Training Log Archive: Jerkface

I let someone talk me into doing the sprint. This was not fun. I had never been to Highland Park before and spent zero time looking at the map. Since none of my training has been for sub 4:00 marathon this early in my plan this really hurt. Made three major mistakes, the biggest being not even knowing there was a control 11 on the course. I spiked #10 and went to the finish. Coming up to the finish looked back the map for a second and knew my mistake.

Mango?

Sprint - Splits

Ran with Erin in Letchworth Park. Off road and often off trail. While the big logs are cut from the ski trails they really aren't cleared. A few of the up hill sections made the legs hurt.

Quick run before out volleyball match. Most of it was on an old railroad track. Rough on the soles but its nice to try out new routes.

Without any set course I set out to find the biggest white pine trees on a series of hills on the west side of Letchworth Park. Pretty much off trail from the time I left my car at the Portageville entrance. I must say there are some impressive deer trails in the area, they do things on hills that I needs ropes to do.

This was my second orienteering race in the last 20 years. ROC club meet at Rattlesnake Hill. I chose the red course against the advice some of the people in the starting tent. For the most part it was very easy. I finished 8 out of 12. My down fall was vegetation boundaries and one little knoll. The map had mature spruce forests as light green, while that was were I could run the fastest. My splits were either within a few seconds of the two fastest on the day or dead last.
By control: 1(5th) I took the road away from the starters tent mainly because I didn't know the terrain or vegetation. Turned right on the second trail and turned off just before the hard bend to the left. Was feeling great until I flipped over a hidden fence. Never saw it, but it didn't hurt just slowed me down. I hesitated as I neared the control, afraid that I flew past it. Thinking back now, I should have realized that the mature spruce forests real weren't light green to me. Treat them like a slalom and you can sprint through them.
2(4th) I let the terrain pull me to far to the East. I knew it was happening and corrected before I lost too much time.
3(11th) Vegetation boundaries must of confused me. I shredded my legs and lost over 6 minutes looking in the wrong location.
4(3rd) Very easy control. Lost more time(18s) here because I jumped off the road before the little creek and not after. Little did I know the creek had shale banks that dropped 20 feet on each side making it close to uncrossable.
5(4th) Easy control up a creek.
6(10th) Now vegetation boundaries started to effect me. I let it push me too far North. I figured that out when I hit the trail.
7(11th){lost 18:05 here} Total disaster. I could have gone back to my car, got water and a gel, ran back down the trail and got this control in half the time.
8(6th took a long stop at the water station) I picked a route farther west to ensure I got water. This control was silly easy.
9(4th) Short, steep but easy hill. I felt like I past 3 people on it, and tried to avoid them but took a longer route.
10(4th). Again I stayed away from another person leaving control 9. It cost me time. Now it felt like a track race to the finish.
Finish(2nd) Silly fast down hill.
Oh, I was also bleeding for my head. Ran down the side of my face, impressive.

Red - Splits