Training Log Archive: Sminarik

Day 4/5. I woke up this morning ready to turn over and not get out of bed the rest of the day. On the way to the course I felt increasingly worse. I vacillated between walking the course and not competing at all. A few minutes before the course I sucked down a caffeinated gel and made it to the start about 2 minutes after my call up and hopped into the start triangle. No turning back now unless I wanted to be hopped up on caffeine in the car for the next hour.

I felt good about my route choices and only bobbled a few times when I was distracted by others. Lesson of the day: Trust my route and my compass. The few times I silently chanted this mantra I nailed it.

Despite good navigation, I was still slow as molasses Gu, but finished in the top 30% not too bad for barely making it on the course.

Lesson of the day: Trust my mind and listen to my body.

Western States Day 2 Brown - Splits

Day 3 hitting the course in Wyoming, but it feels like day 30. My mind is definitely in better shape for orienteering than my body. Minimal errors today, but just so slow and achy on the course, which has me a bit down. I feel like I am in a new body since I've started training post - partum and I'm not familiar yet with my limits as an athlete, I just keep pushing beyond the aches and pains, for better or for worse, I'm not quite sure yet.

The new shoes I purchased yesterday made my feet much happier than normal and my attention to my blisters helped quite a bit, so I can't really blame my slowness on my feet like I did yesterday :)

Race analysis: I made a point today to utilize compass bearings and catching features in a more focused way today. I was a bit loose with those yesterday, which cost me a bit of time here and there. Today those two tools helped alot, but I was still a bit too careful aka slow.

Tomorrow I aim to use the same tools but to trust them more and go for it!

Another tool that was hit and miss was utilizing the unmarked single track. From 7-8 I tried to stay up on the contours to the left only to eventually realize there was a fast single track down the middle of the reentrant. And then I was so excited that this track basically led me to the control that I followed it out of 8 and let it lead me a bit off course.

Tomorrow I will keep an eye out for track along my route but be sure to keep an eye on my bearing a bit more.

I'm licking my wounds from today, soaking my sore muscles, resting and hope this all takes the edge off a bit. Overall I feel really proud to be out here with Forrest and giving it my all.

C • You SHOULD feel proud to be out there! 2

C • Analysis 2

Western States Day 1 Brown - Splits

Middle Brown - Splits