Training Log Archive: Mr Wonderful

Idled around the mall. Numbers are made up. I should farm out more home improvement stuff since I stink at it and it takes away too much time for training.

Eeny meeny miny moe

CPT Nationals 30 hour AR in Tennessee

or

Canadian nationals in Ontario

Can't go wrong with either. Logistics give the nod to orienteering. Epicness points for Nationals.

C • CPT has a nice website. 9

Decided to go bigger. I parked in Northville. The idea was to take it easy, just accumulate some easy, relaxed miles, but some road bike passed me, and then showed weakness on the next hill, so I had to pass him back. Then some guy on a noisy hybrid passed me on a flat section. Then he ran the the red while I waited. But...I saw I was slightly gaining so I reeled him in, then passed him back on a sledding hill climb.

It really helps when people don't know you're racing them.

But, I started to drag a bit towards the end of the Hines part, and when I didn't make the light, he caught back up on the red.

Much more leisurely roll back up Hines. Passed one guy, got passed by a guy with aero bars, then was passed again on the big climb by the disc golf course, but once on the top I caught back up.

Met with Proud Lake supervisor about Adventure Day. They legitimately had 2000 people last year. 800 people off the street, and 1200, I think - brain is a little fuzzy - associated with the partner of Walled Lake Consolidated Schools. They are partnering again this year, so he hopes the numbers will remain high.

SMOC will be located up here, which works for me because that has the zipline, climbing net, etc. Just the sort of adventurous activities we would want to be paired with. They should also have power, so we can either run Catching Features or loop vidoes of orienteering in action.

It looks like it would make an appropriate beginner course area - there's a building, so a pretty solid feature, then the equipment, a trail network, and on my jog I discovered a sweet little proper gully not far at all.

Park supervisor was also very receptive to the idea of us having meets at the park.

So the next steps would include:

* Print up Mark's flyer - can be done on internet since there's time
* Print meet coupons as prizes
* Recruit booth staff since I will be out of town. Ali said she was in, might be nice to get a couple more folks if the numbers are really that high, since a quick intro would be handy
* Make up a passport for the sample course
* Acquire the existing SMOC signage, loaner compasses, flags with punches, etc.
* Make up a usable (not necessarily perfect) map

He said he would show us the area - it's Walled Lake Schools and marked "no tresspassing" (butts up against Proud Lake), so an escort might be handy. I may have to see when my favorite A2-based mapper can duck out of work early so we can catch the supervisor towards the end of his day to get the tour.

Thus inspired, I went and jogged over to the area, trying to capture some of the trails along the way on gps.

C • Ah so it is a small area wh... 5

Leg felt imperfect, so I called it after an hour of jogging and walked it back. Meant to walk down the middle of the road to get a nice gps anchor, but there was too much traffic so I deviated several times.

Wife was interested in a walk, so we walked. I slowed the pace a little.

Into work from Haggerty and Hines. Slightly sluggish today, which showed when a road bike passed and I was unable to keep up.

I managed to gain weight getting ready for the Rage, so calorie counting is back.

Having a/c in the new-to-me Big Red Truck is a blessing after hammering up Hines in the afternoon.

It felt good to hustle during that mile in the middle. Now how do I do that for the whole ride....

One idea I had this weekend was that instead of a 30 control tour de force ~two hour night o, that with the new set of controls and extras, that one could do a three race, 15-20 c [1] night o series, maybe one per month. Do just a 60-75 minute cut off. Mass start, 10-15 minutes of route planning. I could probably set that many in 2-3 hours that afternoon. Something like Maybury, Badlands, and Huron Meadows. Make it a best of, so the "season winner" has the highest total of points from their best two of three races, with more or less consistent scoring between the events. And if I can find outlets at all of the venues, I can do live instant results and serve hot chocolate.

[1] I tended to use ~35 c to set a full meet (W, Y, G, O, R), but I don't think others are using as many, and W need not be e punch.

Explored several trails at Maybury.

The Walnut Shelter looks nice for night o - bathrooms, 110 VAC, and a fireplace.

C • I think it would be great! 1

Walked the meadows trails at Huron Meadows w/ wife and compass, but without pack. I think I got most of them. Then padded a little distance south of Hammel.

Bugs weren't bad, especially given the high swamp levels.

I can't believe the smooth road of Rickett was repaved, and Winans Lake (or the service drive, for that matter!) was left to be a bumpy mess. Someone must know someone!