Training Log Archive: jtorrancIn the 30 days ending Sep 30, 2014:
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Tuesday Sep 30, 2014 #
Cycling 50:00 [3]
To work.
Cycling 4:42 [5] 2.44 km (1:56 / km) +5m 1:54 / km
MBT time trial southbound on the way to work. Feeling better than the previous evening but not great. Will have to be nice to myself, get enough sleep and so on, for the next few days leading up to Rochester.
Monday Sep 29, 2014 #
Cycling 28:00 [3]
To work after returning rental car and home after work.
Cycling 5:17 [5] 2.44 km (2:10 / km) +25m 2:04 / km
MBT time trial northbound, legs not feeling like they had a lot in them and the time showing it.
Sunday Sep 28, 2014 #
Hiking 3:00:00 [1]
Some tidying up of the model event terrain and white/yellow course terrain at Fountainhead in response to Nadim's comments on the map. Just over 5 actual hours on my feet.
Saturday Sep 27, 2014 #
Event: QOC Swanson Road
Note
West Education Campus 5K at RCP, Fitzgerald Tennis Center - one more road 5K before the A meets begin? No, took a pass on this - just as well since my hamstring got a bit unhappy with me three controls into the red course at Swanson Road even without a 5k preceding it. No hard running for me until Friday in Rochester.
Also took a pass on 'cross country' 5K at US Soldiers and Airmens Home, with start allegedly at Abraham Lincoln's cottage on the grounds. Scare quotes since course map indicates the course was maybe two thirds paved road and 1/3 gravel road. Apparently they had Joan Benoit Samuelson lined up as race marshal.
Also took a pass on 'cross country' 5K at US Soldiers and Airmens Home, with start allegedly at Abraham Lincoln's cottage on the grounds. Scare quotes since course map indicates the course was maybe two thirds paved road and 1/3 gravel road. Apparently they had Joan Benoit Samuelson lined up as race marshal.
Orienteering race 1:02:40 [4] 7.13 km (8:48 / km) +330m 7:08 / km
QOC Swanson Road Red - not quite a full effort due to left hamstring giving warnings. Messed up on 4 and 6. 4 I navigated right to then failed to see the bag hung up high among the lower leaves of the tree it was hung in maybe not quite on the advertised side of the feature - I didn't stay to check that carefully once I had gone away to check out other possible locations and them come back and seen the bag as I was passing by the control feature ~20m to the west. 6 was an area where the mapping of several reentrants seemed particularly shaky. Nevertheless, given the map he had to work with (which we should be able to improve greatly before its next use), a respectable first solo course setting outing for Craig Shelden and a nice run in the woods.
Friday Sep 26, 2014 #
Cycling 50:00 [3]
Commute.
Cycling 4:26 [5] 2.44 km (1:49 / km) +5m 1:48 / km
MBT time trial, southbound.
Running 9:00 [1]
Warmup/cooldown.
Form exercises 5:00 [4]
Silly walks.
Running 4:04 [5] 1.18 km (3:27 / km) +9m 3:19 / km
Roosevelt loop.
Thursday Sep 25, 2014 #
Cycling 50:00 [3]
Commute.
Cycling 4:29 [5] 2.44 km (1:50 / km) +5m 1:49 / km
MBT time trial, southbound.
Running 8:00 [1]
Warmup/cooldown.
Form exercises 8:00 [4]
Silly walks as additional warmup.
Running 4:02 [5] 1.18 km (3:25 / km) +9m 3:18 / km
Roosevelt loop. Time a bit of a question mark. Mapsource actually says 3:59 for the duration of the track I recorded but I'm going by what my watch said immediately after finishing. Of course, it also claimed the loop was 10m shorter than all the previous times I've run it. I can't see how but maybe I managed to hit stop accidentally slightly before the actual finish.
Wednesday Sep 24, 2014 #
Cycling 26:00 [3]
Commute in.
Cycling 4:23 [5] 2.44 km (1:48 / km) +5m 1:47 / km
MBT time trial southbound, with road tires on my bike again.
Note
Weight is getting into the ballpark of what it was during my better competitive years - still a few pounds to go. Idly checked just now and I'd have to lose roughly 11 more pounds to, all else being equal, raise my VDot back up to its historic high. Of course, any realistic program to lose that much would almost certainly produce not just weight loss but cardiovascular improvements - it's not as though my weight wasn't over 160 (not sure how much over but definitely over) when I set my 5K PR in 2007. Unlikely I'll ever see 159 lbs from below in a non-dehydrated state but it will be interesting to see what weight (and speed) I stabilise at with a continuation of current dietary and training practices, my body willing - one serious injury to stop me training and all bets are off about my ability to avoid regaining some of the recently lost weight purely through dietary discipline.
