Training Log Archive: KFish

RMOF Day 5 - Twin Boulders
Blue Classic
10.5 km, 325m climb

Legs are definitely starting to feel it, especially some hip stiffness which I think isn’t helped by tent camping. That being said, I think today was my best day so far and the course was still a lot of fun. The preview map actually looked like it might be quite a bit easier than yesterday, but the course setter did a really good job making sure that wasn’t the case with some tough approaches and really good route choice legs. I started off without any problems and was moving well, slowing down up hills and in technical rocky areas. Will caught me at 10 -I’m not sure how far back he started. My first mistake was at 12 where I made the stupid decision to go up and over the giant hill instead of around. It went ok, but I wasn’t paying close attention and wasn’t quite sure where I came down and started up the next hill. Eventually I found a line of rocks that looked promising and followed it to the control, but definitely not the most efficient route.13 I swung wide taking a mtb trail until I could mostly go around the hill and that worked really well for me. My biggest mistake was 14 where i got pushed slightly east on the approach and didn’t take the time to solidly locate myself before attacking which turned into an 8 minute error. I also had trouble deciphering the clue and matching it to the map, although now that I’m not moving it does seem to make sense. The rest mostly went ok with just a little sloppiness- undershooting 16, overshooting 17. The last few were great and most of them were third place splits (out of 6). Overall pretty happy with this result, just one lapse that cost me quite a bit. I was really shooting for 2 hours but didn’t quite make it. It’s amazing how all these maps are within half an hour yet have very different flavors, it’s so cool!

Only did one 5.8 route, but Angel taught me how to clean and set up rappel and rappel down. Really nice of Steve/Angel/BJ/Julie to take us out with them, share gear, and teach us newbs the ropes to outdoor climbing, it was a lot of fun and a perfect activity for tired legs. Thanks again!

Western States Day 2 Blue - Splits

RMOF Day 4 - Pelican Bay East
Blue Classic
11.3 km, 575m climb

Another really interesting map with lots of technical orienteering that I wish I could say I executed better. Orienteering at West Point definitely helped, but I still struggle with rocky terrain, although I have gotten a lot better at focusing on the contours underneath. I decided to bring a camelback, and I think it was a good choice for me, it didn’t impede my speed in this terrain and helped me stay hydrated in the sun.

I got off to a bit of a rough start with my biggest mistakes coming at 4, 10 min or so, and then 5, 4 min or so. At four I got very confused by the rocks and control description, and I think I was very close a couple times, but I just missed it. I reattacked from a spot I was confident with and still missed it. On 5 I lost focus and drifted north. I thought I identified a prominent cliff that I took a bearing from, but things weren’t matching up. I continued in the right general direction and eventually found the actual cliff and continued on. After that I slowed a bit and things improved for the most part. After the map flip at 11 I picked up the pace and executed the back half of the course really well, only really bobbling 15, again losing focus and drifting east and taking probably 2 minutes to relocate. The leg to 18 felt amazing, I was moving well and matching everything perfectly- why can’t every leg feel like that?

I beat my conservative goal by 11 min, so I’ll be happy with that, just need to stay focused better and relocate quicker when I do get off. One of the longer blue courses I’ve done, and physically I felt petty decent.

Western States Day 1 Blue - Splits

RMOC Day 3 - Granite Planet
Blue Middle
5.7km, 255m climb

This was a super fun middle with a wide variety of terrain ranging from dense rocky/cliff areas, wide open featureless fields, and small wooded areas - perfect for a middle. Probably one of my favorites courses I’ve run, rivaling the New Zealand maps! I am mostly really happy with my execution too, with no major errors, and just a few small errors mostly approaching or within the circle in the rocky areas. I also felt a lot better than the previous two days, I think I am adjusting to the elevation. We talked to the course setter a bit afterwards and he said he wanted to make it a course where you would be constantly seeing people to give it a true race like feeling, and he definitely succeeded. It’s amazing what you cAn do in such a small area when the terrain is so unique. he also said only about half of medicine bow is mapped, and a lot of what is left to map is similar to this- world class.

Mistakes
4- drifted low
10- biggest error, just got lost in the rocks, should have slowed down on approach! ~2.5 min
12- drifted high, should have used the hill more effectively
17 drifted low again
24- overshot a bit
27- overshot
29- got tripped up by a nearby control that wasn’t mine

Control pickup. Drew the 6 controls nearest the finish.

Middle Blue - Splits

RMOF Day 2
Mass Start One Man Relay
6.6 km, 5 loops

After taking off, it quickly became apparent that Sydney and I had the same map, and it turned out we had the exact same sequence. We went back and forth through the first 2 loops, including her following me to a flag on the wrong spur in the first loop and needing to backtrack. She got ahead of me during the third loop and would stay that way, but I kept her in my sights until the third control on the last loop. There I made a mistake and overshot the correct spur and just ran out of steam for the last 6 controls. Then I made a huge error on the 7th control, just barely missing it on my first pass and then struggling to relocate. So I lost 14 min to Sydney in the last 6 controls... ouch! Terrain was a little more technical but still very fast. I have a good handle on the mapping style so I’m ready for the races that count!

Steve, Angel, BJ, and Julie invited us to tag along rock climbing not too far from the O location. The last half mile of the road was a bit of an adventure, but the rental Subaru made it. Then it was a short hike into the crag. Syd and I watched as they set the first two ropes and then top roped the routes. This was our first time doing real climbing outside and it was a lot of fun! Stuck to pretty easy routes. The views from the top were awesome! I found the biggest difference to be the wind factor, it wasn’t all that windy but something you don’t need to deal with in a gym. I did a 5.6, 5.10a, 5.7, and 5.8. Toes were killing me!

Event: 2018 Rocky Mountain Orienteering Festival
 

RMOF Day 1 - Mass Start "Red" Course
7.7km

This was originally supposed to be a goat but got changed to just a simple mass start. This was my first time doing an A-meet caliber (in terms of competition) mass start, so I wasn’t sure how it would go. I took off with a lead pack, but it was pretty clear I wouldn’t hang with the leaders for long. I tried to settle into a comfortable pace, although I think it was still a little too fast. I did pay attention to the map, but especially with it being so open, and knowing everyone ahead was going to same place, the nav was pretty trivial. I did really enjoy doing mini route choice analysis and seeing how small choices put you a little ahead or a little behind. Fascinating! I stuck with Tyra and a few guys most of the race, but I faded at the end and they got a minute or so ahead of me, so I did have to navigate to the last 2 controls without help, and they went fine. This type of race definitely suited me, especially if I had been doing a little more speed training.

My biggest mistake was crossing the wide reentrant after 6 immediately instead of following the bearing and crossing it gradually in less scrub. People got ahead there, but I made it up by staying high to attack 7 while most of the people ahead of me went low and had to fight then. Legs felt decent and the elevation didn’t bother me too much, although the dryness of the air did!

C • To Goat or not 2

Sprints with backpack and duffle... thru Chicago midway.

C • Good luck! 2