Training Log Archive: GlenT

Event: 36th Annual Billygoat Run
 

Billygoat at Baldwin Hill, near Ashburnham, MA on a warm (upper 70's) and sunny day. Nice course set by JJ with several skip options and plenty of technical orienteering.

Got a shirt, my 20th! An OK run with one big miss (#3), a few small misses (#4, 7 and 8) and some sub-optimal route choices. On the way to #1 I followed a crowd directly into the woods rather than the trails around. For 10-11 I took the trail ssw from 10 to the stone wall, then headed across the south part of the big hill right by 18 (which is a bit ironic since I chose to skip 18 later in the course). As I was on my route from 17-19, I went west and north of the large pond rather than take the trail.

I flip-flopped with Bernie Breton for most of the course, was with a pack including Paul Bennet, Phil Bricker, Bernie, Anne Wilkinson, and some others from 11 to about 14 and then used Anne and others to lead me into 16 and 17. On the way from 17 to 19 I picked up Peter Zakrevski and helped him in to the next few controls (he was still able to move faster than me so took off after we entered the field headed to 22). Bernie appeared at the corner of the field having skipped 21 and he and Peter "raced" to the finish while I continued my slog.

I dealt with the heat reasonably well, carrying a Camelback with water, drinking at a couple of the water stops and drinking 12-15 oz of electrolyte solution at the aid station (also ate half a banana and some cookies). Carried a couple of Gu packets but only ate one at about 45 minutes in. No incapacitating cramping but the legs reminded me a few times that they weren't happy. Mostly walked from about 11 on except on trails or in the field near the end.

Finished 30th overall, 4th M60. Straight line distance 13.2 km with 510m climb. ~12.8 km skipping 18.

Billygoat - Splits

Event: EMPO - Hayes Nature Park
 

EMPO local event at Hayes Nature Park in Clifton Park (1:5000, 2.5m). Did the Orange course so as not to overdo before the Billygoat tomorrow. The Orange course was "get all in any order" with 21 controls distributed through the quite small area (~0.3 km^2). About half the controls were used on the White or Yellow courses, so were near or on trails and most of the rest weren't far off trails either. The area is all wooded with some marshy areas so there was a significant amount of off-trail running.

Manual punching was used, so I think I spent as much effort thumbing the punch card as thumbing the map. Managed to hit all the controls with a reasonable route (i.e. didn't miss one and have to fully traverse the map to get it). Warm and muggy.

Control order: 215-206-221-211-210-202-207-217-203-201-227-219-231-220-209-216-204-213-205-214-226

Picked up 6 controls at the far end of the map. Ran/jogged back along roads and trails.

On trails at Ooms Conservation Area (aka Sutherland Pond). Trails are mostly mowed grass in open fields (and had been mowed recently) with some dirt or gravel parts. A few pretty soft areas but not enough to get wet feet. Nice day with temps in the upper 60s and mostly sunny.

Around the block to the north, ccw. Hilly. Low 60's stiff breeze from the NW.