Training Log Archive: Linear Ice

Not much of this "Sprint" was actually a sprint, at least for me.
Except maybe the first control, where I forgot my plan of ALWAYS being cautious on the first control....took off down the path and immediately losing map contact...and as a result, I took twice as long finding the control as if I had just gone slow. I eventually had the runner behind me catch up (Eileen B), and just zip past, pointing me the last 20 feet to the control
But this was enough warning to me that I took the rest of the race slowish while staying pretty much on the map. Especially slowed down in the "rock garden", since the course notes actually said this area would need a change of technique (i.e., easy to get hopelessly amongst boulders, knolls, rockfaces, indistinct trees, etc.).
It was nice to be in woods for the first time in a few days, and to have a complete downhill run.

I was at the sprint plenty early to warm up, get cooled down, warm up again. And have time for socializing.
I have gotten to see the Laraias a few times, including Vince.. a fellow MNOCer whom I worked with in 2004, but haven't seen since I started orienteering. And met his wife Andrea. And briefly met their three sons, all of whom represented MNOC extremely well (each got a first place in the Middle).

Green Sprint - Splits

FishTrap Lake
More open territory.... which might mean very fast running if the ground weren't so rocky. Also, jumping right into the river off the damn, in an area that looked as if it had 2 inches of water, but actually had 4 feet of water.... did not help. My map got practically shredded as a result, and I had to piece it back together in my map bag. And then at each control, I had to carefully re-fold, re-piece together. Almost threw the map bag away but I didn't want to work with individual puzzle pieces. I wasn't the only one who got tricked by the damn trap. Lots of soggy maps.

I felt very comfortable on this course, was able to hit all but two of the controls with really no issues at all. But the two I missed, I missed really big time. When I scan my map, I will mark my biggest miss of all, where I ended up by myself at the top of the world. Nothing matched my map, but I was able to rationalize it all way without a problem. My imagination was not able to conjure up a control, unfortunately..... and so I went on my way and had to reconstruct the world as it really was.
Fortunately, I wasn't the only one with problems, and ended up with another 2nd place. yay yay

Will write more later. Just at Starbucks getting some work work done, and I've taken advantage of about as much time as I can rationalize on one small coffee.

Green X Long - Splits

Event: US Sprint/Middle/Long Championships
 

This event happened just a few days ago... but I already have forgotten many of the details of it! Had to look up the distance, don't quite remember my time and the times aren't posted yet. Who knows where my split times even went? I never can seem to hold onto those things. So some details will have to wait.

Moses Lake Sand Dunes:
But I really enjoyed the course, stuck to my plan of starting slow and deliberate on the first control, and then keeping up that attitude as I went along.
I never got my back misoriented, my map and compass map always agreed on which way was North, and I stayed on the map for all but one of the controls.
Sadly, I lost map contact just about near the observation area; it's quite disturbing to be stumbling around, with the feeling that people are watching you stumble around..... but I got that thought OUT of my head (who cares, anyway?) and found a few big sand dunes, figured out where I was again, and was on my sweet way.
The terrain was GREAT and reminded me of the times, as a child, that I would run down the sand dunes, jump off little hills. Fast easy running, and on this course it was easy to look WAAAAAYYYY ahead (in sections) and just aim for something because there were absolutely no trees at all.
I was very pleasantly surprised that this deliberate, careful run got me a 2nd place in F50+ GreenY. yay

Mostly a slow warm-up, warm-down, but a little of a panic run when I realized I left my SI stick in the car, 1/4 mile away, and I was 7 minutes from my start time. Better than standing around nervous at the start, I guess.
And I love my new SI stick. It is FAST (maybe like Pete W's, saving 1/2 second per control) and I beat 2nd place by 9 seconds (19 controls) and so it may have actually made the difference between 2nd and 3rd place. Pretty Sweet!!!

to and around start
Another panic while standing with my map and waiting for the go and realizing i didn't know where my compass was. Ran frantically to where I had been tying my laces, then found it in my pouch. ahh.

Green X Middle - Splits

just around

Only goal today was to get off my butt. Zero motivation. Of course, once I was out, with the dogs, things were great and we ended up with a swim in the river.