Training Log Archive: BorisGr

WCC Long, M-Green

Took this at cruising speed - not pushing too hard, but not slacking either. Energy level was low in the beginning after spending the morning announcing for the team trials, but it got better as the race went. Pretty solid technically, with a lapse of 14 where I stayed too high and hesitated, losing a minute. A couple of questionable route choices early on seem to have worked out ok, and it was nice to get a win, even if it's on Green.

We then had a lovely time hanging out with the Campbells, BigWilly, and GSwede at lunch, and then more BigWilly in the evening before driving back to DC Tuesday morning.

Green Long - Splits

WCC Relay

We were Team Barnacle / QOCSU: Alli - Boris - Kenny.

A few minutes after the mass start, Alli returned with a dislocated finger that Tom Nolan successfully put back in place out in the woods. We found some ice (thanks Jen!) and taped Alli's hand, and she seemed ok after a while, just in some pain and a bit shaken up. Absolutely the right call to abandon the race and come back to the finish, even though Alli considered continuing on. I've got myself one tough wife.

After a while, we moved Kenny to the last leg of Giacomo's team, which was missing a runner. With Alli's blessing, I decided to 'mass-start' the last leg with Kenny when Giacomo came in.

It was the right decision, as it was a ton of fun to race head-to-head with Kenny. He was clearly stronger, especially on the hills, but I was able to get ahead on several route choices or Kenny's mistakes. I got ahead for the last time with three controls to go, but Kenny went by on the last uphill, and I had nothing left.

Thanks to everyone who helped Alli and me dealing with the injury, and our dog and baby! The names that immediately come to mind are Tom Nolan and Florence Tan, Jennifer Laughlin, Tori and Jon Campbell, Valerie Meyer, Amy Louden, Judy Karpinski...and I am sure there are plenty more I am forgetting. The orienteering family is just the best!!

Also, very proud of the Mid-Atlantic juniors racing well in the relay! Fun to see the youngest ones - Max and Patrick - anchoring their teams and racing to the end!

Warmup... though it was already plenty warm

Westchester County Challenge Middle Distance - Blue course

I went off to run after announcing, and it was very hot by then. While I was announcing for the team trials, Balter told me I would run the course in 51 minutes. To my amazement, he was dead on.

I started two minutes after the speedy Aidan, and did not expect to see him at all. I opened cleanly, if tentatively, since I hadn't raced in the woods since November or so. Almost right from the beginning I was walking most uphills - feeling both the heat and the lack of training. To my surprise, I heard Aidan behind me as I was coming down into 8. He caught up on the way to 9, and was gone up the hill to 10. I then proceeded to screw up 11, as I stopped too high on the slope and then turned the wrong way to relocate. A minute gone. To my surprise, Aidan came into 11 from the opposite direction at the same time. We split up to 12: I went low along the stream, he went high. As I came into 12, I could see him a couple of contours too high, sailing past. I did ok on the next couple, but then was too low on 16 and had to climb up, losing 20 seconds. This time, I was less surprised when Aidan appeared behind me.

He flew past to 17, and I could just see him drop down towards the trail on the left heading to 18. I decided to go straight, though in retrospect should have gone a bit right of the line to avoid the steepest sections. This leg shows up as a mistake for me, even though I executed cleanly, which means I was either far too slow, or my route was bad, or both. To my surprise, Aidan was just in front when I punched 18.

I ran after him to 19, but he went off too far to the right, so I went to the control instead. He flew past me for the last time as I walked up the hill to 21.

All in all, I was pretty satisfied for my first race back after a long layoff. Importantly, my knee that was operated on in February did not give me any trouble. The sciatica does not seem to have gotten worse, but it's definitely something I need to figure out, as it is quite painful, especially when standing.

WOC TT - Middle Blue - Splits

Event: Westchester County Challenge
 

Team Trials Sprint, aka my first attempt at running hard since knee surgery in February. This went about as expected. I could keep up a decent pace for about ten minutes, but then wilted quickly due to the heat and lack of training. This was not a difficult course: most of the route choice options differed by no more than five seconds, but it was still important to choose correctly and maintain good flow, which I certainly did not have.

It was fun to hang out at the finish and spectate the trialers, while keeping Inara from running off. I was surprised by the high number of mispunches by top athletes on a relatively straightforward course.

Splits: https://attackpoint.org/racesplits.jsp/race_28321

Jogging warmup, mostly with Alli.

Morning stretching and core, complete with Inara climbing on my back.

Elliptical intervals, 4x4 minutes. 2J!E.