Training Log Archive: iansmithIn the 1 days ending Sep 19, 2009:
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Saturday Sep 19, 2009 #
Event: US Sprint & UltraLong champs
Running warm up/down 20:00 [2] *** 3.0 km (6:40 / km)
shoes: 200908 Inov8 X-Talon 212
Warmup and model course before the ROC Sprint. While running the model, I decided to change from shorts to running tights. On the actual sprint it probably would have mattered little which I wore, but the added protection increased my confidence.
Orienteering race 16:17 [5] *** 2.6 km (6:16 / km) +60m 5:37 / km
spiked:12/17c shoes: 200908 Inov8 X-Talon 212
The ROC A-meet Sprint Championships. Overall, I had a clean, fast, fluid race with good flow and no major mistakes. This was my best A-meet race to date, I finished 11/30 in M21 - 17.8% back of the winner (Ross), and I'm very happy with my results. I beat Emily (improving my record to 2-10 lifetime, I believe), had the second fastest finish chute (after Erin Schirm), and outsprinted Ross when we simultaneously hit the Go-control.
The good: I ran fairly well throughout the race, pushing basically as hard as I could the entire time. I had good flow, and I was not distracted by other runners. The bad: I struggled at the very beginning to get into the map. I also struggled near the end discerning the vegetation and attacking the last three controls. My times on my good legs were 10% longer than Ross'; my speed is insufficient.
I started with Andrew Childs 30 seconds behind me and Ross 2:30 behind me.
Control 1: I read the leg quickly and cleanly and attacked via the obvious vegetation boundary. Adrenaline was clearly working, as I was 5/40 on this split.
Control 2: I started concentrating on reading the map and planning ahead and attacked via the saddle. However, three other runners converged on control 5, which was 40 m north of control two, and I had not collected sufficient data to discriminate. I quickly realized my error, but I lost about 30 seconds. 25/40.
Control 3-4: Andrew punched a few seconds behind me at 2, so I put on some speed and increased my focus to try to stay ahead of him. I had fast, clean legs.
Control 5: Andrew finally pulled ahead of me, and I took a slower route than he did, though still good.
Control 6: Andrew bobbled, I successfully ran my own route (straight up the hill), and punched ahead of him.
Control 7-8: I took slightly different routes than Andrew and lost a few seconds on each leg due to running speed.
Control 9: Andrew and I took different attacks into 9 - I punched straight through the green (around the south was faster); I lost ten seconds on a bad route.
Control 10: Straight.
Control 11: I went around the west of the veg, and beat Andrew to the control.
Control 12: The spectator control; I was getting quite tired. I lost 11 seconds to Jon Torrance on this leg.
Control 13: A trivial trail leg.
Control 14: I went south via the vegetation boundary and control 1 to the trail (as did Ross, Jon Torrance, and others), but I did not take the optimal path through the veg and hit the trail junction SW of 1, probably losing ten seconds on route. I lost another ten on speed on this leg (relative to Andrew, e.g.), and passed Dylan Thies.
Control 15-17: On the last three controls, I did not make majors errors, but was tentative and lost time. I had trouble mapping the vegetation to the map, and I lost 22 seconds to Andrew Childs on these legs. Amusingly, it didn't quite connect that 17 was the go-control, so I was trying to navigate carefully and looking for the trail, when Ross pulled up with me and said "keep going." I picked up my speed and punched the go concurrently with him, then hit the afterburners going into the chute. When I saw that he wasn't pursuing (since he had spent his energy on the course, gaining 2:30 on me), I slowed up a bit at the end.
In total, I estimate I lost 1:00 - 1:20 on routes and hesitation on controls 2, 5, and 14-17. I must be faster if I want to be in contention for sprints, but I'm nonetheless ecstatic about my result. In my previous best sprint (2008 Team Trials, Lehigh University), I was 22.7% back of the winner on an urban, downhill sprint (both of which probably favor me); this was a flat forest sprint.
