Training Log Archive: Hammer

super duper sore from the weekend. Started to watch the US Debate thingy but after a few minutes of blabbering from Romney I couldn't handle it anymore so I switched to the football game.

Knee too sore to run today. Too bad as it looked like something I would have enjoyed before my injuries.

But today was a great day to be a spectator. Very cool that the FC Cup ended up in a tie. So proud of the younger Canadian junior team to almost win the Cup. To see the smiles on those young faces wearing the maple leaf for the first time ever was just a great moment. Especially proud of AdventureGirl! who ran super well and looked calm during all the yelling and screaming.

Great races by the Americans in the BK Cup. Congrats to them.

But the toughguy and most improved award in my books goes to my awesome club mate Serge! He ran several races very well and looked strong and confident anchoring Canada to gold in the men's relay. This despite either a broken or badly bruised rib.

DVOA raised the bar big time. So great to see them focus on the elites and especially the top juniors today with the relay. The relay guide was brilliant and NevMonster and Balter worked the announcing really well. DVOA is simply an awesome club. Then again if there is a club that can match their event quality in Canada then it is Ottawa. Already looking forward to NAOC2014!!

Check out this awesome photo by Kswede of AG!

C • More AG photos 6

almost a perfect run with a little bit too much hesitation here and there but only about 15s of errors.

Lots of fun working with Canada's BK and FC Cup teams but tiring. So much respect for pi, AZ, MrKemp, Charm and theshadow.

Oh yeah the avg. age of Canada's FC Cup team is under 17. #futureisbright

C • The Hammer is back! 7

RedX Long - Splits

really enjoyed this but never had the fight after dropping my SI 200m into the race and losing 45sec. then missed #1,6,8 and 12. really awesome course today.

C • Dropped SI 8

Middle - Blue - Splits

Event: 2012 North American Orienteering Championships
 

rail trail

ARK Attack & ARX

another cold toes morning (well night still) ride.

some random thoughts about urban navigation races...

I told Tarno about the recent Toronto Rogaine and that got us chatting about the 24 hour Toronto adventure race we did about 10 years ago. That race got great press and was a lot of fun but it also then led to a huge boom in non urban adventure racing because of the press. We agreed that it was one of the most enjoyable adventure races we ever did. I think what was best about it was using bikes to get to the different parks where you then went on foot to some CP's. But we didn't get to use the very good TOC park maps (just lame topos). Urban nav racing has huge potential and the city chase proved that. But REAL navigation racing was still absent in Canada's biggest city. No trivia or clues or computers or silly games type 'races' but a honest to goodness real nav race. So it was cool to read the TOC Rogaine reports from those that did it. It brought back good memories of that urban race. Good on TOC for bringing back urban racing the right way!

For urban races to work I think they need to be either fast and short and technical like sprint races in Vancouver or the London City Race style OR/ they need to be longer and easier. The Why Just Run series in Toronto had potential but the courses appeared short and easy and so it didn't attract those that wanted the nav challenge or those that liked endurance. Since Toronto parks aren't that technical this rogaine format that TOC have come up with seems perfect. I'm not a fan of rogaines but if this race grows (and it will) the format not only allows all to finish together for what could be a great party (Beer garden) but also spreads people out more so it isn't dangerous. (the start of the urban AR had us biking through red lights).

I wish I could have done the race because it has been a long time since I've been excited about doing a race in nearby Toronto. Unfortunately I had too much race prep to do for RTH and had to get ribbons out for COC'13 for the controller to check following NAOC. I also think mid October is best spent orienteering in the forests. :-)

Reading some logs it looks like bikes trumped the bus. I had suggested to TOC many years ago they host a 8-12 hour urban rogaine/adventure run and call it "Raid the Rocket" to use the TTC transit system and running. But reading the race reports and the chat with Tarno about how much fun that urban adventure race was it makes me think that TOC got it right by allowing bikes. It suggests to me that TOC should promote this race as an urban adventure race instead. Find a gap in the AR series schedule (perhaps early June??), try to get into that race series and promote the hell out of it with a good race name. (heck Stars should try and get their winter race into the schedule too). GHO would be happy to promote the TOC Rogaine at the Around the Bay Race Expo in March if TOC sends us some postcards! But the name has to change! It is fun to think of a good name as we already have several cool race names in the OARPS races (Wilderness Traverse, Storm the Trent, Logs Rocks and Steel, Raid the Hammer). I'm sure Bender will suggest something like "The Adventure Race at the Centre of the Universe" ;-)

C • Well said! 2