Training Log Archive: MJChilds

Troll Cup Day 2. Better Day today. Enjoyed having Charlie starting just 20 sec ahead of me on the chase start. If one of my female competitors would have been close to me, I would have been rattled. But Charlie is my good bud and is not a threat in my category or my gender, so it was fun knowing I'd likely see him on the course.

He headed straight north through the woods on #1, but that looked risky to me, so I took the trail to the marsh and stream and followed it up. Charlie paused about 70 m from the control and came in from my right,punching about 10 sec ahead of me. He navigated better than I would have out of the starting blocks.

We chose similar routes to #2, both heading up,the shallow reentrant to the end of the wall then into the control. He maintained the 10 sec lead, but got away quicker than I did. I saw the trail to the NE and went more northerly, coming out just a little bit ahead of him on the trail. I led into #3, but we punched together.

Charlie went lower on #4. I went higher and straighter, but near the control, got a bit confused. Charlie came in from the right, crossed my path on a straight line to the control. That helped me. He got his 10 sec lead back.

Didn't see him until I was almost to #5. I went left and followed a line of boulders to the area of the control. Charlie must have found it as he was heading in the opposite direction. Never saw him again.

(Just rereading this in edit mode-- the rest of my write-up disappeared. Bummer)

Brown - Splits

Event: NEOC: 2014 Troll Cup
 

Troll Cup at Townsend State Forest, MA. Fun course on technical terrain. Thick woods were slow, but that's how it is sometimes. Goofed up #2. Was a little too high, coming upon the group of boulders to the north, but didn't feel confident that's where I was. Figured I was to the right, but not that much. Headed SW to a knoll. stymied. Continued on until I recognized the uncross able marsh, then made a beeline back toward the control. Lost about 4 min.

Had a good route to #8. After crossing the road, I headed down the spur toward the gap between the marsh and the dark green, using the hillside ahead on the left as a guide. Then I noticed the stone wall on the map. Followed it to the reentrant next to the knoll with the control on it and nailed it. That one felt good.

Long run in was a real slog.

Brown - Splits

Ran at Catamount w Carl. Modified Black Course because I did not wear my O shoes and my trail shoes were slipping on the trails in the drizzle. Stayed on the main trails instead.

The usual w Carl

The usual w Carl

Five Tree Hill w Marcy K. Chilly but no wind. Beautiful clouds over the lake w a silver slice of sunlight breaking through the clouds. On the way home, the full moon was rising and visible for only a few minutes through a gap in the clouds. Very special.

Catamount black trail. Great day to run. Felt much better than last run.

The usual w Carl.