Training Log Archive: vlin

Event: QOC Turkey Run Ridge PWFP
 

Prince William blue. They ran out of blue maps. I had to draw in map on the red course, and part of my map was covered by red course descriptions. This affected my route to 6. Going to 2, I was running too fast and lost contact with the map. I kept going and got into the correct re-entrant but was still confused. I was going down to the larger stream to relocate but then saw a runner coming across and went back to check where he went and then saw the punch. Tom Strat caught up here, but soon I pulled ahead. On the way to 6 I went fairly straight, crossed the stream 3 times and went through lots of thick vegetation so this was slow. I couldn't take the trails after I crossed near the dam because it was covered on my map and I didn't know how much extra distance and climb and where it went. Then I tried to follow the stream but it was too thick, so I crossed again and went over the hill and back down, crossed again, then slowly walked up to punch. Tom caught up again. Everything went smooth after that and I ran confident after spiking the harder controls 8 and 10, though could have saved a little time with a few different minor route choices.

Run back to picnic area parking instead of taking the shuttle. Extra distance added intentionally when I looped on the birch bluff trail. Followed signposts and map memory. I didn't know the name of my destination (Telegraph picnic area), but I ended up exactly at the parking lot I wanted to go to. Knee was hurting a little so I walked near the end.

Blue - Splits

Accotink trails, Wakefield bowl. All a bit muddy, tracked on strava. Had to walk some climb where there was no traction with all the mud. Bike slid out under me once on a little downhill slick with mud, couldn't unclip fast enough, but a soft landing on my side.

Random trails at lake braddock and some neighborhoods and the high school. Cold. Good workout prior to korean bbq buffet

Event: QOC Occoquan
 

Occoquan red course. Only 1 real mistake, overshot 12 and saw another deep parallel reentrant that looked too big, so I went back a little and found the correct reentrant. I think I lost only 1 minute because I punched just after a slower runner who I had just passed at the previous control. A few other times I was unsure and pulled up early and walked but eventually found them. Also was tired from yesterday and slow going up every hill after the first 20 minutes of running.

Post orienteering MTB at Laurel Hill. Some of the loops were muddy but not too bad. Nice hill climb out of Occoquan Park.

Red - Splits

Long run at a fairly slow pace. Just getting back into running, so legs were tired and sore early. YMCA to Lake Fairfax, a few trails to cricket field hills, then had to get back, so I skipped the normal MTB trails I wanted to run. On the way out, discovered some new trail reroutes near the ice rink where the building construction destroyed the old singletrack. Then easy W&OD back to finish. A little bit cold.

Event: QOC Wheaton Regional Park
 

Wheaton stumble goat. Did not really follow anyone in the first 2 windows except for the start to 1. I was slow making decisions and went my own way. I wasn't running fast enough to pass anyone on the trails or grass, and went slow up hills. I noticed only Zac was keeping up at my speed but we separated a few times. Before and during windows 2 and 3, I see Ted and try to keep him in sight, but we went in different orders, so I go mostly on my own, except for a big train going to window 3. I had to walk a bit going to Window 4, but Ted and Dan are nearby. I start to follow them in Window 4 in a sequence with extra climb. We separate and I seem to finish first and pull ahead running by the lake by myself. I got lost just before Window 5 when I ran away from the train tracks too fast in the field looking for a trail. After bashing through the woods back onto train tracks, Dan catches up and I follow him to Window 5, but he soon disappears. I finish the last window alone but see Zac close by so sprint extra fast to the finish.