Training Log Archive: vmeyer

Event: QOC Manassas
 

Ah, Stuart's Hill at Manassas - always a bit windy in the shelter since it is surrounded by open fields, and today was super windy at around 20-25 mph. So, I happily set up in the van and dealt with people out of the back. Comfortable as long as you didn't have two doors open.



Thanks to Tori for remembering, despite the fact that I only mentioned it in passing a week+ ago, that I was working alone today and arriving early to go out. After she got back, I headed out on Brown, though not really with my heart in it at all. After struggling to find the first control, I noticed that my foot was really hurting (need to try other shoes) and that Cynthia, who was on Yellow, was having issues getting her 7 year old Enid to go along with her around the course. At this point, I decided to head back and take Enid with me, so with bag of treats in hand, I headed back, though Enid was resistant, since she just wanted to sit there and eat treats. So, I picked her up and carried her back, and we totally bonded.



I may have to get me a beagle.

I also watched Samantha for a while, who also resistant to coming with me, but she was harder to corral, darting around behind a car. After getting her back to my area, she played with my phone for a while and declared my car a mess.



The park proved to be a great place for exploring nature, and here is Anna with a turtle, and Nicole with a bag of dirty water. I can only assume that there was something swimming around in there. Enid also wanted to be in the picture.



So, the orienteering didn't go so well, but my time outside of the van was enjoyable, having more interactions than I have had in a while, including a nice conversation with Peggy.

Thanks to Tori (and Jon) who made it possible, and to all of my friends, both old and new.

C • Bag of dirty water 8

Brown - Splits

Took Lailah to the pool after getting back from Philadelphia. Near the end, she started going under water and then jumping in and going under water! A breakthrough, perhaps.

OK, you know how when you do a 24 hour rogaine or a 100 miler, and you swear you never are going to do it again? Well, that is how I feel right now. Though, while I never did another 24 hour rogaine, I hope I can bounce back from this weekend, and really the last month, and learn from my mistakes - like don't beg a club to do an event which is the following weekend from another event where I was pre-registrar and results.

Yes, I tried to do a little extra, like with the labels for the medals, and I would have even been OK there, if only I could have remembered that it was not Cedar Caves!! :)

So, before my "poor little me" post moves me to the top of the nosey log list, I want to thank you all for your support, both on my log and via email.

Nobody did anything to me, and I wasn't even upset at the posting about the lack of official results 24 hours after the event.

Because, the part that actually counted, i.e, the official results, was done as expertly as usual. And, believe me, that wasn't always easy either, what with the number of people who entered incorrect SI-card numbers, switched with their spouse or child, left it in the hotel room and borrowed another, etc. Seems like a simple thing, but every time you step up with the incorrect SI#, you create a situation which requires more attention than the 8 year who is manning the download can handle.

And, I was pleased that results were posted somewhere pretty quickly each evening, despite the poor internet.

I am upset at myself because, while I always try to top myself, I did so in a negative way this weekend. It was getting the data to go over to the Results Display which I managed to screw up on Friday and Saturday. The TV stands became a glorified bulletin board at some point each day.

The hardest parts to swallow were the rookie mistake I made with the results displays on Friday, and the novel way I managed to royally mess up the results display on Saturday. Saturday was really painful, because I didn't realize what I had done wrong until near the end, so the fix I tried to apply was worthless. (Thank you SL for helping.)

Sunday, the self-inflicted issue was minimal (missed 13 starts when I didn't turn on one radio control), but then there were things which were out of my hands, like the display computer freezing and the Finish control not transmitting for a short period (11 Finish times lost in the Results Display for a 3 minute period). Chump change compared to the other two days.

The results display failure aside, I failed to realize that I needed to secure volunteer help for the weekend. I think I assumed that my fairy godmother would take care of me and people would appear. While people stepped forward, I was mentally and physically exhausted by the end of the weekend. I wasted lots of time doing stuff like getting the extension cord down the hill from the building on Saturday. This meant I had no time to make a chute from the finish to download, which meant that it was a stressful scrum at download vs. the orderly process of download and get out of my space now, please. ;-)

Though, things probably would have been OK if the start and finish had been near each other, then there are always people hanging out that I can snag to help for a few minutes. The freezing conditions didn't help matters either.

So, for future events, I may need to stick to my strength (the scoring software side of things) and leave the results display side of things to someone else. I definitely need to consider how exhausting this can be before committing to any events in 2016.

If you have read all of the way to here, then thank you again for supporting me, and for appreciating my efforts and believing in me.

Also, thank you to G&L for the hugs. There were many others who touched base with me, and it was very much appreciated. This is how much of a mess I am right now...writing this last sentence makes me weepy again. No, I'm not a mess, not at all. :)

C • Oh, Valerie, I don't think ... 14

This past weekend, I failed to live up to my professional standards for providing results services for events, so after fulfilling any obligations which I have made for events in the fall, if they even want me still, I am hanging up the tvs for good.

C • Don't let 9