Training Log Archive: Kat

Event: 28th Annual Billygoat Run
 

The Billygoat. I was right behind Sam in the beginning of the course, but my calves started to get really, really tight on the way to #3, so after punching I stood around for several minutes trying to decide whether to continue or whether to DNF. It was a mental struggle, but I decided to go on. So I walked uphill to (the eastern) #4. Then, while heading downhill, Kseniya caught up to me and after chatting a bit, I decided to run away from her. So I sped up and got #5. Then, Angelica caught up as well and we sort of ran together for the next 10 controls or so. By this point, I was feeling good again. My calves felt ok on downhills and flats and the navigation was going well for me. It was really fun to feel like I was running *with* someone, but at the same time, to be navigating on my own. Angelica strayed too far left on #15, but I contoured around the hilltop and hit it right on. I was careful to #16, not wanting to make a big mistake, and then careful again to #17. My route choice to #17 was solid, but I guess I was expecting to actually see a gray smooth rock ground so I missed #17 by perhaps 20-30 meters, ended up going into the green (perhaps even off the map), then coming back, not seeing it a second time, and having to relocate from the trail. I was quite frustrated by the time I found it. The control site really wasn't what I was expecting! But I pushed onwards. I actually made it through most of the course. It was #20 that killed me. By this point, all the main packs had passed and I was alone trying to find a rock on a steep hillside. I spent at least 20 minutes wandering up and down through the bushes trying to find the stupid rock. This again made my calves hurt a lot and after coming back to the top three times, I decided to give up and go down. This was a tough choice to make, but I think it was the right one.

Warm-up jogging before the start.

Event: Pre-Billygoat Sprints
 

Jogging before/between/after the sprints.

Running the first Billygoat sprint. I was very hesitant to the first control, getting a feel for the map, then messed up number 2 by several minutes. (Neil had started a minute after me and had caught up to me, but then started drifting too far left on the way to 2. Even though I sensed he was going too far and not in the right direction, I assumed he knew what he was doing and followed him.) After that, I was still a bit hesitant on some of the controls, but no more mistakes.

I aimed to jog the second sprint and get used to the woods and practice control flow. But despite going slowly (which I thought would make it easier to navigate), I made more mistakes on this second course than on the first one.

Spent today walking all over downtown Manhattan.

Easy jog with Boris in Fort Tryon Park so I could try out my new HRM/distance watch.

Biking up to Shotover with OUOC.

Jogging the flat grassy paths on top of Shotover Hill before and after the race.

EVENT: The first of the TVOC Summer Series sprint events, this one at Shotover.
COURSES: Each "sprint" in the summer series consists of three loops: X, Y, Z. So really, the event is not so much a sprint as three consecutive sprints without any breaks. Each person has a different order of the loops (I had YXZ) and comes back to the start/finish after each loop to exchange maps.
COURSE LENGTHS: X was 1.41 km, Y was 1.77 km, Z was 1.97 km.
MY RUN: This event was fantastic fun and I felt great after finishing! There was a mass start and I was confused about the start triangle and direction and therefore ended up standing at the start for 10 seconds, then taking the straight (and bad) route choice to the first control, so everybody was ahead of me then. But then I caught up to Helen, who had the same exact forking (YXZ) that I did and we kept passing each other during the first two loops (mostly because I was faster but she had better route choices), then finally I got ahead at the end of X and stayed ahead for Z. This is the first time I beat Helen and even though this was just a short event on a map we've both run on before, it's still significant. I'm really happy about it!!!

I had some bad route choices during the first two loops (I ran through a swamp, went through the green, went way around (which included a lot of extra climb) on one long leg, etc, but I sort of got it together for the last loop (even though I still had some questionable route choices there). It definitely helped that I've ran on this map a few times already - I at least had a general idea of where stuff was. Obviously I didn't know it well enough to have a clean run, but I still felt great during and after the race. Very fun!!

C • great orienteering! 2

Running to and from Port Meadow along the river while looking at the Cold Ash map from last term. Nice warm weather, but too many bugs! I wiped about 20 flies off of my body throughout the course of the run.

Core stuff, hip exercises, and some push-ups.

The toe is still swollen but at least it hurts less and I was able to go running. On the downside, my knees felt sore and there were occasional twinges of pain, probably from the fast downhill running I did on Sunday.

The scratch/wound from the wire fence is still bothering me. I went to see the college doctor about it today and he said it's a bad infection and prescribed some antibiotics for it. I hope the problem goes away soon. I had to wear flip-flops to the OUOC annual dinner because wearing real shoes hurt.

I didn't really mind taking today off. I intend for this week to be relatively easy.

C • infection 3