Training Log Archive: tdgood

Wanted to map some of the perimeter areas of University of Maryland map to include the basketball arena area (xfinity center). Figured it would be a good day as I thought school had already let out.
Got down there and it turns out it was graduation day. They were doing commencement ceremonies at the Xfinity Center and it was packs with families coming in to watch. I was able to check out the wooded area and it turns out there is a lot more in there than I expected. I didn't take my GPS with me and wasn't ready for mapping all the wood features (depressions, rootstocks, clearings, old fences....... I even came across two permanent orienteering markers. I didn't know UMD had a permanent course (must be used by the ROTC or someone).
The other perimeter areas consisted of the dormitories and all the seniors were out in full force moving out. Instead of a nice quite mapping there were lots of people about. It was just like mapping during the main campus during the school year.
My left knee was still bothering me. Not a Good sign. Usually it is fine walking.

C • UMD Graduation 1

after mapping I went for a run. My knee was still hurting so I didn't really want to but it is supposed to get hot and humid the rest of the week so this was the last of the relatively good running days and I hated to waste it.
My knee did hurt. I was going to go 6 miles but cut it back to 5. After running it really stiffened up. hurts going up/down step especially which was problematic because I stopped by my brother's house to get another car load of books (my inheritance from my mother). Made numerous trips from 2nd floor (up/down the stairs) to the car carrying several boxes of books at a time.
I figure still have about 1 more car load to go for the bulk of it.

Knee still sore so I figured I would ride the recumbent bike. That also bothered my knee but less then running. Rode for 1/2 hour at a good clip. I was going to stop but the movie I was watching still had another 1/2 to go.

Rode another 1/2 hour pedaling slowly, until my movie ended.

Short walk with Darcy. She go home early (actually on time) because her work was worried about storms in the area. It wasn't storming at our house so we went for a short walk. Never did storm up this way.

Event: QOC Upper Marlboro
 

I was excited to run hard after my good Billygoat performance the previous week. My knee is still sore but I didn't think it would bother me (it didn't).
Very early in the course I lost all incentive to run so I didn't. I had some issues, Map had more. Map had writing printing not to north. Fortunately I realized this before I made a mistake.
There was no incentive to pick a good route choice as the map didn't reflect fastest areas. One of the best running areas was directly through the "fight" which was wide open woods. I also had a few cases where I couldn't get up the steep hills. It was wet out and I just slid back down the hill. There were also enough down trees making things slower and all the lower branches were right at face level. My neck got sore ducking.
My overall climb was quite a bit higher than advertised (364 actual vs 220 listed).

#1: long run through field and then down trail. I was moving well on this part. Cut up hill across the more broad area. I apparently drifted right. I hit a dot knoll and thought I was east of control so went west (wrong way). Saw main reentrant and two depressions. Not sure what was what. Went back the other way but didn't see control (apparently it was closer to the hill than I thought). Wandered around and eventually realized it must be closer to the hill. Depression was major depression. Surprised it wasn't mapped as a pit or with contour lines. I lost all my running time to not finding the control.

#2: Still running. Down the spur, across the stream and up the hill. Then I started looking for the control. Unfortunately the stream I cross was the ditch, and I was short. Things were not lining up. I wandered awhile, then decided to head towards the field to the east. I saw the trail then. Hmmm, Trail. Realized where I was so took the trail around the hill and went to #2.

#3: Decided to contour to the control. Got to the big reentrant and it looked steeper so I went down to the stream area. Down trees made it slower. Tried to angle up the hill to control but couldn't get up hill. Had to go to just below control so I could get up the hill.

#4: There was a ride that led directly to the crossing point. I can't tell if there is a ride on the map on not. would have been nice to know.

#5: I wasn't sure if we were allowed to run the "vehicle track" but it looks like others had. I took it part of the way then cut into the woods. It would have been quicker to take vehicle track much further. Rather than run around the reentrant I cut across it. Tough to get out of. Crossed between the fields. Surprised to see that the buildings were mapped as black Xs. Found control with no problem but not sure clue description was correct. I think there was another reentrant east of the control.

#6: Started out staying low but it was easier running up high so ended up cutting closer to the field. I drifted to far right and had to correct.

#7: I started going down the stream but there were too many down trees that made it very slow. The stream was straight on the map but did all kinds of wiggles. I had to keep crossing the stream and climbing over down trees. I finally said enough and climbed the jill and went up around the reentrant. No problems getting to the control.

#8: getting there not a problem. Don't remember final control.

#9: Passed several people near the control. Not sure I agree with how this is mapped. I was too high and last of the people to get to the control.

#10: Can't see what the feature is on the map. Not a correct sized feature. I think most of the point features are printed at the wrong scale. Clue description said pond so that is what I was looking for ( I forget what the meet notes said about the well being a pipe). I go the area and didn't seen anything pond'y. I got lucky seeing Dasa leaving the area which keyed me in to the control. When I got there and saw the pipe I remembered the meet notes. Incentive to run hard now totally gone.

#11: To the road,, road to he airfield, along edge to the control except there was no control. Went high, no control. Went low, no control. Charles also there wandering. Finally found control on a 'non knoll'. I think it was hung to high. That was the last straw. Now no incentive to do anything but walk.

#12: Since I am now walking went straight. Fight turned out to be beautifully open woods.

#13: Down to stream, along stream. Caught up with Vido also walking. Up over spur but no control. We went high and didn't see it. Went low and I came across it. Not sure map is correct there (but maybe it is).

#14: Followed stream

#15: straight

#16: Thought about going directly through the fight again but decided to go around what the map had and get tot he trail Trail not as prominent now. I think the trail split is now gone. I was going to take the left fork but it wasn't there so I continued on the right fork. I kept looking for a dry way across the marsh but there wasn't any. Well passed where the marsh ended I finally across the wet area. There were two depressions but I could only see one on the map.

#17: straight would be fastest but I was tired of dealing with branches and down trees so decided to take the long trail route. Trail also getting overgrown so I still had to duck under branches and climb over down logs. Finally decided trail wasn't any less painful so I cut off the trail.

Short walk with Darcy after getting home.

Blue - Splits