Training Log Archive: ernst

Registered for Boston 2020! A long-term plan for me - not my usual mindset.

C • Boston 3

Bike to work , all road.

Running home via CW, direct route, but around the hole at the end. Relaxed jogging - a little still from all the hopping and jumping at Pawtuck this weekend.

Blue Course again. Nominal distance 6.9km. I lost 12+ minutes on # 3. I mistook an unmapped seasonal puddle for a mapped marsh, which produced a perfect parallel error. On a third loop trying to find the hilltop N of the control, I finally relocated on the large marsh. Myopic thinking all the way!

But then it was near perfect for the rest of the race! Between 4 to 7 (water stop at top of Big Island) I passed the orange guy, another guy, then Phillip, then Jeff. Phillip and I pushed ahead afterwards, but I could not keep up with his Billygoat-style fast running over rucks and branches and up the hills.

I lost track of him to 8 but got him again at 9 where he seemed lost. I had a perfect attack, then a perfect route to 10, where he again approached after having overrun the control. Then he missed 11 pretty badly after forging ahead again. I very cautiously navigated to 11 which was in the black-dotted area NW part of the map. I hit it right-on, and never saw Philip again - He ended up finishing 5 minutes after me, but still beat me by 5 minutes.

That was so much fun! I felt like yesterday's events primed me good and I was able today to push ahead just like in old times.

I picked up 10 controls plus 2 night-O controls. A 2 km approach on Mt Road, then I picked the first half, then dumped them at the water control, then another 4 and back to the water control. So I had light loads. Finally with the full load 1.5 km down to base.

I enjoyed myself, and timed my moving as best as I could, navigation time at the controls not included. A few bobbles, but I took risky routes on purpose, for trainings sake. Ended up doing the 9 -10 route from the morning backwards. This confirmed that this was the optimal route choice. Then back, but S around to the "black dotted" area. Just having a fabulous time jogging in the woods. It is so marvelously dry. And the boulders are magic as always. And cooler temperatures helped keeping me energized. Good to get some mileage in too!

Another "two thumbs up" Camping Weekend !

Blue - Splits

Pawtuck Camping Weekend. Blue Course. No Garmin, so distance is estimated. Course length was 6.6 km. There was a long leg, where folks mostly went directly via green areas and beaver dams. So I wanted to see if I could challenge the direct route by detouring via the Woronoco Trail - that ended up being a flop. I was unable to read the twist and turns, and aimed off from a different corner than I thought. A lot of stopping and time spent relocating and correcting.
Also not used to orienteering in rough terrain - it has been so long. So just a slow slog through the course with several mistakes, inaccuracies, and no confidence in reading the map on the fly. I am rusty! But still fun running out there in the rough. And I was not too exhausted from it.

Wicked hard night-O. I had a tough time reading the map - fogging up intermittently. No wind, and I was sweating from eating all that yummy food at the potluck. I was able to keep up with the other runners except Ethan who, after being last at # 2, flew by - out of my league.

I crossed a couple times with Alex, but eventually was settling in with Alar, who was solidly navigating. So I acted as "vetter" with my on and off foggy view of the map. We talked loud about the navigation tasks - just like old Rogaine times! Ended up being a lot of fun doing it together. Mike?? joined us and contributed pace counts to the mix. I physically perked up the second half, no problem jumping around. Then there was a fourth guy, who was quite fast, he and I pushed ahead for the last 2 controls, but ended up having troubles with the last one but eventually spiked to the finish. I think we were 5th and 6th behind Ethan, Alex, Philipp, and ??.

A fun night-O. Physically taxing somewhat. Thank goodness, controls were hung high. Thanks, Jim!

C • Nice run! 2

Blue - Splits

Event: UNO Camping Weekend
 

I managed to pull myself away from some work stuff, so figured a lunch run was in order. Swung by the Sweet trail. Planned for a 4 miler but really enjoyed myself so I did the entire trail out and back. Nice and cool. The trail is so scenic with majestic boulders and beaver ponds full of aquatic life - although I did not have time to do wildlife watching. A few dog walkers out. And then back to work...

Biking to work and back, all on road. Busy at work. Not very ambitious to do a training. Nice cool and dry, would have been a day for rollerskiing.

Run to work, usual way.

Running home, first via town to W Foss Farm trail (1st mile on pavement warming up, then the usual home route with a loop around S Hole. Some logging obstructed the trail, and I had to connect via some slow woods. Grrr!
A wave of super-humidity in the air, possibly being pushed in from Florida ahead of Dorian. By later evening it all dried up again. Thank goodness!.

Bike to work, then errands on campus, then bike home at 4 pm.

Dover Pub Run. Red's Race backwards. Mile 1 leisurely at 8:30, conversing with Tom, then Damian and Brian. Then 7:05, an 7:11 still conversational, then I pulled ahead eyeing Derrick and ... (forgot name), but could not catch them - these final 2 miles at 6:50 pace with gradual uphill. Last bit slightly slower due to downtown road crossing. A good training, followed by anniversary social with free Taco bar.