Training Log Archive: Becks

The two races I ran in Ottawa were great. I was not good in the first and I was much better in the second. I also broke my Garmin strap and left at least one of my maps at Jeff's house, so will update on the weekend once Route Gadget appears. Thanks to everyone though - definitely worth the long trip, even for only half the races. I also enjoyed exploring Ottawa, using both Jeff's sprint map (very good) and going to the Canada Hall at the Museum of Civilisation. The Vikings made it to Canada, who knew?! (Probably shoe clone, if anyone who reads my log does).

C • Vikings 11

So, I just got a cheque in the post for $820, quite a substantial amount. I puzzled over its origin for a long time, and then realised - it's for the money that Rob "transferred" to my Bank of America account from his Bank of America account online at some point last week.

This is the most retarded thing I have come across in a very, very long time.

C • Really? 15

Jeff's Otervals course round Ottawa. It was a lot more than the 5.4km straight line route, and it was really fun. Some tricky problems posed by multi levels, and the canals. Ran in my New balance shoes as I didn't have normal trainers, so just kept the intensity light and footfalls soft. Gorgeous morning, and central Ottawa is beautiful. Was running out of time so sneaked across a road to the final start, and didn't do the devious final route to the finish. What do you think was best for that one Jeff?

There were a couple of points on the map where I thought things were more complex than they actually were, but I was always going on a route that meant it was easy to take advantage of this unexpected bit. A great example of this was the leg behind the National Art gallery, where I also massively startled a poor guy having his morning sneaky smoke.

A bit disappointed not to run the relay, but Rob and I had an excellent morning exploring after it so it was worth it.

Yey! Map!

http://sprintseries.org/doma/show_map.php?user=bec...

Jog/run to the start to warm up. Feeling pretty heavy, but alternate blister mechanisms (cut heel off old holey Inov8s and specific blister plaster) a great improvement.

Today's race was much better. After taking number 1 a bit slowly to get into the map, I was planning ahead much better. I saw both Alex and Katta out there, and both helped me to race. I was much more in control of the situation the whole way through today, and I felt light and strong, though not particularly speedy. My race was far from perfect, but it actually felt like a real race for the first time in year's. And winning was possible. Yey!

Start-1: I hugged the hill tops close to the lake and the last one pointed beautifully to the control, which I then fuddled by being on the wrong side of the hill as it was bigger than I expected.
1-2: Short leg, went a bit wobbly to hit the open bits. Was a loop far left worth it?
2-3: Out to the hilltops left of the line, bearing to the next hill tops from the thin uncrossable open marsh, see the smaller ponds to the right and then use the hill before to point me to the control.
3-4: All the way round to the left to avoid the green pinch points. Hopping from hill to hill, then a bearing from the corner of the big lake. Was racing Alex and she took some better micro routes at the end, but I pipped her to the control just.
4-5: Left of the small pond, maybe should have gone right. Very slow along the beaver dams, but a nice line into the control. A bit of hesitating in my brain when Alex disappeared, but not much actual hesitating I think.
5-6: Out to the road but fluffed re-entry, missed the left turn onto the right piece of land and ended up on the wrong piece of bare rock. Had to return and then bash through some greener stuff. Probably not worth the road, and the biggest mistake of the day. Katta passed me here. Might have run a bit fast along the road.
6-7: Took the right route and it took me forever to get around the pond, then fluffed the control. Didn't take an accurate enough bearing and drifted to the larger hill to the south. Relocated immediately but more time gone.
7-8: Fastest split, just joined the hills and then ran up the re-entrant motorway to the control. Mmm.
8-9: Really tough leg, features very subtle. Took it a bit more carefully and popped out on the pond to the left, so easy to drop into the control.
9-10: Left of the line and joined all the hill tops. Saw the crag on the start of the next one and used it to guide me in.
10-11: More hill top joining, nice rocky ridge pointing right at the control.
11-12: Compass.
12-13: Out of the fun stuff. Went a bit too S shaped here as I didn't want to go into the woods. Katta suddenly re-appeared from behind ?!
13-14: To the left of the big open marsh, across the flattish hill then skim the steep slope. Nice.
14-15: Hurting now. Across the pinch point, over the spur, around the little hill but it's the lower one, not the one the control is on the other side of. Katta gets in front again by going straighter.
15-16: Through the open bit between the marshes and fine map and compass from there.
16-17: Retarded. Wanted to go right for some reason, went way too far, and eventually had to run left till I saw signs of civilisation. May have thrown away second place here. Should have just gone left to the path, but didn't even see it. Doh.

But yey, fun, and a good result. It could still have been better though, which is exciting rather than annoying.

Jog to the start. Feeling a bit heavy legged bu blister plan of action much improved!

