Training Log Archive: dlevine

BFLO's mini-rogaine @ Holiday Valley.

Looked at the course and thought I could get them all within the five-hour period. Despite getting lost once, I succeeded. Alas, feet beat me by over two hours - though at least I was second.

Start: Up hill to #10; Ralph behind me. No one else attacked this one first. 4:02.

To #18, across on the trail. Ralph does not seem to be behind me, but Patty Lyons is crossing in front of me. She must have done this one first; seems like an odd choice. 3:26.

Down to #23 with Patty disappearing in front of me as I cut through the woods and she takes the trails. Ralph later says he saw me going in to #23, but I didn't see him. 7:06.

Up the fall line and then over on the trail to #8. I wanted to be out of the ski area in half an hour. Mission accomplished. I have now seen my last competitors of the day - until I finish. Really odd. 10:38.

Trail and road to #19; see the water stop, but skip it as it's too soon to need any. 12:42.

Up to road, cut in after clearing and then shoot down stream after trail. Control seemed to be way down there, but I can't be sure. Wanted to keep doing six controls an hour and it's now 50 minutes. On pace. 11:59.

Contoured over to trail, but seemed very low. In fact, I saw the structure with the big red roof as I cut over and I hit the trail very near the sharp bend. Decided to attack 27 off the trail by going down the stream. A bit longer, but safer. Saw my first two deer and my first bicyclist. 19:02.

Back up the stream; saw no one on this dogleg and realized I was alone for the day. Over the ridge and down to the stream, but found the wrong junction at first. 15:05. Slightly behind pace now, but not worried as I have a twenty-minute buffer AND the last few should be fast.

Up and over to an easy stream at #17. 6:00 Back on pace (exactly).

Went all the way to the trail junction, but still had trouble with stream. Kept going downstream and eventually found #25; not happy about this. Beginning to lose confidence. 15:19.

Up hill to junction and then trail to #13. 7:36. Just 3 minutes off pace, so things seem ok.

Over spur to trail and then up stream 50 m to #15. 10:45.

Sloppy out of control but found trail junction. Went down it, but not all the way to the next junction (which Jennifer said she did to great effect). Cut up hill and hit trail at junction in clearing. Thought I was at lower junction and set off; it took too long to get to the control so I decided I was on a new trail and took the "uphill" option instead. Found myself on McCarty Hill Road and then saw the tiny yellow blot that is the upper clearing. Back down the hill to the control which was properly placed, but still felt as it if were too far away. I must have been within 50 m of it earlier. 24:37. It is now halfway through my time and I have only 13 of the 27 controls. I think I can make it up at the end - or at least I hope so.

Up to trail and a boring run/walk to #12. 11:33

#2 should be a joyous run, but I took extra time to eat at the water stop and then found that the footing was really bad on the Finger Lakes trail. It is also starting to rain now. 16:57.

Down the trail to #14 as I see bikers 2-7 for the day. Some of the new trails are confusing, but I let the compass guide me and fortunately the last left turn is really obvious, not subtle as the map suggested. Down the trail until I actually see the flag. 10:14. First pure downhill leg of the day!

Out to trail, past the water and in to #16. Steep little approach, but at least it's little. Rain has stopped for now. 7:36. If I can get the next two in half an hour, that will leave me 75 minutes to return to the ski area and clean up the rest. Seems doable.

Back to stream and up stream bed/valley to #22. 9:47. Easier than I thought.

Up hill to complicated little trail system that doesn't seem to match map. I found the Finger Lakes Trail, albeit with blazes blacked out, but I recognized the east fork with the sharp bend. Went down the spur, but didn't see the bag. #21 was hanging on the downhill side of a conifer. Not sure how I feel about this, but fortunately I was too tired to have moved far out of the way. 9:44. I have 84 minutes to return to the ski area and "clean" it of the last eight controls. Seems plausible if I can make it up this hill.

Slogged up the hill to the trail and then took a new trail to the summit of the chairlift. It's raining again and I am exposed, but I chow down on some shot blocks and tell myself that the uphill is done. Pick off #3. 10:01. Need to watch the clock a bit.

Past Spruce Lake and careful around the top of the lift to make sure I get on the right trail. Eventually decide to cut through the woods to avoid a one-contour climb, but spike control #6. 10:11. Be careful with time... Come to think of it, I don't know the time penalties.

Tried to take the trail over to #11, but it seemed to wind in odd ways. Eventually decided to be safe and climb the 1.5 contours to the access road. Then in to the control with no trouble. 7:59. It is now just past four hours and I have five controls, all downhill plus the run to the finish. I should be fine.

Ski trail to bike trail to #7. 2:34. This is easy!

Heading to #4 is confusing. And I thought I was done with the uphill. Suddenly I feel slow and a bit confused, but eventually, I end up on the cross trail coming down to the junction and everything is fine. 9:22. Forty-five minutes for three controls plus the run-in; all less than 1K if I don't screw up.

Down the trail to the access road to the tower and down the spur for #9. The field near the tower was a bit thick and wet and my legs started to cramp as I tried to lift them through the greenery. 5:17.

Down the spur and back out to the trail, trying to contour it as much as possible. Dove into woods near #5, but was actually a bit high. Still, just go downstream and it's done. (No split.)

Tried to contour across, but the woods looked thick and my legs liked ski trails better, so I paid the climb price and cut over on the access trail. Didn't see the bag (#1) when I came out and realized that I had to look back over my shoulder. One more contour up to it and I'm done. 7:58 for last two controls. I have half an hour for the last 200m downhill. I think I'll make it.

Feeling smart, I avoid the stairs and run through the parking lot to "back door" the finish. Alas, I get through the door and see the food and gear, but no people. They can't have? Yes, the changed the finish (described initially as "this room") to the patio outside (and up the staircase). Ouch! But it's good to be done. 3:13 all told, for a time of 4:30 and change.

One bad goof (#20 - costing me 12-15 minutes) but otherwise clean. I could have (and should have) run more, but I set myself a goal and stuck to my pace well which was really what I set out to do, so I'm happy.

C • Congrats! 2

Random @15. Quick blitz due to lunch meeting

Another quick set...

Fooling with my watch, I tried to time "intervals of a given stroke". I wasn't looking at the watch for timing - just practicing taking splits. Afterward, I looked at my breast stroke intervals - 2:08, 2:07, 2:08, 2:08, 2:08, 1:04 (half-interval). I had no idea I was that consistent - probably just a fluke, but a wild one.

Two laps of the river trail at lunchtime. Legs were reminding me that Sunday was not their day of rest.

C • Isn't Saturday supposed to be your day of rest? 2

US Ultra-Long Championships

Rough on the way to #1, thinking, "if these are white woods...". Bobbled a bit leaving #2, but recovered well and was amazingly clean to #8. After a water break on the road, I turned an eight-minute leg into a 26-minute leg, effectively ending my run. Just for good measure, I made another big mistake on #10 (another 20-minute leg) and walk jogged the rest of the way back as my knee screamed on the downhill leg to the GO control and to the finish. 11th out of 16, but it should have been SO much better.

Since my knee hurt, I volunteered to coordinate and ended up picking up only the GO control...

UltraLong: Green X - Splits