Training Log Archive: Ricka

Event: SLOC - 1st Annual Gateway Grunt
 

Maintained map contact and focus throughout course. Usually I'm distracted by fellow runnners - I ignored and used them much better than usual. Mark and I stayed close 1-4, he pulled away at 5, then slowed at 6, pulled away and out of sight 7A - 9. I skipped 10, he almost forgot to skip, so we met again at 11A. I pulled away at 12, then we came into 13 together - but he had another loop to do - I was really done :). Lots of other runners came and went throughout race - only solo at 8 & 9 - fun.

I hesitated near end of legs 4 & 6 - no major errors - dropped off trail too early for 7A - hit deadfall. Overall, realistic route choices and good execution. Studying course on road run to 1, I was tempted to skip 2, 7, or 10 - I chose 10, quite popular - 5 (popular as well) and 1 (Tim G) were potential skips which I didn't see. By skipping 10, besides saved climb, 9, 11A, 12, 13 was pretty easy navigationally for end of day. (Finding 10 certainly could be messy.)

1st in Runt. Only Eric, Dave, and Jeff beat me in on first loop of Grunt. I saw Tim (also on Runt) coming out of 7A at least 5 minutes ahead of me; I had no idea whether he'd skipped yet (he had).

Very cold, cloudy, windy at start - therefore very overdressed all the way - oh well. Sun came out.

Weakness: leaving ridge down steep sides - I'm weak at picking up correct reentrant and/or aiming off. Overall, I read 'altitude on side of hill' very well today - that was useful on 1, 2, 4, 7A, 8, and 12 - only high on 6 hurt me.

Sunny and cool in Forest Park. Run felt great. Sleeping in til 10 am probably helped:)