Training Log Archive: tdgood

Walked/jogged to the start. I had stretched some before heading to the start so decided to just go. Go,
#1: turned over the map took a bearing and off I went. I would swear my compass didn't point north. I didn't know what to expect but was was running along a stream which I couldn't see in the green on the map and in the darker woods. I decided to just keep going and keep pace counting. Then Clint was there taking pictures (get out of the way Clint). Then I saw the private land through the trees and figured out where I was. I corrected and went tot he control. Not a good route but one I could live with.

#2: Thought about taking the road but said straight would be better at the speed I run. I checked off the rock features but couldn't see most of the subtle contour/form lines.

#3: took another bearing and off I went. Should be an easy control. I hit my boulder right where I was supposed, then the stream. Followed stream to control. Looking at GPS route, I was again running off in the wrong direction, hit the wrong boulder and wrong stream. It looks like I got lucky.

#4: Theme of this control, I need new eyeballs. I didn't see the indistinct trail along the south side of the stream. My eyes can't see it in the green on the map. I decided to run on the north side of the stream because it is more open. It was more open until I saw people running on the trail on the other side. I crossed the stream and hopped onto the trail. cut up through the green which was tough to get through. Took a bearing and ran on. once again I was off according to my GPS route. Crossed the stream, hit a rock by stony ground. I thought I was just north of the control so cut south and then saw the control.
Apparently what I thought was a boulder was the stone pile. and was much farther off than I thought. Again it appeared I got lucky.

#5: bearing and straight to the control. Apparently I got this one correct.

#6: Ok, apparently my watch is freaking out and saying I went place Ididn't go. Ignore my watch routes as it apparently was lying which may be why my earlier legs I was surprised to always be so far off. I went straight counting rocks and hill, streams as I went. I was right on the money for this control. I hesitated when I hit the boulder cluster west of #6 but then kept going right to the control.

#7: Leaving 6 I started gettering worried that I was at #9. #9 and #6 are close together and I started wondering if I had accidentally gone to the wrong one. Decided I was correct and off I went. Straight but slight west of line. Right to the control.

#8: Straight but drifted right. Crossed the stream but not real sure where. Saw my control off to the left.

#9: Straight, by boulder cluster and to the "boulder" 0.4 m high (i.e. 1 foot).

#10: (Disclaimer, the line went to #3 so that is where I went.) I cut out to the road, road to small stream crossing and down the small stream to the larger stream. I decided it was quicker to cross early then dogleg back from the bridge. Crossed the main stream, than ran along it and cut up to the control. Right to #3. DDDOOOOHHHHHH!. Then I fell apart. Ran back to the road then confused road and stream. I wanted to be right of the road which I intepreted as right of the stream so crossed the road and ran along the stream. Much greener in that area as soon as you leave the stream. I found the pit, and tought it must have been the wet pit so wandered some more in the green. Eventually realized the bonehead mistake I made. went back to road and to the control Took a hard fall after leaving the road.

#11: Straight but I have no idea where exactly I was. I thought I was on the money but the final approach there was no control. I corrected from where I thought it was but still no control or rocks. I ran around trying to figure things out but the rocks I was at didn't match up with anything. I finally bailed out the stream east of the control. It all looked the same. I thought I figured out where I was but it took be right back to the same rock I had been at before. Finally guessed I need to go somewhere else so picked a totally different direction and hit was I think was the ride, Things made little more sense. ran by stony ground and then saw the control through the green. A lot of time lost. Nadim approached the control as I was leaving.

#12: Took a bearing and again was off. Hit the hill and started angling up the hill. I expected the control to be 1/2 up the hill but it turned out to be at the bottom. Nadim went straight and beat me there.

#13: Cut down the stream, along the stream to about the intermittent stream junction, Cut up through the green the best way I could. I figured I would see the settle area as I got close. Right before #13 I got my foot caught and as result ran/fell into a tree I was planning to avoid. Hurt my right hand. Saw the control.

#Finish: Ran to trail and out to finish.

Except for #11 I wasn't too unhappy with my run. Not thrilled with the #9 to #3 line, or the #6/#9 being close to each other, North lines should also have been black instead of blue. I kept getting confused on the streams/north lines.

Walk with Darcy after I got home.

Middle Blue - Splits

hanging controls for the team trial sprint. I had to do them a little out of order to avoid hanging the obvious ones last. I hung 12 controls but it turns out I did them in a different order than the courses which made the course still interesting. It did help knowing exactly where the were when I ran later.

Team trail blue sprint. I hung a bunch of the controls earlier so had an unfair advantage. I started late and it was still raining. There were some tracks through the taller grass and a few controls I hung that saved me time from not hesitating.
I lost some time on #2. I cut in early to avoid the green but the control seemed to be much closer to the field. Would have been better to stay in the field longer.
Control #4 I went left intentionally even though it was longer because the foot and better so I thought I could make better time.
Everything else was just running speed. I tried to keep moving but just haven't run hard. Last hard run/race was 7 months ago.

Sprint Blue - Splits

175 + Severn Road
My knee was still a little sore and I didn't want it hurting going into the weekend orienteering events so took it easy initially.

Dist Pace
1.05 8:29
0.24 8:14
0.95 8:22
0.95 8:34
0.25 8:11
1.05 7:35

Easy run to loosen the muscles back up. They siffened up on Monday after Sundays orienteering event. My knee was sore so didn't want to overdo it. Easy short run part way down 175 and back.

Dist Pace
1.01 8:36
0.30 8:02
0.31 8:58
1.01 8:28

Went for a walk with Darcy after my run.

Using the push mower to cut the grass. Muscles sore from yesterday.

My knee was feeling sore still. I was also still feeling a little tired from running yesterday. I really need to get some endurance. Because of the heat I ran with a camel back which was definitely a good decision becuase I was drenched in sweat before reaching the 2nd control.
Orienteering wise, I didn't have any real mistakes. Just some unnecessary hesitations. Controls were hung high and usally on the side the blur course approached so each to see from a ways off. Only one control did I have any difficulty. I was high in the reentrant and it was lower than behind some branches so I couldn't see it, even though I knew I was in the correct area.
#1: Leaving the field it was greener than expected so I was slow getting into the open woods. I was a little off and had to cut back up the hill to get to the control.
#2: As soon as I started to climb I felt tired. I knew it was going to be a long day. I walked as quickly up the hill as I could but didn't feel strong in the slightest.
#3: Straight
#4: surprised control was on the side of boulder we approached on.
#5: Debated taking the road around but decided it was too far out of the way and woods were fairly open so I opted for a straight area.
uneventful until control 9. Joe passed me as I was walking up the hill. I felt shamed so started jogging again. Joe to a long route and didn't get to 10 much ahead of me. Then he ran away c.
#11: passed Victor Lin. As I got new 11 I saw Joe running away.
#15: As I was leaving 14 Wyatt came up behind me. I was moving pretty show by this point. I expected him to catch me right away but he didn't. There as unmapped down fall between 14-15. I took the high route to avoid it which I think turned out to be good/lucky choice.
#16: Wyatt did pass this time.

Overall I was clean. No navigational mistakes. Just no speed, especially on the up hills. The woods were generally very open and except for some rocky areas could have been very fast.

Walk with Darcy after I got home. I was very tired still so walked slow. I got a leg cramp while trying to get my shoe on to go walking.

Blue - Splits