Short warm down with Katta and Ali until we bumped into Rob in the woods, and I walked back with him. Heels not hurting, but the plasters had slipped off and so I spent ages spraying them with saline, as the beaver dam goo was totally gross.

Course 7 Long - Splits

Event: Ontario Orienteering Championships
 

Alright! I am going to try and reconstruct my race from last year's Route Gadget, as I am waiting for a Western blot to run. Exciting first experiment in new lab time!

Edit: Map! Yey! http://sprintseries.org/doma/show_map.php?user=bec...

Overall, not impressed with my Middle Race. The aim was to start slowly, visualise well, and pick up speed and confidence in the terrain. Number one was easy, but then number 2 and 3 I was just running slowly, but not actually complementing the slow speed with sufficient brain work! Then Katta caught me, I fell behind her for a couple of controls, and that enabled me to get into the map. We were then taking different routes and going back and forwards till number 10, where I pulled away. On the track to 11 the bandages slipped off my heels and running became really painful, which was so frustrating as my orienteering was just about up to speed. So I finished pretty accurately, but hobbling.

I can do far better than that.

Control by control:
Start - 1: I went left of the line along the small trail, then a bearing up from the boulder. Bobbled to the right, saw the control pretty quickly.
1-2: Had no plan. At all. Wandered on a bearing, trying to make it fit. Nothing did. Did a tour of the local dot knolls to the right of the line, then finally jumped in from the trail and got it. Total mess. Two mins down already.
2-3: Again, no plan. Drifty drifty, oh, there's a path, oh looks, there's the huge crag way further to the left then I expected. Into the easy control sight. More significant time loss. Katta appears.
3-4: This control goes off last year's map, but I drifted to the open, didn't know where I'd popped out, then saw Katta get the control.
4-5: Sat behind Katta, finally got into the map. Too far right of the line, hit the stream, then a good AP in.
5-6: Time to rumble. Took the wiggly path route to 6, it was worth it. Count off the hill tops, drop onto the hill to the right of the crag, let the spur lead me in. The first spike of the day, at last.
6-7: Wow, the map is very different to last year. Across the flat bit, hug the hill bottoms, line of rocky stuff/crags to lead you in. No problem.
7-8: South on the path to the big open bit with the water channel. Round the trails and then in off the path bend on a good bearing. Spike. Pull ahead of Katta a bit.
8-9: Skirt the marsh to the big open hill. Take the wrong route off and get stuck in a sucky marsh. Up the form line re-entrant across the path and it's totally obvious where the control will be. Spike.
9-10: Across the hill tops, hesitatey, hesitatey. See Katta, think she's missed 9, not sure. Am too high on the hill and eventually realise I need to drop further down the slope. Too slow.
10-11: Out to the big trail, then fuddle the attack point. Feet have started to hurt and not focussing enough. Too many unclear trails. Not huge time loss, but still too slow.
11-12: Straight, almost too far right.
12-13: Followed the trails, no problem.
13-14: Tried to path it round to the slope edge, but lost the path and found the control pretty much by luck. Seemed closer to the path than I anticipated.
14-15: Along the re-entrant, out by the crag in the open, then bearing off the trail. Nice control site. Spike.
15-16: Pick along the hill tops, no problem.
16-17: Nice route, back near 7, then along the hills, across the rough open at a high point, and then across the flattish hill to the control. Happy with my route, but feet really hurting now.

So yup. Pretty rubbish from me. When you planned ahead this stuff made a lot of sense and was actually pretty easy. But sitting it back and letting it come to you did not work, and I did too much of that today.

Hopefully map to come! No warm down, shoes came off before I downloaded.

Joggy warm up but heels sore, so not really feeling massively excited about it.

Course 7 Middle - Splits

Ouch. Tried a loosen up jog this morning and failed. Got halfway down the stairs but heels very sore. So almost cried, then manned up and went to buy a ton of potential bandaging stuff instead. Rubbish.

Two minute start intervals on the long? I am going to have to work hard to stay in front of Katarina!

To the weekend!

What was supposed to be an Otervals session to make me feel fast and confident and light was actually a total bust. Neil planned a tour of all the worst bits of Ansonia (unintentionally, now I know why courses never go there), and my new shoes destroyed my heels in about 5 minutes, equalling no fun. I hit most of the controls well but was not at race pace, impossible to run strongly through rocky stuff when you can see the blood seeping through the socks on your heels.

Hannah's course next week! I think it will be more fun :)

http://sprintseries.org/doma/show_map.php?user=bec...

C • On the edge... 6

Gorgeous morning out on East Rock but felt very stiff. Need to sort out rubbish non-desk situation in the lab - intervals plus bad sitting position equals unhappy Becky. Still, there were lots of blue jays and the temperature was perfect - lovely.