Training Log Archive: davelevine

BP: 100 / 64

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Event: QOC Clopper Lake
 

BP: 114 / 71

Clopper Lake
Volunteering: Orienteering Instruction from 10:30 to Noon

I didn't get an overwhelming number of customers but there were enough to make me feel like I was needed.

Clopper Lake
Red (17 controls, 8 km, 250 m)

Actual Distance Traveled: 10.3 km

I did not feel like I had enough time to finish the 10.4 km blue course before 3 PM so I went with red instead.

Route choice to the first control was constrained by two obstacles, a creek and a highway. There were numerous places to cross the creek but there was only one of them that had a bridge; the highway was a different story. I might have been able to sneak under the highway by following the creek, but I decided to take the overpass instead.

I overshot the fifth control and doubled back. I found it after circling around for a few minutes. I thought I was too far from the creek but it turned out that I had been too close to the creek on my first approach.

The sixth control wasn't too difficult to find but I went through a lot of not thin vegetation on my way there. There was also a fence to climb over when approaching and departing the sixth control.

I got a little bit of help with the seventh control from a couple other people who caught up to me when I was very close to it. I'm sure I would have found it on my own but I appreciate the help.

I cut through some more thick vegetation, instead of taking the trail, from 7 to 8. I got to where I expected to find the eighth but it wasn't there. I turned to my left and spotted it partially hidden behind a tree.

I once again got some help from another person when I was looking for the ninth control. I was about to walk past it when this other person coming from another direction pointed it out to me. When he checked the number on the control he realized it wasn't the control he was looking for.

The sixteenth control gave me more trouble than it should have. My big mistake here was mistaking one side of the peninsula it was on for another. I circled around for a few minutes before, after walking right past it, I turned around and saw it.

I had a good time at Clopper Lake. I thought it was a great course. I hope next time I have enough time to try the blue one.

The weather was damn near perfect.

Clopper Lake
Control Pickup (8 controls, 2.4 km)

Actual Distance Traveled: 3.6 km

I had already changed clothes when the meet director asked if I could help out with control pickup. I was a little more careful than I otherwise might have been because I wasn't dressed for orienteering.

I mixed up a couple of fields and roads on my way to the first control. I knew something didn't feel right but it wasn't until I had passed the control and kept going for a litter ways before I was able to put two and two together and get four.

Once I found that first control it was very straight forward and easy until I was looking for the eighth and final control. I went down the hillside toward the stream, as I should have but I misjudged where I was and turned right instead of left and looked for a while in the wrong area. Eventually I saw the light and tried looking where I had not yet and found the control fairly easily.

The walk from start to the first control and from the eighth control back to start could have been shorter distance wise but I insisted on crossing at the bridge which involved a big detour and probably added a half km or more to the total distance I traveled.

The fourth control I picked up was a water control. I emptied the two half full gallon-sized water bottles and carried back the one unopened gallon of water. I would have preferred to leave the water control for last but it just didn't make sense to me at the time to do it that way.

While these controls were not difficult to find none of them were part of the red course.

Red - Splits

BP: 100 / 67

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BP: 114 / 70

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BP: 99 / 64

Patuxent - Hiked most of the major trails taking a very similar route to the hike that I did here last August. The only change was to add about a mile at the end of the hike by returning to my car on the trail instead of along the road.

I saw a few vehicles, some grounds people, and crossed paths with a couple people on horse back but I didn't encounter any other hikers.

I stretched at home before leaving but did not stretch before starting my hike. The 50 minute car ride to the park was enough to leave me feeling a little tight in my left hip. I could feel it as soon as I stepped off but hoped that it would dissipate over time. It didn't. I stopped at the 6, 9, and 12 mile marks and stretched for a couple minutes, that helped. Next time I will stretch before stepping off.

This was my next to last hike in preparation for the 25K Hyner View Trail Challenge on April 23. I'm feeling pretty good about my level of preparedness but I have no idea how long it will take me to finish.

BP: 111 / 71

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