Training Log Archive: Atropos

Warm up for the WCOC middle. Running around on the warm-up map and jogging across the field.

WCOC sprint. I started one minute ahead of Carol but I decided I wasn't going to worry about her. I wanted to see if I could get through the race with out seeing Andrea (starting 2 minutes behind) and Louise (starting 4 minutes behind). I was still feeling really sluggish from the whole lack of sleep thing but so I managed to swallow a powergel before the race but I'm doubtful it helped that much. The first control was a long route choice leg and I decided to go left but managed to get on the wrong path. Various misadventures ensued and Carol (who had had problems of her own on number 1) arrived at the control together. Carol took off to the right on her way to number 2 and I, thinking that I was sooo smart, took the left way which in retrospect may be a little longer. Andrea caught me at number two and Katherine, who started 2 minutes after, caught me there as well. I tried to keep up to them on the short steep hill to three but I had to walk. I feel much stronger than I have in the past but I think that my running conditioning is still very weak. It is time to demote the elliptical trainer and do more actual running and treadmill. I was surprised to see Katherine again a 4 which I looked for one trail too early. She had forgotten the control and had to go back for it. Louise crashed into the control just as I was leaving it. 4 to 5 was another route choice leg and I decided to go left with Katherine along the road and leave Louise to take the trail route which was slightly slower and more complicated. I was slightly to the left on 6 but quickly recovered and even though number 7 was almost visible from 6, I made a parallel error and went up the wrong trail. 8 and 9 were clean but they were the only controls on the whole race I was clean on. I enjoyed the race but I was frustrated with myself.

As soon as I got my map back, I decided to run the course again before the flags were picked up. Control 1 took 3:42 instead of 5:04. I took the right hand route instead of the left to number 2 and was actually 24 seconds faster the first time. I was definitely running much slower (just because I was tired not because I wasn't trying as hard) than the first time around. I was 63 seconds faster going to control 4 and managed to go from 6 to 7 in 58 seconds rather than 3:27. Still, I wasn't as pleased with my rerun as I could have been. I wonder where my head has been this weekend. I hope I find it before the COCs!

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WCOC Sprint Course 4 - Splits

I was up until 5:30 am this morning finishing my submission for the Live@YVR contest. I got about two hours of restless sleep before I had to get up for the WCOC long distance event. I struggling to wake up, I spent the morning in a distracted daze that continued into the race. I was cautious early on but it soon became clear that my decision making skills and execution were in the part of my brain that was still sleeping. I was continually catching myself wandering aimlessly without a bearing or making unplanned deviations from solid route choices. When I reached control 4, I looked at the long leg to five through wild country with no trails and decided that in my current state of mind it was not a venture worth trying. Promising myself that I would return and re-run the course when I was more rested, I headed towards the finish for a nap.

C • I wondered what happened... 1

Event: Canadian Orienteering Championships
 

Middle Distance of WCOCs on hidden lakes in Whitehorse. For me it was an okay race. I was never lost or truely out of contact with the map. I wasn't squeaky clean and I wasn't aggressive especially at the end when I was tired but I didn't have any embarrassing blow-ups either.

WCOC Middle Course 9 - Splits

Went out to do some training with mom and dad on the Lost Lake map. I was glad that I went because I was seriously underestimating the size of the depressions and kept stopping early at less significant dips. I think that control and precision will be a huge factor in how people place in this event.

C • Read your email 2

Explored the trails around the Bull's house with Shadow the dog. Poor Shadow started off strong but was dropping off the back near the end. I slowed down quite a bit so that I wouldn't lose him. Still, I really enjoyed running with him especially since I don't think this is the kind of place where you run around with your ipod blaring.

After three days of driving it was nice to stretch the legs and go for a run around the Bull's house in Whitehorse. It was a beautiful day and I was definitely sweating up a storm running up a long gradual hill. Glad to have finally arrived!