The good: I ran fairly well throughout the race, pushing basically as hard as I could the entire time. I had good flow, and I was not distracted by other runners. The bad: I struggled at the very beginning to get into the map. I also struggled near the end discerning the vegetation and attacking the last three controls. My times on my good legs were 10% longer than Ross'; my speed is insufficient.
I started with Andrew Childs 30 seconds behind me and Ross 2:30 behind me.
Control 1: I read the leg quickly and cleanly and attacked via the obvious vegetation boundary. Adrenaline was clearly working, as I was 5/40 on this split.
Control 2: I started concentrating on reading the map and planning ahead and attacked via the saddle. However, three other runners converged on control 5, which was 40 m north of control two, and I had not collected sufficient data to discriminate. I quickly realized my error, but I lost about 30 seconds. 25/40.
Control 3-4: Andrew punched a few seconds behind me at 2, so I put on some speed and increased my focus to try to stay ahead of him. I had fast, clean legs.
Control 5: Andrew finally pulled ahead of me, and I took a slower route than he did, though still good.
Control 6: Andrew bobbled, I successfully ran my own route (straight up the hill), and punched ahead of him.
Control 7-8: I took slightly different routes than Andrew and lost a few seconds on each leg due to running speed.
Control 9: Andrew and I took different attacks into 9 - I punched straight through the green (around the south was faster); I lost ten seconds on a bad route.
Control 10: Straight.
Control 11: I went around the west of the veg, and beat Andrew to the control.
Control 12: The spectator control; I was getting quite tired. I lost 11 seconds to Jon Torrance on this leg.
Control 13: A trivial trail leg.
Control 14: I went south via the vegetation boundary and control 1 to the trail (as did Ross, Jon Torrance, and others), but I did not take the optimal path through the veg and hit the trail junction SW of 1, probably losing ten seconds on route. I lost another ten on speed on this leg (relative to Andrew, e.g.), and passed Dylan Thies.
Control 15-17: On the last three controls, I did not make majors errors, but was tentative and lost time. I had trouble mapping the vegetation to the map, and I lost 22 seconds to Andrew Childs on these legs. Amusingly, it didn't quite connect that 17 was the go-control, so I was trying to navigate carefully and looking for the trail, when Ross pulled up with me and said "keep going." I picked up my speed and punched the go concurrently with him, then hit the afterburners going into the chute. When I saw that he wasn't pursuing (since he had spent his energy on the course, gaining 2:30 on me), I slowed up a bit at the end.
In total, I estimate I lost 1:00 - 1:20 on routes and hesitation on controls 2, 5, and 14-17. I must be faster if I want to be in contention for sprints, but I'm nonetheless ecstatic about my result. In my previous best sprint (2008 Team Trials, Lehigh University), I was 22.7% back of the winner on an urban, downhill sprint (both of which probably favor me); this was a flat forest sprint.
Orienteering race 47:00 [4] 5.6 km (8:24 / km) +245m 6:53 / km
shoes: 200908 Inov8 X-Talon 212
The ROC A-meet Blue Middle Distance course. The course was less technical than I expected and offered many trail routes. My performance was consistent with my previous efforts and showed minimal improvement relative to my Spring 2009 races. While I was not moving quickly, I did not make any major mistakes and generally did well reading ahead, staying in contact, and simplifying routes. I finished 20/33, 13:10 behind the winner, Ross (38.9%). I also lost to Emily by 5:46 :(.
I didn't see a great attack point for control 1 (I wasn't confident I could hit the white corridor just west of it), so I aimed left, hit the clearing, and followed it to the control. I had much more respect for the green on this map than I should have, so I ran south to the open field and the road to attack 2.
I made a small error at 3; I stayed high and ended up about 40 meters north of the control. 0:20. I ran up to the trail and followed that around the reentrant to attack 4, but I was confused by a smaller reentrant north of 4 that I didn't really see on the map. This hesitation probably cost 0:15.
