Training Log Archive: PG

Raining, didn't feel like going out. Similar to last time, 4th mile uphill, last one faster. 9:12, 8:28, 8:27, 10:00 @ 6%, 8:27, 7:20.

First Fresh Air with Richard Carpenter, then the first part of one about The Family.

Signed up for Fair Hill.

C • Carpenters 3

Event: NEOC - Mt. Tom
 

NEOC club event at Mt. Tom, Western Mass rules -- 18 controls, get as many as you want in any order, classes are for those who get all 18, or at least 15, or at least 11, or at least 8.

Lovely day, good turnout (maybe 125+), about 30+ did all 18. I spent a couple of hours manning the start and finish, very pleasant. It's an easy format to administer, you can just keep starting folks whenever they want because they are going different ways. I was thinking at some point I'd pass on running, just go out later and fetch a few controls, but then Gail and Andy M showed up to take over, so I had no excuse.

No warm-up....

Had a so-so run. Did the harder section first, NE kingdom. My orienteering was very shaky early on, slowly got better, good at the end, though that may have been just due to the fact that the O' got easier. Likewise my running got better and better, but then the course also got physically easier as I progressed. One bad control, #15, lost a couple of minutes. But ran pretty hard the last 20 minutes.

Do believe I beat all the fast women (Sam, Ali, Pavlina, Cristina....). And a few OFs too. But the young studs, led by Ross, also Joe (though calling him young is a bit of a stretch), were a whole lot faster, not even in the same dimension.

No cool-down....

Nice production by Phil. He also had put notes/ads in the local paper, brought out a few local runners, including the best trail runner in New England, though you couldn't tell by his time today.

My routes

Other notes. Cristina was there, she seemed to be looking especially thin. Also her parents, I compared notes with her mom on how we both manage to look so young. Also Melissa's dad, who arrived early and hustled off to do the White course before his daughter got there, and then spent a very long time out there while Melissa was getting quite worried. Also a few local runners, not that they can orienteer well but still nice to see, have to start somewhere.

Also Eric Benson, Ali's friend, had trouble in the NE kingdom (who doesn't?), then went out to pick up controls afterwards. I hope CSU's recruiters are after him. Also Fred, the reason Mt. Tom got mapped, he lived just on the west side of the ridge, talked me into it, I thought there was too much laurel.

Best run of the day was by Ross, by far. He is getting better, but still a long ways to go.

C • Recruiter's are on it! 2

All 18 - Optimum Route - Splits

Back on the treadmill. Nothing special. 9:10, 8:27, 8:27, 10:01 @5%, 8:23, 7:19. Seemed to go by relatively painlessly, listening to This American Life about chickens.

Trying to keep up regular running, need to decide soon if Fair Hill is a go.

Dreary late afternoon so I went off to use the treadmill. Also decided that I should do a little uphill because I have been feeling totally feeble on any hills on any recent efforts.

So a couple miles flat (9:00, 8:30), then 4 quarters all at 12 minute pace, 10%, 3%, 10%, 3%, then one more mile flat (7:27). Better than doing nothing, and the last bit, running a little faster, felt really nice.

Thinking I might have to spring for a 305, just for entertainment value, since they are selling pretty cheap now. The way I do the math, I've saved at least as much by having a safety string tied to my e-punch (so I've never lost one), so might as well use the savings for something.

At Charlie's, so took advantage of his treadmill before Rhonda's feast. 9:15, 8:30, 8:00, 8:00. Had to concentrate to keep from falling off as there are no side bars. Legs OK.

Wednesday evening on Mt. Toby, only hardcore tonight, Donna and Rob, as it was raining. Seems like it's been raining all week. The trails are certainly wet, lots of mud and puddles and slippery rocks and roots and leaves.

I imagine this is what it is like to live in the Pacific Northwest? And you just live with it? Actually I've been coping pretty well this week, running each day plus chasing the little white ball each day (it's been quite lonely out there), and enjoying both.

Highlight from this evening was the beaver. It seemed to me that it was a big and very fat beaver, but I know that I have never seen one so close up, so maybe all beavers are equally big and fat. We were just about done, a narrow trail along Cranbury Pond, Rob in the lead, maybe 10 yards ahead of me, when he called out, "Porcupine." And then very quickly added, "No, beaver."

And it's on the trail too, coming our way, and Rob has just missed it, and it's heading right towards me, not in attack mode I don't think. Passes right by my feet and about a yard past me takes a sharp left down a little chute into the water. Big wide flat tail. Very cool!

Nice run. "Short truncated" route. Misty and foggy to start, then slowly raining more, mid 40s. One header, 100 yards from the end, I don't think any serious damage.

Note -- the following is in no way to be construed as a rant or a complaint.... :-)

I happened to be copied on an e-mail today that was inquiring into what progress Glen (USOF's ED) was making. This was from someone who has been very supportive of that position, as I have been, except he has also contributed a good number of dollars to help fund the position, which I have not yet done. Though I am thinking that would be a good thing to do.

And this person was wondering how Glen was doing. Actually, to be more precise, wondering (A) what goals had been set up for Glen, and (B) how he was doing in relation to those goals.

Reasonable questions.

In fact a set of goals -- I believe the term being used is "metrics" -- is in place for 2009, and I believe a set is being worked on for 2010. This is good. Part A taken care of.

Part B is measuring how he is doing in relation to these metrics. Here I have no idea how he is doing (though I know he has been very busy). I've seen a number of brief updates from him, but all very general. I don't know at what point this assessment will or should take place. Also, a good bit of it may more appropriately be kept private. But at least some information ought to be provided to the members of the Federation.

So far that has not happened.

As far as Part A, if you are interested in the details, Clare send an e-mail to the Board in October --

-----

To all Board Members:

Please refer to the attached document. This has been approved by the
compensation committee and serves as the official metrics document for
2009. These are the metrics that we will be measuring Glen against for
this year. This information is being provided to all board members so
that you can know what has been agreed upon as Glen's primary focus for
this year. The 2010 metrics have been under development for some time
and are currently being revised based on the outcomes of the strategic
planning session. We hope to have them finalized by the end of the year.

Clare Durand
USOF President

-----

She also included a copy of the metrics.

As I said at the outset, I'm not objecting to anything. I have high hopes for Glen, thinking maybe I will live to see the time that I can tell someone about O' and they already know what it is.

I do think, however, that a little transparency is often a good thing, and therefore this post....

C • Metrics 2

At Erving State Forest, first time I've run there. It doesn't look very interesting on the topo map, but I was right there so I figured I'd take a look. The topo was right, it's not very interesting. Route.

At least the topo (in retrospect) is reasonably accurate as far as the trails/roads go. The map put out by the state forest people is ridiculous, at least in a couple of places, though I suppose it did serve some purpose as a source of amusement. Plus, without it I would have been unlikely to do anything other than an out and back. So I should only complain a little.

Legs still don't like running uphill, but I made them do at least some.