Training Log Archive: tdgood

distance travelled 2.77 miles.
my left glut was really stiff/sore. It didn't bother me yesterday but really tightened up over night. I was worried how this would affect my run. My left knee was also not feeling great. Fortunately once I got going on the couse neither gave me much problem.
I did the model first which definitely helped. Don't trust the trails, rely on the big rock features, and use the contours where you can (although they are very hard to see in the rocky area. I enjoyed the model event so knew I would go home happy even if I did poorly in the middle.

#1: Took a long time to find the start triangle. Ran along the field the second tree and followed the "water" to the what I though was the junction. Went a littler farther and looked for rock. Saw the control. Phew, I was worried I would start off poorly but getting one control under my belt felt good. Time lost 10 seconds.

#2: I decided to play it safe and not go direct. I went back to field and got onto the trail heading towards #2. I went about 20 steps and the trail disappeared. I just kept going, up over the first hill and down to the first set of rocks. I got confused thinking these were the rocks where the control was. I went to the gap in the cliff and expected o see a control. It wasn't there. I did see the "hole" in the rock which several people crawled through. I lost time figuring out what was what then realized I was at the first set of rocks. I climbed over the cliffs and went directly to the control. Time lost: 30 seconds.

#3: followed the cliff initially then cut up to the eastern trail. Ran the trail to where it crossed the stream. Down the stream past the first set of cliffs where there were a bunch of people looking around. Right to the control. I read the map perfectly for this let which really boosted my confidence. No time lost.

#4: Should have been a short leg but I screwed up. The cliffs forced me left and I ended up in the reentrant southwest of the control. Tory was coming down the reebtrabt so this help confirmed I was in the right one. Wrong. I went further south. Finally I could see where control 3 was. I took a bearing and realized I was way south. I then went directly to the control. Time lost : 5 minutes. So much for my confidence.

#5: Down reentrant over to the trail. I could see Tory way up ahead. north on trail. I was expecting to run until the bare rock ran out but there was a break in the rock 1/2 up which caused me to hesitate. I should have been pace counting but wasn't. Realized I still had a long way to go. Continue running along edge of bare rock. Saw where Tory left the rock, which was the correct spot. Cut up the hill and almost missed the control. From the west it was hidden behind a boulder. I got lucky and just barely saw the top of the control over the boulder. Time Lost: 10 seconds.

#6: I could stiill see Tory way up ahead. Followed the bare rock. I thought I was passing the big rock but then I got to the big rock. Attacked from there. No problems, no time lost.

#7: Could still see Tory in the distance. I am gaining on here. went straight. Control circle hid the first reentrant so I pulled up short but only for a moment. Kept going right to the control. Time Lost: 10 seconds.

#8: Contoured around. Read map perfectly and cut over one cliff right to the control. Tory was high and I beat her to the control.

#9: i was confused on up/down on this one. I got into the rocks east of the control and had to climb over then. Tory took a much better route staying in the rough open and beat me to the control. Bad route but I will call it no time lost.

#10: Angled east to the trail, then the trail to the open area, across the road. No time lost.

#11: I wondered why they had the line bending in the rocks but I decided it was better t go north around them all. Unfortunately I was heading to 12 and not 11. The #11 circle was cut up to the point you cant see it. Once I realized I wanted #11, I came back into the slots between the cliffs. Tory right behind me. I cut up too early and was in a box canyon with no way out. I had to go back down and around. More time lost. This time up to the correct area. Guestimate I lost 2 minutes.

#12: I wasn't sure how to get out of the rocks but just headed up. Found a gap through and was off to the races. Initally I was trying to read the detail but then I realized this was the area you could see from the start with everyone running to the big boulder. I ran to the boulder and down into the reetrant. No time lost.

#13: very rough bearing just heading towards the trail. down trail to control. No time lost.

#fiinish: ran. Not sure I had to best line but I got there.

Total time lost: 8 minutes.

Green - Middle - Splits

Event: LAOC: Orienteering USA Nationals
 

Travelled 2.14 miles

My left glut was still sore but I was confident it wouldn't bother me while racing.

Before I get into the details of my run, lets talk the map first.
* The circles and lines were not cut and hid several key features.
* There was at least one spot where the north line wasn't cut and went directly over a critical junction.
* The control codes didn't have the option white border around them and were very hard to see when they put them overtop of buildings.
* I am not convinced the building were the correct color. I believe they are darker than they should be. I can barely see anything over top the building (like contours and the control circle/number. They had some purple hash overtop a building which I didn't even see until someone else pointed it out to me (i.e. it was too hard to see).
* I do not believe the map was checked for legality. I believe they have several features which are too small or to close together to be legible. This is especially true of the canopy areas which they used extensively but you can't see them becuase they are too small.
* The dual level was used improperly. The dual level areas were so small that the symbol couldn't be seen on the printed map, it just made things look confusing.
* There are trail junctions that have the trail edging directly through them so the junction doesn't look like a junction but more like a badly mapped overpass.
* The Start was a remote start (which was ok) but the problem was that a change of direction was required immediately. While this isn't technically illegal it is a bad practice as you have people moving in one direction and then expected to change. The better fix would have to have the remote start just be a control for people to punch so everyone has to slowdown and the change of direction is unfair.
* The first control on my course was used by many other courses (not their first) so there was an unfair advantage if you got there when someone else go there.
* The First set of controls for the advanced courses were in a building area which may the area very congested. Not only was it hazardous becuase of people sprinting around blind corners, it was slow if you got stuck behind someone moving slower.
* The spectator control was unfair to the first runners as they didn't get the advantage of seeing people go to it like later starters.

