Training Log Archive: oxensd

Middle distance at Deer Creek Hills, same venue as yesterday and same beatiful rolling hills. Fairly sunny today, no rain. Fun course, 20 controls over 5.3km, not very difficult navigationally owing to the very open terrain. More like a sprint race. In red I competed against the entire junior national team, plus a number of fast M45s. Results were accordingly, my running speed is at least 20% less than the fastest M45s.

No mistakes until #6, came too far right and lost about 10s.

#11 misread the spur for a reentrant, saw the nice big reentrant just north of the spur, got confused and started going up the next spur before I turned around, realized what had happened and saw the control. Helps to read control descriptions! 1 minute.

#13 many people went straight over the hill but I wanted to save 10m climb and went around somewhat, but ended 50m too far south. 20-30s.

#16 had seen it on my way to 13, but didn't help, I was tired and came too far S, then saw a control which turned out to be the root stock at the intersection, turned around and saw my control. 30s.

About 2 minutes lost in all. Fun race, thank you BAOC!

Map and GPS here:
http://www.oxenstierna.com/davidoxenstierna/orient...

Middle - Red - JWOC Trials - Splits

First race of the season for me, after all the schedule challenges in Jan & Feb, and vacation in Gran Cayman (and great scuba diving) earlier in the week. Super happy I made it out to California as the terrain is gorgeous, some of the prettiest I have raced in, with the rolling emerald green hills, little creeks, strange ice age-deposited rocks, and graceful blue oak trees everywhere. At times felt like I was in an old Western movie set!

Race was super fast, essentially a long woodland sprint of 9.5km, which definitely is not my forte as I am not fast & not in great shape yet, am 15-20% slower than the best runners in M45+. It had been raining which made the grasslands rather wet and heavy, which I certainly felt in my legs. In hindsight perhaps should have signed up for green instead but the long race was enjoyable regardless even though I didn't place well simply owing to slow running.

Navigation was mostly fine, lost maybe 30s on #3 as I ended up a little to the west; 2.5 mins on #9 as I came down a little low and didn't see the control (must have run very close past it) and ended up in the next reentrant and on the paths before figuring where I was.
Came down low on #10 and decided not to run back up to the "mandatory" fence gate, I was able to slip in between the barbed wire with no damage to me or the fence. Strangely seem to have lost 20s, odd as my path was straighter.
#15 came a little south of the control, 15s.
#16 probably lost 10s by running a little too low on the hill to the lake, lost 5m altitude and some distance.
#21 shows how slow my running was at this point, no navigational mistakes and open fields but I lost 20-30s vs peer group on a 3 minute run.

Probably 3.5 minutes in total, but running speed is 15-20% slower than the best in the M45+ group.

Regardless a hugely enjoyable race. Afterwards I drove to Folsom and enjoyed the old gold rush town, now converted into a upscale arts and crafts town. Later in the afternoon drove around Gold Country extensively and enjoyed the beautiful vistas.

Map and GPS here:
http://www.oxenstierna.com/davidoxenstierna/orient...

Long - Red - JWOC Trials - Splits

Event: GCO: California Orienteering Week (COW), Part 2
 

At gym in the Kimpton Seafire resort, Gran Cayman