Training Log Archive: mgb

Planned 4 miles but it was so hot and humid that I was done after 3.

Mapping went better today as the hiking GPS was way better, using some 8-10 satellites and WAAS. I am still mostly doing linear features at this point

The summer is actually making this harder as it is pretty thick out there, and the bugs are pretty unbearable. I will need some passes on the map this fall to get everything right.

Still amazing how different things look already compared with the old map. The contours and the location of linear features are so much better. Apart from the LIDAR, I have ortho as well as the GPS, so my confidence in the locations are quite high. Look at this snippet (left new, right old):



Anyone that knows the area, notices that I have still some things to map, but the things that are mapped are quite different from the current map. The contours are more detailed (and accurate) and the paths are in some places totally different.

C • Contrast 3

Some more distance.

Really hot outside in the low 90's. Made it below 10 min/mile though.

Feels like I am getting back to a real distance. I will probably be at this distance for a while until I get back to a more normal speed and comfort.

So I got the basemap and OCAD last week for the Estabrook project. Ed has done a great basemap, especially with the contours, so I am excited that we will get a good map.

The first step was learning OCAD since I have not used that for mapping before. It is a little bit quirky to use but it is not too bad. It got easier after mastering the curve tool. I am used to using tools with layers and symbols, so I knew the importance of getting myself organized around that.

Ed created a basemap that covers a larger area than can actually be used, so my first task was to create the right area for the map and establish boundaries around accessible land. Ed had imported some of the land boundaries, but I used Concord GIS to establish who owned what land and created out of bounds for everything else. There are many land owners for Estabrook but the main parts are Harvard University and conservation trusts through Concord (even though the private person retain ownership). Interestingly, every stone wall you see in the woods are plot boundaries, even though nowadays most plots are owned by Harvard.

The main usage of the map would be local meets, so I wanted to make sure it fit on letter sized paper to make it easy for meet directors. With that in mind, I tried to optimize the usage of the area with 1:10,000 scale in mind, and then numbered the areas for field checking. You can see the result at: http://www.sprintseries.org/doma/show_map.php?user...

I started with area 1 today, and it is one of the trickier ones to map and it also the most used area as well. The area is mostly flat with some subtle hills and valleys running through it. There are a number of paths and stone walls running through this, but nothing good to index them from, so it is really hard to get this right as is evident on the current map. I want to figure out how to use GPS to get these linear features right, because using compass and pace count will just create compounding errors as you measure from one to another. The GPS will remove that from the equation.

I used my 205 for this today, and the accuracy was pretty horrible, especially since it is summer will full leaf coverage. It was better than nothing though as I could use that with other corroborating evidence where to place things. I had a first challenge of getting it into OCAD. The problem was that the basemap in OCAD had been georeferenced to the Mass State Inland Coordinate System (as that is what MassGIS is using and that is where we got the LIDAR) but that was not the specified coordinate system on the map. After a good hour of learning about what different coordinate systems people are using, I was able to rectify the problem and OCAD was able to import my GPX files (either from Attackpoint or Garmin Training Center) and insert the track into the map.

Even though the GPS data was pretty bad, I did learn the process and I think it will work, but I need to find a better way to record GPS tracks. I have a hiking GPS that I have hopes will improve this and I will try that out next weekend. It has a larger antenna (still internal though) and it also supports WAAS that should improve the accuracy from +/- 100 ft to somewhere in the +/- 20 ft range. If anyone know any way to improve this further or if there is any affordable device that supports external attennas, please let me know.

Another big challenge with this area and the base data is that the base data do not specify what way is up/down for the contour and it actually tricky when it is so flat. I did a pretty bad job figuring that out today, and I need to get that better. The way the base data algorithm spits is out, might not be the best way for humans to interpret it, so I need to focus on eligibility and make sure I get that right.

All in all, I am pretty unhappy with the resulting map update today, but I learned a ton of things. Since this is my first real mapping experience, that should be expected, but I need to figure out how to best do this so I have a scalable approach that creates a high-quality map across all of the areas. So I will probably go over the same area again next week, to see how I can bring this up another level.

C • Mapping 2

Another visit to the PT. Focusing on stretching and going with heat now to loosen muscles.

Some more running. It is slow when you have not run for 3 months, but it feels good being out again.

Yay, running. Visited the surgeon today, and I am cleared for running though orienteering is still off limits. I need to ramp up slowly though, with 5-10 minutes added each time, to get my shoulder used to it. So 15-20 minutes Thursday.

The bad news is that my shoulder is frozen, more exactly the area around the shoulder blade. There are two kinds of frozen and I should have the good one due to surgery that should recover. It will take some time though and strength training is on pause.

C • Phoenix 3

C • Awesome! 4

Trying to figure out how to break the plateau at the PT. Theory is that the shoulder blade area is stiff and need to get more flexible. Tried a new exercise and was able to get it to 135 degrees.

More biking at the gym.

Another PT visit. I keep making good progress strength wise, but range for flexion still hitting a ceiling of 130 degrees, even when pushing and allowing for more pain. We will see what the surgeon says next week. PT lady says that there are devices that can force the arm into certain positions but that sounds like a nuclear option. Great progress for external rotation though, with already being at 35 degrees. I think that is about AliC current limit.

Biking at the gym.

Around the hood.

PT. Continued to see improvements in strength and control but still hitting a limit to the range of movement. I am doing a whole host of exercises now. Added some using bands for strength today. I am starting to be able to lift my arm unassisted now, but not very high. I am also doing one where I use a table and a rolling chair to try to push the limits.

Abduction and flexion are 125-130 as they have been for the last few weeks, but I did see some good improvement for external rotation at 25 degrees.

Another PT today. So I continue to increase strength wise but I have plateaud range wise. The PT lady said she will wait another week so we hit the six week mark before starting to dial up the pain. I am looking forward to it.

Biking at gym

Event: Covered Bridges Half Marathon