Training Log Archive: Matej

Event: Boggs '14
 

Map link

A forest-sprint at Boggs Mountain, on Day 1 of the A-meet. My plan was to take the first few controls at a moderate pace, get a feel for the terrain and the map, and then speed up from there. That plan lasted for about two seconds after I turned my map over...

#1 was a short trail run, which I used to plan my approach to #2. I skirted to the left of the green through the clearing with the first boulder and took a compass heading due west, hitting the control straight on. On the way to #3, I attempted to cut through the thin strip of green and immediately regretted it; my route involved belly-crawling under manzanita, and I kind of frightened the wits out of a White course competitor when I emerged onto the trail. Lesson learned: bad things happen when I try to cross medium green. (-;

At this point, I was basically running at max speed, so I was somewhat surprised I didn't make any mistakes on the next few controls. I hit #4 with a compass heading, ran around the thick green to #5, took the northern trail to #6, and hit #7 from the northwest trail junction. The thicket south of #8 was a little bigger than mapped, but I quickly saw the control from the southeast.

To #9, I took the straight route through the spur/saddle and along the line of medium green thickets. I then bailed southwest to the trail and hit #10, which was visible from the trail. #11 was my only mistake of the day; I ran almost due south from #10 and attacked the rocks in the light green. It took me about 10-15 seconds to realize my mistake and correct it. I contoured to #12, fortunately coming up above it.

#13 was a painful uphill jog, and I again used the spur/saddle and line of thickets to "triangulate" the location of the control. I took the left route choice around the thicket to #14, which I found after looking behind a few rocks on the steep hillside. To #15, I took the lower trail, which was safe but sacrificed 2.5 contours of climb. #16 was visible from the ride, and I again took the more roundabout but safer route to #17, following the second ride down to the trail. I attacked #18 off of the medium green/white forest transition, and just about died on my pathetic excuse for a finish sprint (15 seconds)... (though I would improve in this regard on the subsequent days)

Overall I enjoyed this course; it presented a multitude of opportunities for sprint-type decision making. It was also somewhat technical in places, and a lot of the controls were stuck very close behind the features they were on; I almost ran past a few "correct" boulders before stopping myself.

Blue/Red Sprint - Splits

Final easy run before Boggs...

Warm up
1x400m (target time: 1:26) 43s rest
1x800m (target time: 2:52) 1:26 rest
1x1200m (target time: 4:18) 2:09 rest
1x1600m (target time: 5:44) 2:52 rest
1x1200m (target time: 4:18) 2:09 rest
1x800m (target time: 2:52) 1:26 rest
1x400m (target time: 1:26) 43s rest
Warm down

1:26, 2:48, 4:19, 5:50, 4:18, 2:55, 1:25

Long run at Wunderlich.

Hiking in Sierra Azul OSP.

C • OSP? 2