Tuesday Sep 23, 2014 #
Cycling 50:00 [3]
Commute.
Cycling 4:33 [5] 2.44 km (1:52 / km) +5m 1:51 / km
MBT time trial in the middle of the ride to work. Atmospheric conditions probably neutral to slightly favourable but still had off road tires on the bike from Sunday so speed records not under threat.
Running 12:00 [1]
Warmup/cooldown.
Form exercises 10:00 [4]
Silly walks.
Running 4:06 [5] 1.18 km (3:28 / km) +9m 3:21 / km
Roosevelt loop.
Monday Sep 22, 2014 #
Cycling 50:00 [3]
Commute.
Running 14:00 [3]
Warmup jog in Rock Creek Park plus cooldown returning home.
Form exercises 10:00 [4]
Silly walks as darkness was falling.
Sunday Sep 21, 2014 #
Event: QOC Lake Accotink
Cycling 1:05:00 [2]
Non-Metro parts of getting to Lake Accotink and back. Could have been shorter but I didn't make it to Columbia Heights in the morning quite in time to catch the first train so I continued riding to Foggy Bottom to intercept the blue line train I would have transferred to there.
Cycling race 43:09 [4] 8.8 km (4:54 / km)
Lake Accotink Advanced MTBO - hadn't entirely appreciated when I set MTBO courses here a couple of seasons ago just how much rougher/strewn with minor human-installed obstacles the trails are than the ones at Rosaryville. Fun trying to navigate a denser trail network at speed - course was less route choicy than what I did but probably calling for a bit more split second decision making in consequence, rather than pondering route choices on long legs. Was fairly clean, just under 2 minute lost says AP to one poor route choice (should have taken the time to turn the bike around and leave the control in the other direction from 7 to 8), one map problem and one silly riding past the finish and having to come back up the hill, and had plenty of power to the pedals, when called for, but I'm sure I was losing lots of time on the more technical sections of trail to more confident descenders and bunnyhoppers of small logs laying across the trails. Still, good enough for second place. I wonder what it would take to interest Jeff Dickey (1st, just over 5 minutes ahead) in the national team - my impression is he may be too successful in straight MTB racing, at least locally, to be tempted.
Orienteering race 56:45 [4] 7.4 km (7:40 / km)
QOC Lake Accotink Red - second again, much closer behind Ken than I was behind Jeff Dickey in the MTBO, with a slightly less clean performance that a compass probably would have ameliorated. Will be satisfied with that, especially the fact that the hamstring tweaked in the 5K a week ago Saturday didn't complain, during or afterwards.
Saturday Sep 20, 2014 #
Note
Lake Needwood Cross Country 10K? No, morning was given over to A meet planning, with site visits to the start and finish areas at Fountainhead and Hemlock Overlook.
Cycling 20:00 [3]
Return from downtown, stopping at the library to help with the book sale in progress, mostly the all hand on deck packing up and getting unsold books not being sold on to Better World Books back upstairs into our assigned storage room.
Friday Sep 19, 2014 #
Cycling 15:00 [3]
Cycling to the library in the morning to help set up for book sale then downtown to pick up rental car on the way to work.
Thursday Sep 18, 2014 #
Cycling 1:03:00 [3]
Most of the days utilitarian cycling.
Cycling 4:25 [5] 2.44 km (1:49 / km) +5m 1:48 / km
MBT time trial southbound.
Note
Hamstring feeling mostly back to normal but I think I'll let running wait until orienteering on Sunday. If that goes off with no warning signs, let alone problems, I'll resume a more normal mix of running and cycling next week.
Cycling 19:45 [5] 9.06 km (2:11 / km) +63m 2:06 / km
CCT time trial, a bit slow with legs apparently feeling the effects of doing it two days in a row on top of the shorter hard efforts on the way in to work for mornings in a row. Time to take a couple of easy days, which I conveniently need to do to fulfill other commitments tomorrow and Saturday anyway.
Wednesday Sep 17, 2014 #
Cycling 1:20:00 [3]
Non-intense parts of commute plus riding out to Bethesda for an A meet planning meeting.
Cycling 4:32 [5] 2.44 km (1:51 / km) +5m 1:50 / km
MBT time trial southbound.
Cycling 19:21 [5] 9.06 km (2:08 / km) +63m 2:04 / km
CCT time trial on the way to Bethesda.
Tuesday Sep 16, 2014 #
Cycling 50:00 [3]
Non-intense parts of commute.
Cycling 4:40 [5] 2.44 km (1:55 / km) +5m 1:54 / km
MBT time trial southbound, with twice having to slow because of large trucks of earth movers crossing or threatening to cross the path.
