Training Log Archive: bbrooke

LoCO FIT training group.

- Ran a half mile to warm up.

- Tyler Ave hill loop. Since I'm racing this weekend*, my training plan assignment was 25 minutes of the loop (rather than the usual 50 minutes), which would be 2.5 laps -- so I went ahead and finished the third loop. I did all three loops at an easy recovery / taper pace.

- Walked & ran a half mile to cool down.

* I'm not feeling super-excited about the half marathon this Sunday...I may not push myself to go very fast.

Classic Green at Superfly Marsh.

Legs were extra-tired today, but I kept reminding myself that this was the final race, "pain is temporary", etc. :-P

#1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 -- OK.

On my way to #7, my plan was to follow the fence line to the corner, head to the designated stream crossing, and then work my way north. The first part went OK, but then I started heading towards #9 (instead of #7) after the stream crossing. Luckily I saw people coming from odd directions as I got close to #9 (people I was pretty sure were also on Green), and I was able to figure out my mistake and correct before I wasted too much time & distance.

I then found #7 very easily, and I saw Galen apparently making a big error. "My chance to pass him!" Nope -- I blew past #8 and lost a bunch of time and several spots in the Green standings as a result. :-\

#9 -- inefficient route.

#10 -- I might not have found it if others hadn't been in the area (it was a weird dry marsh on a high, rocky area -- not where I would expect to see a marsh).

#11 -- I hooked a bit at the end, which was dumb b/c I would have seen the flag much sooner if I have looked up to see Alex leaving it.

#12 -- easy -- I went wide of the straight line to avoid some light green and also because I wanted to use the fence corner.

Another fun day, and a fun week overall.

Western States Day 3 Green - Splits

Classic Green course at East Twin Boulders.

My legs were feeling tired, but I tried to push / run as much as possible.

#1 - 2 - 3 - 4 went according to plan, along with most of the leg to #5. But then I headed up the wrong reentrant and went way too far before realizing my mistake. CRAP!

I navigated to #7 as intended, but then I didn't know what I was looking for (I couldn't remember what the control description symbol was -- vegetation boundary -- and I really think it should have been "clearing" or "boulder"). I walked within a few meters of it, but it was in the shade and I missed it until I circled around again. Sigh...

The rest of the course went OK. Another fun day! Delicious Thai dinner and then ice cream with Kris, Cristina & Melissa afterwards. I hadn't had lunch, so it was the most delicious meal I'd had in a long time. ;-)

C • Description 3

Western States Day 2 Green - Splits

Green course (Classic) @ East Pelican Bay.

This was so different from yesterday's course & terrain, even though the two maps are adjacent. Today was less runnable in general (more sage, more deadfall), and had more route choice. I enjoyed it overall.

I totally lost track of where I was on my way to #4 -- I wasted time checking multiple rocky ridges until I finally bailed out to relocate. 17 minutes on that leg. :-\

No huge mistakes otherwise, just some inefficiencies and instances where I found the control even though I wasn't where I thought I was.

C • you seem to have nailed a l... 3

Western States Day 1 Green - Splits

This course was really fun -- technical without any grueling climbs. My original plan was to walk the course, focusing on clean navigation. I ended up running most of it, but I slowed down often to match features to the map.

Tyra passed me on the way to #12. I saw her leave a boulder heading in the general direction of #13, so I ran to that boulder. Oops -- the control wasn't there. I turned around and found it fairly quickly.

Somewhere between #13 and #14, I started thinking I was on my way to #15 (13-14-15 were somewhat in a straight line). Luckily I stumbled on the control and figured it out before I got totally confused & lost.

I had a plan for getting to #18 but I kinda lost track of my distance / location halfway and lost some time there.

The most embarrassing mistake was sprinting from #23 to the wrong knoll in full view of everyone at the finish. DOH!

I finished #13 of 21 on Red -- about eight minutes behind #12. I don't think my mistakes totaled up to eight minutes (it was more just my general slowness), so the mistakes didn't cost me a place in the standings.

Middle Red - Splits

RMOF Day 2 -- One-Cowboy Relay @ Rattlesnake Hill.

I totally blew the first control, but managed to do OK after that. Tracks indicate small errors here and there, as well as some inefficient routes, but no disasters. :-)

This course was slightly shorter than yesterday's course, but it had more climb. Maybe I shouldn't have run at all yesterday, because I felt slow / tired and really lost steam on some of the uphills today. Charlie caught me near the end of the course, and I couldn't re-pass him...but I was happy to get a Top 20 crystal prize.

Airbnb update: yes, it's nice, but it's loud for sleeping with the windows open (constant interstate & RR noise), and hot for sleeping with the windows closed. Didn't get much sleep at all last night...

C • You did well! 3

C • ear plugs? 2

Event: 2018 Rocky Mountain Orienteering Festival
 

RMOF Day 1 at the "Lights of Cheyenne" map. I was very anxious about arriving late after leaving home behind schedule and then missing the turn for road 712, but I got there with time to spare.

The mass start and open terrain made this fairly easy. I followed Neal Barlow's mantra -- straight is great.

I planned to walk the whole thing...but I ended up running downhills & flats, and then I ran some of the uphill sections at the end since I was feeling OK and I realized I could pass a few people.

Then I headed to my Airbnb place, which is very nice. Spent about 30 minutes unloading my car and organizing...(my personal stuff and, mostly, all the snacks). Oof.

Except for packing my clothes & cooler and squeezing everything into my car, I think I'm finished with all of my RMOF prep work. YAY!

- Received final Event Reg data file from Sverre; generated all packet & bib labels; sent PDFs to Sverre for final QA; printed and organized all labels; met Sverre for handoff.

- Printed 15 sets of meet notes (only two people requested them...).

- Organized and boxed up awards.

- Charged & tested two-way radios.

- Started loading car with table, snacks, etc.

I met up with the LoCO group, but I just did two easy miles while they did their 5K & 10K time trials.