Training Log Archive: TomN

Georgia U.S. Championships M60 Green Middle. Well, I'm pretty disappointed in my performance. Two terrible controls, probably 15 minutes lost between them, and for no real reason that I can tell. A loss of concentration, a couple of minutes go by, and suddenly I can't account for where I've been or what I'm seeing. Relocation was hard in this terrain, so after a few minutes I bailed out each time, on #1 back to the start, and on #16 back to the finish. No problems on the re-do, and not doing anything obviously different, either.

Aside from those lapses, a pretty good run in enjoyable terrain. From 2-15 I was having a fine time, staying in contact and moving well, making safe route choices while keeping a tight line. Too bad about the endpoints.

This was a fine meet, and well organized. The start crew on both days could have been a little more forceful about announcing times and names. I nearly missed my starts each day although I was standing right there, just didn't know I was called up. The maps were good and courses challenging, and remarkably different on the two days, especially considering that they were in the same park.

C • Tough Day 2

Middle - Green X - Splits

Georgia U.S. Champs, M60+ Green Long. Late start and the heat was definitely on. Not much of a warm-up, a 10 minute jog. Had trouble finding #1, but I still think my route choice was good. Following the trail from the start, I left it where it crossed the ditch and headed southeast, past the corner of the campground, then hit the road just where it entered the green. Attacked from the field just after the T, and no control in sight. Thrash ensued. A 16-minute control, way too long. #2 was fine, 3 got in the marsh too high and came down to the spur, 4 no problem. #5 was fun. I followed the road all the way to the sharp bend before the river and came down along the veg boundary to the beaver dam, crossed the stream just after that and there it was. Failed to cross the road at first after the radio control, then got my head back into gear. Or not. Out of #7 I forgot which control I was going to, navigated perfectly and spiked the control, but it was #11. Still, a decent attack point for #8. To 9 I ran along the embankment on the S side of the stream, then crossed at the fork and went up the spur and directly over the summit of the hill. Good thing, because the control area was confusing. Then back to 11, been there done that, took a good line to 12 but felt slow on the run-up, kept checking the map to make sure it was right-side up. Third place finish.

Long - Green X - Splits

Another mini-workout in the morning. Last couple of days I have not been feeling well, and my RHR was up both days (46). Back down today, and that's a good thing.

GSFC perimeter road.

First run on a new pair of shoes. The Brooks Adrenaline GTS-11's I've been running in for the past year are the best shoes I can remember owning. I didn't like the GTS-12 version this year. The fit isn't as good. I took home a pair of Asics GT-2170s, but when I compared them to my old shoes, they looked so much bigger that I was convinced I needed a half-size smaller. Plus they weigh more than the Adrenalines, and feel clunkier. So I took them back, and this time the guy found a pair of last year's Adrenalines, on sale for $69. So I gladly bought them, and another spare pair as well. So here's the question: should I put them both in service now and alternate between them, or save one for six months and make the switch then?

Butterflies this run:
Silver-spotted skipper (Epargyreus clarus) first of season, and pretty early
Tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) been seeing these for a couple of weeks.