Training Log Archive: Becks

I have a weird spotty itchy rash all over my left foot. Wearing shoes is going to be fun today!

Rest day today, although I actually surprisingly feel like I don't need it, I am going to be good and take it. I did notice this weekend that had I volunteered to do this job this time last year, I would have been mostly walking. I am stronger and fitter! Yey!

C • Hope it's not poison ivy 6

Final time out into the woods! One of our yellow groups was late returning, so I set out to pick up the second half of the course, hoping to bump into them and send them back. I found them just after 5, and it was a shame to send them back as they were a young family and the kids were navigating, and doing a decent job on a tough yellow. Still, we all needed to go home and they were already over time - they seemed fine about it so I hope they'll come back for more. I do think that beginners should really be given the white course, especially when they start late, hopefully giving them and positive completing the course experience as opposed to being shoved out of there by an albeit polite but very smelly and tired English girl. Very glad to be back at the finish once that was done, and that the wonderful Kat would be coming to pick me up.

So, I think a successful weekend from the control hanging team. They were wonderful - Paul Bennett, Nadezhda Popova, Steve I still can't spell your surname S, Francis Hogle, and last, but definitely not least, Eric Weyman. I am very happy to have made the acquaintance of all these fantastic people, and they were a great team to work with. Also thanks to all the others who pitched in with control collection, making things a bit easier on our weary legs.

Some notes for next time:

The more people the better.
Radios or cellphones (if they work) are good.
Ensure before time that control numbers will be printed by a computer and waterproofed before they get anywhere near the forest.
Always give yourself more time than you think you need.
Have a set of cleared SI cards for the vetters to take out with them.
Try not to have to sprint to the start and look angry when competitors are about to start racing.
Continue to surround yourself with awesome people who will go that extra mile for the people and sport they love.


Despite being utterly shattered now, I have had a great weekend, and it was exciting to see the WOC teams decided. I am awaiting a curry delivery, and after a couple of episodes of Veronica Mars I am going to sleep for a very long time.

C • I can't spell... 8

We'd done all the hard work last night, so this morning we just had to wait for the thunderstorm to pass and head out to vet. I took the spread out but technically easy northern section, and it was so much fun being out there in the gloom and pouring rain. It was so dark in places that I had to stand still to look at the map. When I was on paths. All controls present and correct, and pretty soon everyone was back out. Despite our start delay, we were done well ahead of time today, and I was very happy to call the start in a more relaxed manner and give the green light.

Hanging boxes and checking controls in the morning. Some stressful moments as one of the team took longer to call in than anticipated, but we'd done a good job and everything was out in time. The day turned really humid and the courses destroyed a far few people out there! I was glad to have been out early, when things were far more civilised. Managed to spike the epic number 12 this time, but was coming from the opposite direction which is definitely cheating.

Hanging the kit on the Blue Mountain controls, then vetting Eric's ones on the south part. When I was halfway down the hill I bumped into Nadezhda, we split her vetting controls and finished them. That middle section must be very tricky at speed, but at control hanging pace it was so simple - an excellent map, clear features - an absolute joy to be out there.

Event: US Team Trials for WOC '11
 

Various walking/jogging/sprinting round Purchase. Everything got out, but we had to delay the start. A less than ideal way to begin the weekend. Great sprint area, good map, and seriously tricky courses. It was fun watching the confusion in the central area.

Putting out flags and boxes and stuff on a bit of the area I really can't remember. It's been a long weekend. It was just getting dark by the time I returned from the final triad, and then we had a late night planning for Sunday morning. Tiring.

Slept dreadfully. Very humid. Plus turns out getting all the controls in the right place in a highly used public park on a holiday weekend is a way scarier prospect than actually running in Team Trials. Eep! Looking forward to hitting the woods later today though!

Ha ha! I love that this was so slow that AP thought I was stretching! The first day on Blue Mountain, putting out poles on the southern part of the map. Some wonky streamers after planning changes, leaving me a little stressed by the end. Woods were fabulous though.

Rest day. My leg didn't like all that physio at all, it feels worse than it has done since the twinge last spring!

I am going to pick 3-4 of the exercises that I think actually work and just do those! Boo hiss physio department.

Second and final physio session. Not too impressed, we just ran through a lot of strengthening exercises, most of which I already knew how to do and usually do with weight above body weight. She had me doing step ups onto a 4 inch high platform, and was astonished that I managed them no problem?! More unimpressed with the length of the programme - if I do all the physio they've recommended every day then I will be spending almost 2 hours at it. I told them this was unreasonable, and they were just like "huh, well, that's the way it is." No "well, try at least to do these three, as they're really important for your problem." This is probably because none of the four people who showed me various things today had any idea what my problem actually was. My programme from today is entitled "knee strengthening activities," which is something I can definitely improve but not the cause of the pain I currently experience.

Overall, pretty useless. I gave them pretty bad feedback on the feedback form.

C • yeah the bloke who supervis... 7

C • Lots of physio 2

Stretchy time...yawn.

Early morning jaunt round East Rock before physio. Legs tired, was going to beast it through the weekend with no rest and then have an easy week, but may have to rest tomorrow too. Gorgeous morning at last though, so it was still a pleasure to be out.

C • aye 1