Monday Sep 15, 2014 #
Note
Photo caption in an article on the Guardian's web site - "Fongafale Island, the capital island of Tuvalu, is about 150 meters (less than 500 miles) wide at its widest point....". Perfectly true, I don't doubt, but I nevertheless hope someone is in for some remedial lessons on SI versus Imperial units.
Cycling 15:00 [3]
Most of the ride from rental car return to work.
Cycling 4:37 [5] 2.44 km (1:54 / km) +5m 1:52 / km
(injured)
MBT southbound into a slight headwind. Legs a bit lacking in pep - fatigue combined with a cold that blossomed overnight on Saturday.
Sunday Sep 14, 2014 #
Event: QOC Clopper Lake
Orienteering race 1:17:10 [2] 8.6 km (8:58 / km) +250m 7:50 / km
(injured)
QOC Clopper Lake Blue - lovely day on a new (though previewed at a summer series event) map. Had been undecided as to whether to walk, jog or some combination but moving around the area in the hour or two before starting, I convinced myself I was capable of jogging without feeling any new damage taking place in my left hamstring. So I started out jogging and being very careful about where I placed my feet, figuring the main risk of turning a mild muscle strain into a severe one was taking a fall, and it turned out I was able to keep that up to the end. A few route choices I could second guess but I think no truly bad ones. No problems executing with my effort level so far below red line resulting in a very clean run. I'm nevertheless surprised to have ended up 2nd, faster than Ted, Victor, and John Campbell. Though if AP time lost estimates are to be believed, it would have been virtually a dead heat with Ted and Victor if they'd run clean.
Saturday Sep 13, 2014 #
Cycling 25:00 [3]
Getting to race and then to pick up rental car afterwards.
Running race 19:20 [5] 5.0 km (3:52 / km) +50m 3:41 / km
Bulldog-Eagle Cross Country 5K - 3rd overall, precise time is a guess, not sure whether that's the best result I've had in I think 4 times running this race. I don't recall being quite so close behind the winner (18:55) in any previous running. Unfortunately, my weak link of a left hamstring didn't like something that happened during the race - nothing severe enough to stop me finishing in style but it stiffened up and felt fragile rapidly thereafter. Hopefully it's only the lowest level of severity when it comes to muscle strains and giving it several days to a week of lighter duty will suffice for a full recovery.
Friday Sep 12, 2014 #
Cycling 50:00 [3]
Most of commute.
Cycling 4:15 [5] 2.44 km (1:45 / km) +5m 1:43 / km
MBT time trial southbound, at least slightly wind-aided.
Thursday Sep 11, 2014 #
Cycling 1:05:00 [3]
Most of my commute.
Cycling 4:58 [5] 2.44 km (2:02 / km) +5m 2:01 / km
Seriously wind-slowed southbound MBT time trial.
Cycling 19:12 [5] 9.03 km (2:08 / km) +63m 2:03 / km
CCT time trial on the way to PCRM in very humid conditions.
Wednesday Sep 10, 2014 #
Cycling 26:00 [3]
Most of the homeward commute.
Cycling 5:01 [5] 2.44 km (2:03 / km) +25m 1:57 / km
MBT time trial northbound.
Running 12:00 [1]
Warmup/cooldown.
Form exercises 14:00 [4]
Silly walks and uphill sprints.
Running 4:07 [5] 1.18 km (3:29 / km) +9m 3:22 / km
Roosevelt loop.
Tuesday Sep 9, 2014 #
Cycling 26:00 [3]
Most of the commute to work.
Cycling 4:24 [5] 2.44 km (1:48 / km) +5m 1:47 / km
MBT time trial on the way to work.
Monday Sep 8, 2014 #
Running 24:00 [2]
Recovery jog on the trails near home - felt needed after two hard race efforts the previous two days. Used headlamp again.
Sunday Sep 7, 2014 #
Event: QOC Occoquan
Orienteering race 1:01:20 [4] 8.3 km (7:23 / km) +310m 6:14 / km
QOC season opener in Occoquan Regional Park - quite unfair victory on Blue given I was the sole fieldchecker for the current version of the map and made a few updates just the previous weekend. Still a good woods running workout and it's at least conceivable I could have made a big error running without a compass. Even so, my terrain familiarity is such that I got away with some quite sloppy practices when it came to map reading and thumbing - will have to do better at next few events leading up to the A meets of October.
Nice to see a park all abuzz with orienteering on a fine weather day (though it turned out a bit hotter and sunnier than the forecasters had managed to give the impression it would as the storms were passing through the previous evening).
