Training Log Archive: Ricka

Long, physical course with sloppy orienteering - frustrating. The extra deadfall and multi-flora rose/green briar literally added insult to injury (arm scratches). Post-race: tired but not wiped out. Well behind the 'usual suspects': eg Rob W and Tim G.

In general, I drifted towards controls and read features on the way. Poor fine-tuning route plan and weak map contact. Worked on 13/16 controls - huge errors on other 3.

S -> 1: Straight appeared down and up (but it was down & flat). So I ran road. But attack from top was tougher and I blew it. Did not read 'long skinny spur' and fell to right, confused. Poor route choice and poor execution. (-4)

1-2-3-4: Clean, including long 3-4 leg. Good route, good map contact.

4->5: Chose high on trail versus straight which required 5 contour clim at end. Trail full of dead-fall etc. Countoured lower - mf rose ugly. read 2 reentrant systems well. but weak map contact as I got close. Got close, but did not see knolls on spur. Drifted far right. "Caught" by Green runner looking for my 12. Well, if he's here, i shouldn't be. Finally, good relocation. (-15)

5-6-7-8-9-10-11: Some good orienteering but over shout 8, not reading long knoll well (expected it to be flatter). (-2)

11-12: Chose 'safe' road route. Very tired and brain-dead. Totally misread road, ran twice the distance, long uphill hike back to 12 - UGH.
(-8+)

Simple, clean finish. Sub 2 hours was accessible.

Lack of woods time (my fault) really showed. Needed to re-waken oreinteering brain. Tomorrow!

Yellowwood_Long_2013_Green - Splits

Event: Flying Pig XVII and Eastern Interscholastic Champs
 

Sprint at UI campus in Bloomington IN. Excellent venue - good mix of buildings with lots of nooks and crannies and some very open woods.

Smooth run overall. Looked ahead consistently. Excellent map contact. If any doubt, checked control numbers. In middle of lots of Br/G runners. Bill L had great race - 3rd on course?

Sam Smith (-1) caught me at 9. Ran rest together. With slightly faster pace, he usually led but I was more confident out of controls (read ahead) and would gain 5+ steps. Passed him twice.

Lost time at 9 - confusion near steps, had not carefully read clue (eg NE "inside corner of stone wall").
Hesitations:
at 5 (read and saw tricky stairs, then went to left one first).
at 13: saw tree and control ahead, then 'not there!' Moved forward, okay.
at 14: short leg, off to right. oops, there it is.
10: left 10 to right, left shorter

Route choice: 20-21: right or left around building, went left. Which?

Excellent Bombay restaurant for dinner - had chaat for 1st time - very popular with local Indians.

IU_Campus_Sprint_2013_4 5 Br Gr - Splits

6*6 at Y. Short but felt good. Shoulders muscles ached a bit at first. Hmm, "What's this?" Oh, first two days of biking - I'd never biked then swum before right at start of season. Minor.

From Nottingham Service to MBG and home & back to Nott. Pleasant urban rice, chilly wind.

With Sierra Club, around TGP, lunch at Sassafras, around MBG. Admiring erstwhile first blooms.

Long route via River City Casino to bridge class in Affton. Shorter route home. 30 miles - legs felt it - I need some miles!

Yes, River des Peres Greenway to Casino bike route is nearly completed. Wow, Affton has mazes of streets - even with decent map, maintaining map contact was a challenge - bike O' venue?

C • were you in the back street... 2

When we cycled past Fairview and the 3 hills (between TGP and Gravois with Roger as low point), I thought, "I haven't run those in a long time." Did it - they're only a bit harder than they used to be - felt good. Took short route home (no TGP) to get to movie at PF.

2nd day of spring finally came to STL. (cold again tomorrow)

Ride with Fran to Carondelet Park. Took Christy Greenway. Christy to Casino is now complete! (finished in past week?)

Now Tower Grove to Casino then JB is a pleasant ride. Guess I should vote "Yes" on Prop P Tuesday (Arch, bike trails, parks).