I ran up to the trail and followed it to the rocky ground between 13 and 5 to attack; I lost a bit of time trying to cut the trail bend - I should have either pushed hard on the trail or attacked via 13. I'm not happy with this leg, and I probably lost 0:30. Controls 6 - 9 were all good, with well executed and planned routes; I probably could have pushed a little harder, especially on the road on 7-8. I bobbled 10 a bit when the trail network confused me (I ran into Lori at this point), but I just slowed - I didn't take any steps in the wrong direction. I'm not fast enough on trails.
Eleven was a mistake for me; I ran around the swamp and then attacked straight up the hill. I contoured far too high and couldn't see the control - which was much lower than I was. I should have followed the trail further and ran around the base of the hill. Time lost: 1:00.
I had an amusing bobble at 12 (in a pit) where I stopped about 5 meters just below the control because I was sure I was in the right spot but couldn't see the pit. A quick glance around and I found it - 0:10. At 13, I noted Mike Waddington was behind me; I had trouble making out the contours, so I ended up slightly north of the hill. I pushed hard on the way to 14, ran up the trail to the levee, went north a bit so I wouldn't have to go so far down into the reentrant, and attacked straight for a fast spike (my fastest relative split). I booked it down the length of the clearing to 15, but attacking through the green, I stumbled and tweaked my right ankle. I stumbled around for about 30 seconds before resuming my race, during which Mike passed me. I then messed up 16 when the green in the field confused me. I should have paid more attention to the map, especially given that the sprint had the same difficulties, but I found one other Go control before finding mine. 0:30.
Total time lost: 3:00. I assert that Middle is my weakest discipline, so the race was reasonably good. I was beaten by a few people I can compete with - like Paul Caston; I need to improve my wood speed and trail speed.
I didn't see a great attack point for control 1 (I wasn't confident I could hit the white corridor just west of it), so I aimed left, hit the clearing, and followed it to the control. I had much more respect for the green on this map than I should have, so I ran south to the open field and the road to attack 2.
I made a small error at 3; I stayed high and ended up about 40 meters north of the control. 0:20. I ran up to the trail and followed that around the reentrant to attack 4, but I was confused by a smaller reentrant north of 4 that I didn't really see on the map. This hesitation probably cost 0:15.
I ran up to the trail and followed it to the rocky ground between 13 and 5 to attack; I lost a bit of time trying to cut the trail bend - I should have either pushed hard on the trail or attacked via 13. I'm not happy with this leg, and I probably lost 0:30. Controls 6 - 9 were all good, with well executed and planned routes; I probably could have pushed a little harder, especially on the road on 7-8. I bobbled 10 a bit when the trail network confused me (I ran into Lori at this point), but I just slowed - I didn't take any steps in the wrong direction. I'm not fast enough on trails.
Eleven was a mistake for me; I ran around the swamp and then attacked straight up the hill. I contoured far too high and couldn't see the control - which was much lower than I was. I should have followed the trail further and ran around the base of the hill. Time lost: 1:00.
I had an amusing bobble at 12 (in a pit) where I stopped about 5 meters just below the control because I was sure I was in the right spot but couldn't see the pit. A quick glance around and I found it - 0:10. At 13, I noted Mike Waddington was behind me; I had trouble making out the contours, so I ended up slightly north of the hill. I pushed hard on the way to 14, ran up the trail to the levee, went north a bit so I wouldn't have to go so far down into the reentrant, and attacked straight for a fast spike (my fastest relative split). I booked it down the length of the clearing to 15, but attacking through the green, I stumbled and tweaked my right ankle. I stumbled around for about 30 seconds before resuming my race, during which Mike passed me. I then messed up 16 when the green in the field confused me. I should have paid more attention to the map, especially given that the sprint had the same difficulties, but I found one other Go control before finding mine. 0:30.
Total time lost: 3:00. I assert that Middle is my weakest discipline, so the race was reasonably good. I was beaten by a few people I can compete with - like Paul Caston; I need to improve my wood speed and trail speed.