Training Log Archive: o-darn

Did orange rec course (forgot to register before deadline) and decided to walk and on my technical orienteering. The course was on the easy side of orange, I think, with lots of features that made traveling cross-country relatively each as collecting features. However, I stopped three times to help people -- once just before 3 to help and older orienteer (brown course) who was lost; again just before the 9th control to help Ruth (age 84) who fell and hurt her ribs (and she was thoroughly exhausted), and again between 10 and the finish to help Ruth again, who was struggling up the hill to finish the course. In helping Ruth, I forgot to punch in at the finish until after talking to Candy and Keg Goode for about 14 minutes. Subtracting the approx. 16 minutes I spent helping others, I did pretty respectably, I think. I hit every control pretty much dead-on. There were a lot of handrails to follow and the controls were on fairly spottable features. I felt pretty good except just after control 4, with a short but steep climb.
My route to 8 might have been faster had I seen the trail on the other side of the thicket that would have taken me around the ridge -- circuitous but almost no climb. As it was, I took a pretty straight route and the climb was difficult, but my navigation was very good.
What I did well: I navigated well; good at setting and following bearing; good at identifying features on the map and in the terrain (though walls are pretty easy). I didn't let myself get stressed out.
To work on: seeing the "bigger picture" on the map (like that route around the ridget to control 8); my fitness; navigating at faster speed.

Saturday - Orange Rec - Splits

Did model event at Westmoreland Bird Sanctuary. First time using a thumb compass. Orienteered well except on leg, where I overshot a wall and ended up on a parallel feature 100 m farther downhill. Wouldn't have found it except another orienteer was also looking and found it. (He and I kind of compared notes after that -- I think I was navigating better than him, and he's a brown.) Lots of up and down, and I was tired. Right achilles tendon was bothering me. Stretched out a bit afterwards.
Did well: navigating. reading terrain.
To improve: fitness. pace-counting (couldn't keep track at all).

BAD sleep Saturday night; woke up with a headache. Stomach not feeling right but not exactly sick. Coffee helped (of course!).

What I did well: No real mistakes. Felt good physically, despite the heat. After being reminded by a scout leader talking to his troop, I used collecting features pretty well.

What I would like to improve: PACE-COUNTING. I didnt really even try, but I should have. Map reading! Are my eyes just getting old??? Reading terrain relative to map -- like counting reentrants on map to find where to turn.

Arrived an hour later than planned after making 3 bad driving mistakes. Totally lost confidence. If I hadn't brought watermelon and ice, and said I'd help, I would have gone home. mid-80s temp but a decent breeze and not too humid. So decided to do yellow. I would have been very discouraged had I had a bad course to day too.

As it should have been for me, the course was very easy. My map and terrain reading skills were pretty rusty, so I was glad for an easy start to the year.

Surprisingly, my legs felt strong and my breathing was ok -- better than I'd expected after an inactive summer. The running/walking at the lake probably helped, and the stairs I've been taking at work. Got to do more.

The only control that gave me any trouble was 5. I probably made a poor route choice: I could have gone up near the top of a hill and counted reentrants to get around to the other side. However, I totally missed that if I had gone up there, I would have hit a trail that would bring me right to th control. Instead, I sent down and followed a reentrant around the hill and counted the big reentrants to get to the right one. The main problem was that there was a fence with barbed wire and I was on the wrong side of it. Eventually, the fence was folder over and I could climb over it, wary of the barbed wire. Then up the reentrant to the trail, which I followed to the control.

Encountered a man with two boys and he sort of stuck with me for a few controls -- his first time out. The boys were friendly and having fun, and I stopped several times to teach them things, like reentrants and collecting features. I helped a few other first-timers, some in the Senior Olympics, Collectively, I probably lost at least 5 minutes by being helpful, but who cares?

Though I'd decided only to walk, because of the heat and not to overdo my first o out this season, I ran a bit and it felt remarkably good. Granted, it was mostly downhill or flat, but I did some short-ish uphills too that were easier than walking them. Gotta get out and trail run more often. Maybe some sprints at the park. And next week I can train at the lake and Bates.

A hornet honed in on my behind -- not pleasant souvenir. But o is not for woosies. ;-)

And needed to stop on emergency basis to use restroom before getting back to pavilion. Guess there was a reason my stomach wasnt feeling great.

Walked around lake 4 times with Midd friends on celebration Saturday. A little slower than I would have liked, and stopped several times to be friendly with other cabin owners.