A combination of these things all conspired to make my life difficult and lose time.
* The course line goes directly through out of bounds area which I believe is a no-no. I.E. having a purple line through a purple hash????

Start: i had trouble finding the start triangle.
1: I had to make an immediate right which I almost missed. from the call up line to number one meant making a uturn which isn't a good way to start. I couldn't read the gaps (to small but successfully navigated them guessing they were all cut throughs. I was about 30 meters from #2 when I realized I was running to #2 and not number 1. The number 1 circle was very hard to see in the buildings and the #1 was totally off to the side and hidden in the building. Once I saw where it was on the map I went right to it. I had the advantage of other people going to it so didn't lose time knowing it was up the stairs. It was bad control description. They should have used top of stairs so it was clear it was up and not down. time lost: 40 seconds.

#2: since I had already been here I was able to make quick time navigationally but I was slow going down the stairs and there were people in my way in the final cut through (which you can't see because the control circle hides it).

#3: several people got burned by the canopy on the second floor which looked like it was on the main floor. I didn't. Ran out building to the control.

#4: before the start I had already seen that the spectator control was #4 so there was no hesitation on where to go for this control. I did have to yell at a kid who (not a competitor) who was blocking my access to the control. So much for an unobstructed spectator control. Time lost: 1 seconds and some concentration.

#5: Due east out of #4 and around that way. No time lost.

#6: Around the buildineng th to the steps and up the steps. by the top of the steps I was tired. No Time Lost.

#7: Due north around everything. no time lost.

#8: Around the construction then I got turned around in the trails. I still can't make sense of them. I was in font of the wrong building. Took me a few seconds to figure it out, then ran around the building but missed the cut through I intended and went to the one west of the control which added extra distance to get around the olive green. Time lost 25 seconds.

#9: Trails, cut through building, aruond building to the left. No time lost but getting tired.

#10: as I was approaching the area with the control, I could see everyone cutting back around the bushes to get to the canopy. I saw the control was under the bridge so did the same thing. It was very congested with people. I had to pass a slow person running along the building edge. Time lost: 1 second.

#11: I couldn't find #11 on the map. With the line 9-10 going through the building I couldn't see it. The only line was the one to 11 but I thought that was the control I had just been from. I started off in the wrong direction and finally just had to stop and search. I lost 10 seconds just standing there. When I finally found the control I was suprised to see it was a dogleg and right back the way I came around the buildings with multiple eople in the way.No problems getting to 11 but I did have to walk some up the hill. Total time lost 15 seconds.

#12: Walk up the steps. no problems to control. Just slow.

#13: Becuase of the north line couldn't see gap but guessed it was there. Slow but no problems. No time lost.

#14: I couldn't tell what we were allowed to cross so I went back down the steps to #11 where I knew there was a legal gap. No problems getting to the control.

#15: along the small buildings, around the big building to the main sidewalk alley. What the???? I was heading to #16. Where was number 15? I had to hunt for it again on the map as it was hidden in the buildings again. It was back behind me. Ran back to it. Time lost: 35 seconds

#16: to the control. No time lost.
Total estimated time lost: 2 minutes.

After the sprint, I drove down to the beach since I hadn't seen the pacific ocean in a few years. Drive down was slow but I got there. After paying $9 for parking I wanted to get my money worth, so after wading in the water for a while (the water was very cold) I walked up the beach and back.

Green - Sprint - Splits

Flew into Los Angeles early this morning. After sight seeing at La Braia Tar pits, I went to the Griffith Park Observatory. I parked part way up for free and hiked the 1 mile trail up and back. It was a nice view from up there.

Event: SVO Susquehanna Stumble XXIII at Rocky Ridge County Park
 

Course was advertised as 13K but clue descriptions had it 11.4. So it basically was a Blue course (as evident by Joe Barrett's time). The shorter distance was a huge win for me because 13K was pushing the distance for me. Also nice was that the Long stumble did the short stumble first then another loop. This meant we were with the short stumble people so there were more people to navigate with which was nicer.
I was wearing the camel back which I filled based on doing the whole 13 K by myself. Since we came back through the area I didn't need it as filled. I did sip it so helped keep my hydrated on a hot November day (low 70's and humid).

