Training Log Archive: bl

Brown long course. Found all the points w/o difficulty. The first was down and then up, maybe around would have been as good, maybe better. The second was contouring. I found a bovine trail which just about led me there. A bit high, I did not see the point at first, headed down and saw it (maybe 15” lost). Three was up and up - about all I could do to to get to it.

The big problem was my compass coming apart on the way to #4. The dial came off the housing. I had it, as well as a bronze lock ring in one hand, baseplate and housing in the other. It wasn’t due to a fall. I considered my operative attitude like a well-tuned guitar and a string just broke! My psychological adjustment was not the best it could have been because I learned this lesson before, in Scotland in 2011 when I fell near the finish and my new Silve ty5 baseplate broke in half. No need to travel thousands of miles to run in Europe or CA w/o a contingency plan. But my spare was in the trunk of the car, not on my person today. Distracted, I progressed along - a mix of map reading and trying to rotate the housing which was still in the baseplate. I figured that out, made #4 ok. The 5th was perhaps the most compass-dependent leg. I was shifting to trying the compass in thumb compass style - all the while the housing becoming looser. I missed a junction on the way to #6, figured that out (maybe 30”). 6 & 7 were ok, 7 a bit slow w/o compass.

Off to #8: the large map was folded, so I did not actually take the time to see #8. I set off contouring, all the while distracted by the compass issue (and yet, doing w/o the compass efficiently on this leg was doable I think). About 150m along, I unfolded the map, saw where the point actually was and that the nearby path would take me almost all the way there. My concentration had been altered. I did not really consider possible disadvantages of the path route enough, wanting to save seconds…. So a bit SE of 7, I headed NE to the nearby path. First it went N and then SE forever and down and down, to Purgatory, I eventually decided. After an eternity, I came to the bend, just off the edge of the map. And now, the trail started up with a vengeance. It went up and up and around this and that - painful. I’d have given anything for the sanity of contouring. Finally, a last curve as attack point and #8 was reached - after 32’. 8 to 9 was fun, being open and using contours. Didn’t need a compass much after the midway point to 6. On the way to 8, I’d separated the housing from the baseplate.

Pennywise, pound foolish re fretting seconds and forgotten lesson relearned. I don't care for a spare compass in the zip pocket small of one's back - seems too hard to get it out.

More than 250m climb by quite a bit. 4.15 mi per 310XT seems too much wasted effort.



Initial points

The long route in the green area.

End of the road

C • Nice recovery 6

Brown X Long - Splits

Event: US Individual Championships (M/L/S)
 

Morgan Territory brown middle, 3.1k, 13c. A good run, I’d give it a B+. Missed the first, not seeing that the path led just about to the point. It was partly hidden by the line to the point - lost about 45”. Also lost about 15” on #3. The rest were straight to. Was pedantic, checked all the point numbers & set my compass leaving the point nearly every time. Walked some, too. Could not have covered it as fast as Dennis including his #11 misfortune. Singularly beautiful place! This photo is immediately to the right of download, assembly, parking (waited til competitors were invisible). Route. 310 isn't going to work, given interest I have in trying at present

C • Congrats ! 1

Brown-X Middle - Splits

Visited the Sunol map, steep with 7.5m contours. Green as Ireland. Actually, the terrain resembled Scottish experiences. The 5.7k, 27c green course from February seemed over the top. Sampled about 8 points, crossing two small streams that were so steep-sided I, not being "adrenalized", spent several minutes getting across. Pleasant and a worthwhile visit, helped much getting oriented.

C • Pleasant 2

From Bo's down to Tomales bay, ended up at Shell Beach. I'd allotted 1.5 mi out (and down) and wondered if I'd have the time. Finally I could see that the water was actually closer - and voila, the beach. Pretty forest of eucalyptus, pine and some oak. Very quiet.

Drove up to the regional park at the top of the ridge & jogged around and to Mt. Vollmer summit and environs. Everything is so green. Have not been in the Bay area in springtime, I don't believe.

Brought only an iPad and don't think I can get 310 data to AP and doesn't seem plausible on Beth's MacBook Air either.

C • Ipad 6

Bone weary day. Haven't shaken the torpor. Arose 0310, hurried off, made mistakes making me hurry more. Got to MHT only to wait. I can think how it could have been done had I really recalled. I've become rusty re airport-plane travel. Got moved to BWI vs Midway, then to Oakland. Always a treat out the window: hills, prairie, utmost aridity, later freshly snow-covered mountains. Finally emerald coastal mountains east of the Bay. A tiring day, 6.5 hrs to Oakland, endng up on a Orinda hillside where homes cling to steep slopes.

C • Been there. 4

Harris Center on a fine spring day - memorable with its joie de vivre feel. Made a course, walked-jogged accurately enough. Hard to keep map contact in the black stuff. Saw no one/nothing. I was sitting in a chair in the garden at the end and a older lady came by to chat. She was the garden curator & was both pleased and curious to see me in a chair, actually sitting in the still-too-early garden. She said she’s lived in Hancock for some 30 years. A nice place to live, I can see that.

Noted this scene - the folk song "Where have all the flowers gone?" seemed to be staring back.

C • Harris Center 2