From comments afterwards, would have been good if Sid, in view of the options on some of this long legs, had thought to add some OOB marking along the north edge of the map and in some woods north of the eastern part of the terrain that have never seen a field checker. In fairness to him, it was a rushed job of course setting for reasons beyond his control. Though he totally could have managed not to mishang one control I'm certain of (too high and far north on a spur and easily checkable by taking a bearing to a couple of reentrants to the southeast) and maybe another. It also would have helped if I had had time to survey and draft all the areas in the western quarter or so of the park that are passable woods in winter but seas of impassable or nearly impassable vegetation in summer.
Had mild delayed onset muscle soreness in calves this morning, not enough to hinder me orienteering, though they now feel somewhat worse in the aftermath of the O meet. Inner thighs weren't bothered at all this time, in marked contrast to after the 5K two weeks ago.
Nice to see a park all abuzz with orienteering on a fine weather day (though it turned out a bit hotter and sunnier than the forecasters had managed to give the impression it would as the storms were passing through the previous evening).
From comments afterwards, would have been good if Sid, in view of the options on some of this long legs, had thought to add some OOB marking along the north edge of the map and in some woods north of the eastern part of the terrain that have never seen a field checker. In fairness to him, it was a rushed job of course setting for reasons beyond his control. Though he totally could have managed not to mishang one control I'm certain of (too high and far north on a spur and easily checkable by taking a bearing to a couple of reentrants to the southeast) and maybe another. It also would have helped if I had had time to survey and draft all the areas in the western quarter or so of the park that are passable woods in winter but seas of impassable or nearly impassable vegetation in summer.
Had mild delayed onset muscle soreness in calves this morning, not enough to hinder me orienteering, though they now feel somewhat worse in the aftermath of the O meet. Inner thighs weren't bothered at all this time, in marked contrast to after the 5K two weeks ago.
Saturday Sep 6, 2014 #
Running race 17:32 [5] 5.0 km (3:30 / km) +10m 3:28 / km
National Press Club Beat the Deadline 5K - no QOC team, just Tom Nolan and I, him second in his age group, me third. Field absolutely stacked compared to previous year - three at or under 15:00, all bettering the 2013 winner's time, next 6 runners all faster than 2013 second place. My time would have put me 5th last year. Flatter course than two weeks previously, weather conditions slightly less favourable. Regardless, very pleased at the improvement of 59 seconds in two weeks. Running fast in training helps you run fast in competition - who would have guessed?
Hiking 2:00:00 [1]
Almost 3 hours of field checking in brutal heat/humidity, discounted for much standing still.
Friday Sep 5, 2014 #
Cycling 50:00 [3]
Most of my commute.
Cycling 4:42 [5] 2.43 km (1:56 / km) +5m 1:55 / km
MBT time trial southbound, into a bit of a headwind.
Thursday Sep 4, 2014 #
Cycling 50:00 [3]
Most of my commute.
Cycling 4:18 [5] 2.44 km (1:46 / km) +5m 1:45 / km
MBT time trial southbound.
Running 13:00 [1]
Warmup/cooldown.
Form exercises 14:00 [4]
Silly walks and uphill sprints.
Running 4:09 [5] 1.18 km (3:31 / km) +9m 3:23 / km
Roosevelt loop again, sandwiched between the silly walks and the uphill sprints.
Wednesday Sep 3, 2014 #
Running 10:00 [1]
Warmup/cooldown.
Form exercises 5:00 [4]
Silly walks.
Running 4:09 [5] 1.18 km (3:31 / km) +9m 3:23 / km
Roosevelt loop.
Cycling 50:00 [3]
Most of my commute.
Cycling 4:22 [5] 2.43 km (1:48 / km) +5m 1:47 / km
MBT time trial southward bound. Definitely downhill - I'll have to check Google Earth and see just how much so.
Running 1:05:00 [3]
Trail run in Rock Creek Park. First with a headlamp of the season.
Tuesday Sep 2, 2014 #
Cycling 46:00 [3]
Most of my commute.
Cycling 5:37 [5] 2.43 km (2:19 / km) +25m 2:12 / km
MBT time trial homeward bound again, into a noticeable headwind.
Monday Sep 1, 2014 #
Hiking 2:00:00 [1]
Another fieldwork session, this time doing some minor updates of Occoquan before the QOC season opener next weekend. Added a few rootstocks, drew the edges of some meadows more accurately, and decided what to do in areas where I had formlines on the previous 2.5m contour interval version of the map now that I'm converting it to a 5m contour interval (still with a lot of formlines that used to be regular contours but removing a lot of the ones that conveyed no added information, particularly in steeper parts of the terrain). Also, since we've only previously run here in winter, added one massive blob of dark green to the map in an area that's overrun with kudzu or an imitator at this time of year. A lot of the edges of forest areas were much, much thicker than in winter but fortunately the nice, white woods were still nice and white, just with somewhat lower visibility and scattered patches of stiltgrass, particularly near streams.