Route Gadget:
https://www.dvoa.org/cgi/gadget/reitti.cgi?act=map...

I got off to a bad start as I started heading to 14 out of the start instead of #1. Quickly realized I was off but this put me futher back in the back then I wanted. Decided to just take it easy and follow the pack. Followed to #1 and #2. At 2 I realized the lead pack was just about out of sight so I started reading the map (everyone now following me).

#3: Cut up to the road parking lot, cut through power line on an animal track. Went to small trail running NW-SE. I intended to take a small trail to the left of the control. Looking at the map I now see that the trail I was planning to take was actually a formline and didn't actually join the trail I was on. The contour color is very dark and easily mistaken for the trail. Someone else asked on the course if the contours on my map were black also. Anyway, I was looking for trail junction that didn't exist so ended up on the wrong trail. I went part way down and realized I was on the wrong trail so cut back up the hill towards the control. Lost some time but not too bad.

Window Order: A-C-B
Decided I would avoid climb and hit A first, the up the more open woods to C and trail to B. (I didn't like the look of A-B route so avoided that.).

A) Cut over to the trail, got onto the correct loop and cut into the woods. Apparently things went bad from there. The control was a charcoal platform but I was looking for a Boulder (stupid me). I was apparently to low and then everything fell apart. I didn't know where I was and floundered. I ran around trying to make sense but wasn't having luck. I saw some large cliffs and hoped they were the ones I though they were and corrected. As I got to where the control should be I saw other people cutting down to it.

C: up the hill to the control

B: Over to the trail. Down the trail. I cut in too soon as it turned out you could see the control from the trail.

7: Straight'ish. I was trying to read the rock as I went and only having moderate success. I saw the control below me and figured that since there were only stumble controls out here it must be mine. Joined up with Matt Smith again.

8: Angled up the hill (Would have been better to go back to the N-S trail.) Hit the trail at the top of the ridge but misjudged where I was. I was at the eastern form line hill instead of the western one so cut into the woods at the wrong spot. Hit the southern trail and was confused. Guessed where I was but didn't go far enough to verify. Still short of the control. Finally went back to the ridge trail, went to the trail junction and cut into the woods. This time the control was there. Person in QOC jersey (who I though was Lydia but turned out to be Addie) was in front of me. Since I was navigating poorly, I decided to just loosely follow them instead since they seemed to be doing better than I.

Window: D-E-F
Doing D first since I was following Addie to opted DEF so F would be a long trail run down the powerline.

D: I got onto a trail system but I didn't trust the trail system and was just reading contours. Addie was too low (or so I thought until she ran right to the control.) I was too high. Good thing I was following her.

E: No problems Got there just as Addie did.

F: Straight. Got there ahead of Addie.

12: trail run, through parking lot, trail across powerline, cut into area where contol should be but didn't see it. As I was standing there, Matt came from the other direction right to the control. Control was visible the way he came but hidded from my approach.

13: Since I didn't trust the trails, I ran back the way I came to the trail through the power line that I knew was there. Matt took the better northern trail and got ahead of me. I caught back up to him on the trail run. I have had this control before so ran right to it.

#14: up across the road and down the reentrant. Matt just in in front of me and he had a better line through the green so I followed him. As we got close to the control I saw Tom Nolan taking the trail heading towards the finish. Then saw Glenn Tryson leaving the boulder (but turned out not to be the one the control was at. Lost little bit of time climbing up the hill to the correct boulder. Matt still with me.

Finish: Decided to just go straight rather than the trail around. Long climb up the hill. Got there about the same time as Matt.
Drank gatorade and had a Gel. Good break. Looking at next map I couldn't tell what the next control was. There were so many lines on the map. I had to ask Brad if we were supposed to punch the spectator control. Brad sad next control was the window.

Window: G-H-I
Decided to take trails to G and play it safe instead of the more optimum H-I-G.

G: Through the two parking lots, down trail, down the hill, cross steam then up over the spur to the control.

H: Down the steep hill and up the steep other side. I was really tired now and the climb was tough. No problem.

I: Followed Cliffs. no problems

#4: I intentionally ran to #5, then to #4, then back to #5.

#6 : Followed lower trail to junction, up trail part way and cut corner to other trail. Followed trails to close to #6. I was little off and hit boulders west of control and had to cut over.

#7: Back to the finish. I took the trail this time.

#8: Around fence to the control.

Window: L-K-J
I was originally going to go J-K-L but when I got to #8 realized I was still at the top of the hill so I the high route to L instead.

L: Up to the parking lot, over to the softball field. No problems.

K: Straight. No problems. Finally able to read the rock.

J: Straight. Rock was making sense.

12: Took the trails. Mostly walking at this point.

Finish. Straight. but I got on the trail and took it around to the parking lot.

C • Stumble Weekend 2

LongStumble - Splits