Training Log Archive: ernst

Bike to work-
then bike home at 6 pm just before dark. Raining a bit. Warm!

Event: Hudson Highlander XX
 

Highlander. My # 2. Garmin gave out 1/2 hour before the finish. Had to extrapolate time and climb by looking at other folks' logs.

Stage 1 at Baileytown: After the long haul to 1, which I tried to run at a comfortable pace, I settled in just behind Wyatt and a couple of folks (doing the Lowlander as it turned out). I was with that group through the loop to 7. Approaching 7 I saw Wyatt going W around, while the other 2 had disappeared E around. I decided on E around being wary of crossing the marsh on the W around. But that seem to be slower as on the other side, the group had been augmented by Nick, and Jeremy - they must have caught up with us. Then after 8 and 9, came a long uphill where I initially took the lead - Wyatt was already way ahead out of site, but then I botched 10 a bit, but stayed with the group to transition. They all passed me as I spent a minute refueling and mixing my perpetuum. Legs were already wobbly from all the climb, which concerned me.

So I took it easy on the trail run, drank quite a bit. Jeremy was in site and eventually I passed him towards the end.

Then stage 3 at Surebridge: I started out with Jeremy trying a route due W roughly following the powerline. But that was pure hell, with rock, b-berries, and mountain laurel. So J took a southerly route, and I bee-lined it towards the N side of the big marsh NE of the water drop. I was very tentative, now having to navigate on my own. Eventually I got the hang of it, came to the laurel, went left around and pick up the trail. Sweet!

On my own to 2 and 3, carefully reading the map, which was somewhat difficult, especially trying to eye the little trails among all the rocks. Did some wasteful zig-zagging to 3, where Jeremy eventually caught up to me. Then the loop where I first mistakenly started towards 6, and then was confused on the way to 4 after I realized my mistake. Jeremy ahead of me to 5 (which was easy), then I was leading into 6, and did the rest on my own. Down to the water drop which was sweet running, then the over the blips trail to the bare mountain side of 7 and 8 which made me a bit nervous. As in earlier races, I always hesitate to decide which reentrant I am at. But found the two controls with a lot of hesitation and bit of a booble at 8. These controls where hidden! (low in the brush). Then motoring to 9 going left around the mountain, which was fast, and in to transition. All on my own.

Stage 4: Silvermine. This would have been quite runable were it not for the blueberries. I motored pretty good to 1, but then on my way uphill to 2 I noticed my legs protesting the lifting, especially my r leg. Out of 2 I "bailed" to the trail through some rather high bushes - should have stayed in the white following along the hill side. Then trail run, where I tried to relax. But then to 4 after I left the trail to approach due N, my right leg went into spasm. Now more blueberry bushes, please! Had to stop for 3 minutes, shake it off, and then walk a fair bit with minimal lifting. I popped another e-lyte pill and drank just about all the perpetuum/water I had on me. Also I was wandering quite confused as the intermitted trails were not really visible. Eventually I changed plans, went through the distinct saddle and then downhill towards 5. I still wanted to find the trail (which seemed non-existent). There goes my attack point. I overshoot, misread a saddle and was erring up and down a defunct vehicle track. Eventually relocated on the boulder/gravel field edge, but still confused, saw the tall boulder from which I tentatively attacked. Probably 5 - 10 minutes error, given my slow walking about. But my leg seemed to have recovered now. Good. Joe just left 5 with me behind. He walked a bunch so I caught up and we chatted a bit. He was quite fast over the rocks from 6-7, even though it did not look that way. I did not want to cramp again, so I just jogged gingerly, not minding Joe. He was out of site as I got to 7. Then I tried twice to traverse to the old parking area, when I realized that this was the marsh that the meet officials discouraged us from crossing. Silly me! Ok, back into the woods and on to 8 and in. Joe took another 2 minutes off my time.

That was fun. I had enough reserve endurance to keep moving throughout (except the cramping incidence). My orienteering was tentative, as it has been quite a few years since I o-ed at Harriman. I was too obsessed with finding trails, but noticed others being very decisive on staying on the line off trails where it ended up being quite runnable. Map reading the detail slows me down, but I rarely used the magnifier. Luckly there was no rain, and fogging was not a concern. (It could have been as it was quite humid and mid 60's temps).

Fun event, I was 14th, J.J 17th not far behind me. Good to catch up afterwards with folks I have not seen for a while, Daniel, and others. Eva Breton's homemade soup and chilly were out of this world. I had 4 bowls total and then a hotdog and chips, and finally 2 brownies.

High - Splits

Bike to work.
Then: Bike home via fish pickup. Chilly out - windy!

An easy jog around College Woods. Mostly on single track trails, some off-trail, and also on the indistinct trails. Just trying to get a Highlander type pace going - also just needed to get a run in. Work has been eating up my time.

Easy jog to bring the mortgage. Third last! Crisp morning, woods are lovely now - lots of leaves on the ground.

Bike to work.
Then bike home at 5:30 via bread pickup. Raining again, but just very lightly. Tolerable.

Bike to work (10 am) and back home (5 pm).

Dover Pub Run: The Reds loop backwards: Starting with a steepish hill, then rolling mostly down to mile 2.5, then rolling but mostly up to mile 4.5.
I followed a guy in a green shirt, then passed him at the first major down. Then I motored ahead doing a nice tempo run. Nobody kept up with me - Chris and Ken had raced this past weekend so were sore.
Laps: 7:27, 6:25, 6:32, 6:45, 6:34 + 1:43 avg: 6:45 (half marathon pace)
And as usual, tacos and beer and good conversation afterwards.