Training Log Archive: iansmith

US Team Trials long course. I again had one of the last starts - at 11:18; the Zhyk finished before I set off for the start and advised me to be careful with my compass and pace myself. After my disastrous sprint and solid Boris'd Middle, I was sitting essentially tied for 7th with Brendan, Giacomo, and Ken at 190 pts, with Eric leading at 201 and Boris, Zhyk, Ethan, Eddie, and Schirm spaced out above us. Ross would be in by petition, so I knew that I needed to annihilate this course to have a shot at the team - but I did have a shot.

I did my best to relax; I read a book, warmed up my brain with the 2008 Chasing the Star Long, and took 2x benadryl, 2x cetirizine for allergies and 200 mg of caffeine beverage to compensate for the benadryl. I nursed a shot blocks packet before setting off for the start with 20 minutes to go. I only jogged the route to the start to save my stamina, and I took a Gu at call up.

My mantra for the day was to fight for every second. I felt fairly strong - good legs, adequate sleep, and only moderate allergy weirdness. I paid no attention to the results and didn't care who was starting around me. I tried to focus on only the course. I started fairly well, with good execution and intelligent routes. Unfortunately, I then proceeded to mess up 8, 9, 10, and 12 to varying degrees for a total of 10-11 minutes of error. I was terribly frustrated (especially at 9), but I continued trying to fight - ignoring the inevitable math about placings, and even trying to ignore my watch. I ran 13 to the end well, but didn't execute the last controls well, including 30s on 21 (hello pavilion under the line). Physically, I felt strong (enough) to the end.

Today was a much better effort and navigation compared to my Billygoat, but it turned out to be just over 6 minutes too slow and messy. I ran alone the entire race; I briefly saw Jeremy Colgan at 1 and Zac Barker before 6. I'm satisfied with the effort, though the mistakes at 10 and 12 were just stupid. Obviously the result is thoroughly disappointing.

1: from the bend in the trail, up the reentrant, past the ponds, contour
2: west to the trail, from the trail bend
3: Straight on the line. A little bit to the right.
4: Intended to cross the dam and attack from the big trail to the left; I should have immediately run up to the trail from 3, and I stupidly went down the first peninsula. Lost 1:20.
5: Over the wide spur, to the hills, marsh, up the reentrant, through the saddle, skirted over the NE reentrant, into the control.
6: Past the pond/above the reentrant, down the spur, kept the knoll to my right, hit the edge of the big cliff, checked big spur to my left, and in. 15s hesitation searching for the right boulders in the circle.
7: Used the line of cliffs as a handrail, hit the hill before the stream, attacked from the pond N of the control.
8: Ugh; intended to go right of the line. I hit the right edge of the second line of cliffs, but I ran too far left on the traverse into the control and had to bounce off the stream. Checked off cliffs as I went, but uncertain. 1:30.
9: I briefly considered the trail, but decided to go straight. I meant to go along the ponds, but I went too low and had to climb up the cliffs through the reentrant. Checked off two small reentrants and tried to contour, but I hit the stream too high. I wasn't certain I was too high, but started descending (it seemed steep) and came down into the control. 4:00.
10: Both frustrated and exuberant to have found 9, I blasted down and checked off the marsh and hills. I hit the southern edge of the big marsh, then missed the control entirely being stupid and bounced off the big trail very, very far from 10. 3:00. Really, really pissed.
11: Decided to go left; I swam through the saplings on the line to the trail, then skirted around the hill to attack from the clearing south of 11. I hit the trail hard and tried to make up some time on a very safe route. Slowed on my approach to the circle for a spike.
12: Meant to go up the stream reentrant, but abandoned my clean compass line when the contours stopped making sense. I was too far left anyway; I realized I was too high when I topped the ridge and it immediately descended to the marsh. 2:30.
13: The only sensible route to me; I descended into the bowl, traversed right, then flew down the trail. Considered attacking before the cliff line, but decided to go all the way to the stream north of 13. Slogged through the marsh, and clean into the control. Saw Clem as I was leaving.
14: Took a Gu at 13, and felt stomach freaking out for about a minute. Picked off the marsh, missed about 30m to the left in the circle. 10s.
15: Wonderful running, delightfully simple map. I was careful on my compass and fought the urge to stay high. Clean, though not the straightest route.
16: Trail, power line/stone wall. A bit surprised to see my pit control so high.
17: Around on the trail, probably not worth it.
18: Straight, though missed a little right and had to slog through the marsh to get to the control. Spotted it from about 50m.
19: Straight, flagging after the marsh's energysuck.
20: Straight, missed a bit right after going over the hill and passing the boulder.
21: Saw the pavilion, but thought it was the pavilion about 100m to the north. Obviously brain was tired, as I definitely didn't miss by that much. Saw the trail and was confused for about 30s before angrily figuring out my error.
22: Heard a massive crowd of enthusiastic cheerers and tried to bring it home.

C • Antihistamines 6

And a bit crushed to see the results. I didn't know what the final ordering would be, but I knew that finishing 12th meant I wasn't on the team.

Long Blue - Splits