Training Log Archive: Linear Ice

Can't find my map! So I haven't updated my log, because I just can't seem to remember, like some people can... which leg was which number.
Also Lost: My driver's license on the way to the airport this morning, and only discovered it at TSA. TSA told me to go back and look; alternative is that they use your credit card, anything with your name on it as an ID, do some phone checks. Good to know (and makes me wonder about security a bit too), but I found my license at the Rental Shuttle. Whew.

Ok: Mass start, which means I had a great plan, didn't follow it. Hmmmm... maybe that plan is better.... no,yes, no. my original plan would have been better, but I lost the crowd, stood around like a lost sheep for a bit, got going again. I do like navigating alone, and i got my wish. I was ALL alone when I got to 1.

From there, things were so much better. Found 2 with no problem. Took a sweet route to 3. The hill was brutal. It was the only point during the race where I wondered if I was having fun (I check about every leg), and where I wondered if I would finish. There was no clever way to avoid the climb. I think it was at least 100 meters. Maybe more. Over the ridge, I walk/jogged (too steep) down the open spur on the East, past the boulders and green trees, then straight across to the re-entrant with the boulder control. Best part was that I saw Sue K. emerging, so I knew that at least I was somewhat back on track, and perhaps I wasn't as devastating as I feared. Fun route, not as easiest as from the trails but I nailed it and felt good and orienteer-y again. (Thanks to Dennis W. for giving me some coaching on how to approach the terrain. I think it helped to do some map training the day before while we were volunteering the WYO finish)

I continued to see more people as I got more controls; never went at a very fast pace but didn't make any more mistakes. Whatever the LONG leg was, 7? 8? I saw Eileen, who was right behind me. Two good route choices.... straight up along the steep spur, or down out of the way along the road. With my bad feet, trouble running up, down, sideways, or on rough....road seemed like best bet. I also was afraid I'd take too much time looking at the map on the "direct" route... although if I had noticed that there was a big trail/fence intersection to run towards... perhaps I would have chosen the direct route. Saw no one around, then headed for the next one. Had a twisted mind moment, went a bit too far to the right, adjusted, saw Eileen catch up and pass, and fell behind her again.
I know she's super competitive and she wouldn't really just "let" me pass her, so I hung back and hoped I'd see a better route over the final few controls, or be able to find a fast place to pass her near the end. Instead, she gained distance, especially where she only got stuck in a fence for a few seconds while I got tangled.
At the last control, I think Eileen forgot I was behind her as I tried to sneak up; then bolted down the hill and almost overtook her before stumbling a bit, saying "oomph", and then heard "whaaa??!" and Eileen took off while I just tried to keep my balance. Turns out we were running for third, with Clare and Sue already in.

My navigating was fairly clean and I did look at my map after even and was happy with route choices. Fitness level wasn't there, but I knew that coming in. I am oddly neither happy nor unhappy with my results, but I did enjoy the event quite a bit.

US Ultralong 2013 Green - Splits

Event: BAOC: Pacheco State Park A-meet
 

This was billed as a model for the UltraLong tomorrow so I hope I learned a few things!
Went out slow; was told by several that the hills will kill. 5 meter contours and the orienteering is largely a task of figuring out whether to tackle or avoid them; neither one of which is feasible.
Most of my controls went exactly as planned. It's pretty easy to see the big stuff, with very wide open views with scattered trees or white areas that you can pretty much see through to the next mountain.
My biggest errors were on not a) realizing that a control was SO FAR up a spur, since I couldn't really see the bottom on my map (find new eye solution again?!) and because 5 meter contours are big! and b) after a nice route choice to 8, which took me across a saddle and avoided maybe another 60 meters, my hill-addled brain put me back on the red line and so nothing matched up perfectly; just well enough for me to adjust it. Took some work to convince myself that the mapper missed mapping the fence though. So I went back and forth looking for a control on 8 and that made me mad. But I did eventually stop looking at little things, and saw a BIG MOUNTAIN across the reentrant that had apparently always been there and that would have instantly let me know where I was. So that's the other learning. Look at the big mountain.
Course was thrown out due to misplaced control; sadly I can't use that as an excuse because it was moved back before I got to it. But I got that one fine, even in the right spot! So it did turn out being a model, w some good tips for the ultra. Plan for ultra is slow, plan high/low/contour routes on each leg (there's only 10 controls in 8.5k), use collecting features, have fun.

To the start (2.7 km) and from the finish

Middle Green (Voided because of #3) - Splits