Training Log Archive: kissy

NAOC 2014. F45+ Sprint Champs. Arnprior.

And thus endeth my string of good runs. :-(

I will be the first to admit, and have on all occasions, that I am not a sprinter. But, I still enjoy them. This, however, I did not enjoy so much.

Right from the start, my legs felt tired and heavy. I'm not a big fan of pavement running, but I felt like I held my own, according to the splits. Because the route choices crossed back on each other a few times, I saw the women who started right behind me catching up, which I expected. I also passed Laurie Collinsworth, who started 2 minutes ahead of me on the way to #5...she ran past the little fenced in trail. And the other ladies hadn't caught me yet, so of course, I started thinking, "Hey, you're doing okay." I need to stop thinking that because it appears to always lead to trouble!

After #6, we entered the woods, to a control that was *right there*, not far into the woods at all. But I neglected to remember that as I floundered around, going much further into the woods than I should have, checking out every other rootstock out there, bouncing between the two trails...basically doing everything wrong. Even when I told myself to go back out to the school to relocate, I didn't force myself to do it. Argh, argh, argh!! Finally, I pretty much just stumbled upon it. At least 9 minutes lost.

After that, things went back to normal. I had a bad route choice to #9, I missed that first trail, but the rest were good. I even did great in the arena. And even though I know I'm not a sprinter, I was so disappointed with myself for losing my concentration. Without that error, I would have ended up about where I would have thought in the results. Oh, well.

Sprint - Course 3 - Splits

NAOC 2014. F45+ Long Champs. Carp Ridge - Hidden Meadow Farm

The first thing I did was to check out the Finish set up...it was exactly the same as for the Middle...good. I had a late start, so I had plenty of time to get ready. I knew I just needed to do what I did yesterday, but a teensy bit better.

And it did go better. I was good to #1 and #2...luckily I saw the trail option to #1, which many people did not and it cost them. I messed up a little to #3. I miscalculated where I came out on the power line, thinking I was further east than I was, so I decided to cut the corner. I remembered those woods from yesterday, and thought they were open. Well, I really wasn't cutting the corner, ended up in crappy woods and then had to cross a very wet marsh. Finally realized what I had done, and soldiered on. The rest of that leg went pretty well, but the trails at the end got confusing, and I hit the control before I thought I was going to. Lucky.

My next error was going to #6. Again, the trail network coming out of #5 was confusing, and I ended up following the wrong trail too far SE. I wasn't exactly sure what had happened, but after the trails at #3 and then this, I told myself to forget the trails and just run on compass. I headed back towards #5, relocated on some big cliffs and was off and running again.

The last few controls were fine. #8 was right next to one of our last controls from the Middle, so that helped. And, I did not run right by the last control today, so I ended up in 3rd! So, so happy!!

C • Congratulations! :) 2

Long - Course 6 - Splits

I am currently in the Comfort Inn in Port Hope. It's about a 3 hour drive tomorrow (today) to the meet site, with an 11:46 start. I should be fine... famous last words.

C • Go, kissy! 6

NAOC 2014, F45+ Middle, Carp Ridge North.

I drove up from Port Hope in the morning, and it took longer than I thought it would, so had to rush when I finally got there. Picked up my registration packet, got my info swapped out for Peggy's, quickly changed and ran to the start. Made it with a few minutes to spare. So, no time to check out the Finish set up, which would have made a difference.

Having not been on the model or even had a chance to look at the maps, I was definitely plunging into terra incognito. Maybe that helped in that I wasn't scared of what might happen. And, I actually could read the map and features just fine. Pretty much everything clicked as I ran along. I did have noticeable problems at #9 -- I was right on top of it, misread the feature and headed to the left for a bit. I saw Jeff Saeger there, too, and knew he was on my course. We both stopped at the end of the hill, looked at our maps, realized what we had done, and turned and sprinted back to the control. It was kind of funny.

I found #10 just fine, but managed to get caught up in the crown of branches of a fallen tree and fell a total of 3 times without making any progress towards the control. Jeff noticed and commented on my clumsiness. Finally extricated myself and moved on.

I was doing so well, that after I punched in at #11, I thought to myself, "Hey, this is a really good run!" And that was the kiss of death. I managed to lose at least a minute on #12 (had to check out every other control in the area, even the one in the pit and the one in the reentrant because, you know, they *could* have been hilltops) and a minute on #13, the final control...on a trail at the beginning of the finish chute!! I ran right past it, didn't check the code, thinking my control was further down the trail. It was not. So, I stopped, looked again at my map, turned around and saw the control way back there, cursed, and then ran back. Drats! Those two controls for sure dropped me off the podium.

After I had a chance to study my course and routes afterwards though, I realized it wasn't as clean a run as I had thought, and I lucked out in a few spots. I knew I had to be cleaner for the Long and redeem myself.

Middle - Course 6a - Splits

Body Pump class

Barre class