Training Log Archive: PG

Warm-up on the way to the start.

I'd been somewhat distressed to wake up Saturday morning with my left heel hurting a good bit and my right heel a little. The pain disappeared when running yesterday, but was back worse afterwards. No idea why it suddenly flared up. Took a couple of ibuprofen in the evening, then 4 more when I got up this morning. Was a little better this morning, but still limping when I walked, and then again, no problem running as the mind is engaged elsewhere. And now in the evening, they're a little sore, but not near as bad as last night. Would be nice if it mended as quickly as it appeared.

Well, today was a lot better. Actually did what I planned.

Day 2, 5.7 km straight-line, so just about the same length as yesterday but 9 and a half minutes faster. And yesterday I only had a couple of minutes of errors.

The plan was:

-- simplify the orienteering.
-- be very accurate with the compass.
-- don't stop so much out of caution, rather have confidence and keep moving.

Executed all three very well. Only problem was getting a little tired the last 15 minutes and feeling like I was slowing down, but there was also a little thinking along the lines of -- you've had a good/great run so far, don't blow it at the end.

I remember at about 30-35 minutes into the course looking at my watch and looking at what was left of the course, and thinking, wow, I'm going do this thing in 45 minutes today. It turned out I was a little optimistic, though I thing I could have been 47 with a little more aggressiveness at the end. But still just totally pleased. Did some really good orienteering.

I also enjoyed today's course more, not sure why, maybe it just suited me. Or maybe I was just reading the terrain better and so felt more comfortable. In any case, would gladly come back here again.

Some comments on my route, and then hopefully I'll get around to posting the map.

1. First test of the plan, Down the road, into the woods, cross the wall, down the hillside, and within 100 meters my brain was calling out for me to stop and check the map just to be sure. Took a lot of willpower, but I just kept running, and within another 30 meters I could see the root stock dead ahead. See, there was no need to stop. Just 10-15 seconds, but they add up fast.
2. Across the stream and up the hill. A little confused, but finally got in contact with the wall and up to the end of it. Compass from there, over the small knoll, no stops, spiked the control.
3. Across jumbled terrain. Saw one larger (i.e. 2-line) knoll midway, right on the route. Perfect compass again, one quick stop at the knoll, spiked the control.
4. Again, right on line, marsh, reentrant, diagonal hillside, reentrant, just one quick stop, spiked.
5. Again, right on line, up to the marsh, past a couple of small knolls on my left, angle up, spiked.
6. Out to the road, no stops and a good line, then picked up the wall and to the end of it. On the compass from there, not really bothering to read my way down to the marsh, or more precisely, couldn't really do it -- see at this point in life, my eyes are so good, and my brain doesn't process info so well, and what it does process it doesn't remember so well, which all together is why I have to stop more -- so just kept moving. Across the marsh, thought I was coming to the little knoll, went to the right a little but it was clear I was at the bigger one. Over it and the next one to my control in the saddle. Spiked, but a little nervous.
7. Missed it just a little to the right. 15 seconds?
8. Over to the hillside, then along the upper part of the hillside waiting for the two reentrants. The woods were a little scruffy, so couldn't get many good looks at the map without stopping, and didn't want to do that. Finally pulled up at the first reentrant, stopped for a careful look to confirm it had the right shape, then over to the next one. Spiked.
9. A good bit of the leg was just getting to the road, but I was determined to do it efficiently, and to come out where I wanted on the road. Used a couple of walls midway, then careful with the compass, hit the road, turned left, and there was the little house. Perfect. Turned off the road, over a couple of knolls, bigger wall, small wall, spike.
10. Out to the road again, and again trying to be efficient (i.e. keep a good line), perfect. Road, then small trail to wall, then compass to the control, a little hard to see but spiked. Started to slow down last third of the leg, maybe just being careful.
11. Out to the road again, then took the control easily using the walls. Lost my contact for distance vision just as I got there, but the rest was trivial.
12. And a decent finish, making sure I checked carefully to see that there was a #12.

All the above written without looking at the map.... :-)

My course and my route.

Day 2 - Green Y - Splits

Event: 2011 US Classic Championships
 

A little warm-up, legs didn't feel too bad.

US Classic Champs, Day 1, M60 (GreenY), 5.8 km, Happy Valley WMA, a little north of Syracuse, NY.

I guess the best way to describe my run it that was all in slow motion. Not much fighting spirit, never pushing the pace, and a surplus of caution, just endlessly stopping for a good look at the map just to be sure. The latter (the caution) is not necessarily a bad thing, but there was way too much of it.

Other than that, some sloppiness at 5 that cost a minute or two, and not much else. But this is supposed to be a race, and it sure didn't feel like one. Will have to see if I can get with the program a little better tomorrow. It's a matter of finding the right balance, not too fast that mistakes are made, not too slow. Felt too slow today, plus screwed one up anyway.

Very nice area, good map, good orienteering. And a lovely summer day, way too warm for my preferences, but very nice before and after.

My course and my route.

Day 1 Green Y - Splits

A little warm-up to the start.

Time for another Western Mass training session, except that Phil is on his way to Swissland, Ali is on/in some lake in Ontario, Alex is fishing in northern Vermont, and Gail is still under the weather though possibly a little better. So it was just me.

Ran the course I hung streamers for last week, so I had been most places but not necessarily from the same direction. Pretty good run. Just one bad control, 14, a little too high, then dropped down just past it, maybe a minute. That plus walking up a bunch of hills. Was soaking wet by the time I finished, and it wasn't raining.

Did a lot of compass practice, just to make sure I was in the habit, in anticipation of both this weekend and next month in France. Generally pleased with the result as I seemed to be coming out right where I expected.

The course and my route.

Rehung hung the streamer at 19/22 (it was on the ground). And hung ones at 20 and 21, hadn't been to them before.

Only about 10 FDFs.

973/1000

C • Nice 3

Amity hills. Definitely not dogging it this time. Perhaps if I keep doing these I will get better at running uphill?

Millers Fall, Wendell SF, Wyola. Nice day, about 80, seemed cool though I worked up a good sweat. Slowly doing a little bit longer rides, feels OK.

Trails at Five Ponds in Litchfield. Not nearly so hot, but still humid and I was soaking wet by the time I was done.

Lots of FDF's. Final count was 107-1, though I'm not sure the one that got me (a bite on my elbow) was a FDF, could have been a mosquito when I stopped to pee. But the back of my hat was quite crowded. Without it, I think I would have been miserable, or not run at all.

Legs felt OK after the usual 10 minutes or so at the start where everything (legs, back especially) feels like crap. As usual with morning runs, nice to be done with it early.

C • FDFs 3