Training Log Archive: kissy

Went out to Remarkable Flats and Diamond Bay to pick up the last of the controls and water points. It was an incredibly beautiful evening, with unbelievable light.

I felt much better running today on the Flats and navigating on the Diamond Bay map. The "it's a small world" moment of the day happened at a water control near Diamond Bay itself, when who should I run in to but Rick Oliver! Two Virginians meeting in the middle of Wyoming prairie land. So fine!

Green Y at Remarkable Flats; Day 2 of US Champs. This day started out fine...I felt good, ready to race. That was about to change, though. At the second control, I smacked my head very hard on the tree limb that was holding the control. I had punched and was getting ready to take off, when head and tree made contact. It almost felt like my brain got sloshed around. I kept running on towards #3, holding my forehead, feeling the beginnings of a headache. Found 3, headed to #4, when I started getting a little nauseous. Stopped behind a boulder on the way up to 4 and lost my breakfast. Not good.

I finished the course, having to stop one more time on the way to #11 to be sick. I was nauseous the whole time and my head hurt so bad. When I got in, I took a look and there was definitely a bruised, scraped bump on my forehead. I sat down for a while and felt a little better.

Other than feeling sick and not being able to run as strongly as I would like, my run was fine. I found all of the controls right on with no problems. It was kind of cool to see these wide open plains covered with orienteers, like little ants. The final slope towards the finish was especially fun to watch.

Even though I managed to eke out a 2nd place for the weekend, I wasn't happy with either of my runs. I needed better navigation on Saturday and better running on Sunday. I need to get those two in sync!

C • Maybe getting sick after hi... 3

US Champs: Green Y Day 2 - Splits

Green Y course at Diamond Bay; Day 1 of the US Champs. I hadn't been expecting too much out of this weekend since my intended training plan has been waylaid the past month or so. And the lack of O training certainly showed. I was drifting right or left on several controls, often finding the men's Green X control before my own. I also didn't feel as strong today as yesterday; that rough open sage stuff is just tough for me to get through.

Everything else about the day, though, was fabulous. I thought the course was a lot of fun, with some rocky terrain in the beginning and then the long open areas so familiar to anyone who has run in Laramie. If only I could have run faster. :-(

US Champs: Green Y Day 1 - Splits

Green course at East Pelican Bay. Quite a disaster at #7 with Phil and then a few more bobbles on 8 and 9. Then I settled down. Unfortunately, there were only 14 controls.

I felt fine physically, though, which is half the battle here.

C • Control 7 1

Ran the Green course today at Happy Jack. Took it a little easy today, still aclimating. The navigation went okay...not stellar, just okay. Luckily, this was not at all like the US Champs terrain.

And, I actually felt better than I had anticpated. Could breathe better, so this weekend might go well.

Collecting controls after the One-Man Relay. I didn't feel like racing today, so this was a perfect intro to the altitude. It didn't hit me as much as I was expecting, which is a good thing.

C • You made it! 1

Event: 2008 Laramie Daze & US Champs