognize the knoll (looked like the boulders).

--Lost a few secs at #8 because I was tiring

First seven split ranks were all 2's (4 of 'em) or 3's; last two (including the chute) were 4 and 7.

[Orienteering race]

C • Great job 3

Warm up. Legs felt pretty loose and the start was only 500m away, so didn't do much warm up. L got to the call up line and realized she forgot her estick and ran back to the car. But they gave her a new start time, so it was OK.

Brown - Splits

The usual weekly accumulation of morning exercises: stretching, strength and balance. Tapered off the later two by mid-week.

Devil's Claw, Medicine Bow Natl Forest, east of Laramie, WY. Rocky Mtn O'Fest, Day 3.

Intended to take it easy. Didn't want to cross the big swamp, so headed straight for #11. Too many mosiquitos, plus I forgot that the scale was 1:12,500, so pulled up short and was quite confused for a while. But after finally getting to #11, did OK (but not great) the rest of the way, even though I was going slowly. Sure hope I'm sharper once the real orienteering starts tomorrow.

[Orienteering training]

Pitcher Hill, Medicine Bow Natl Forest, east of Laramie, WY. Rocky Mtn O'Fest, Day 2. One Cowgirl Relay.

I did 2 of the first four loops, then started the fifth loop (so I might get to do it alone), came back and walked my fourth loop after re-doing the first control of the second loop, which I'd missed. My navigating was terrible today. Felt like I was trying to take it easy physically and that caused me to take it easy mentally, which led to me missing half the controls. The 1:15,000 scale didn't help, either.

[Orienteering training]

Event: RMOC Rocky Mountain Orienteering Festival
 

Moose Outlet, Medicine Bow Natl Forest, east of Laramie, WY. Rocky Mtn O'Fest, Day 1.

Intended to jog through a few controls. L was feeling like she didn't remember how to orienteer, so instead, I stayed with her, walking. Did run one leg on my own towards the end.

Very cautious with my knee on the uneven ground.

This area was rather heavily vegetated and not much fun.

[Orienteering training]

Flight to Denver went quite smoothly until the last ten minutes. We were in our final descent, they'd already welcomed us to Denver, and said we'd be on the ground in ten minutes. Twenty minutes later they announced that there were powerful thunderstorms in Denver and we were being diverted to Cheyenne. We sat on the runway in Cheyenne for 3+ hours - no food, either (we were planning to eat dinner in Denver prior to driving to Laramie). Sitting in Cheyenne, so close to Laramie but no way to get there. We didn't get to Laramie until 1:30am, 4.5 hours late.