Training Log Archive: maprunner

West Point, day 2
I was determined not to have the same problems as yesterday. But that was going to be hard, when I realized that another F50 runner was starting only 2 minutes after me. I took it as a real challenge.

I had a hard time getting into the map as I ran along the road towards 1, but I worked hard on concentrating my focus. By the time I got to 1, I was doing OK. Continued on to 2 just fine, and had a bobble on 3. But this time I stopped and looked at my map and figured out where I was and where I needed to go. I did have some help, as the other F50 runner was approaching 3, to confirm where it was.

So now I had a really big challenge: we were together going to 4. She was faster and was ahead of me on the trail. I kept telling myself to ignore her and read my map. When the trail ended, she stopped and I passed by. I felt confident of where I was and where I wanted to go. I told myself to keep going and not look back, and this time it worked! Hit 4, and didn't see her again. (For a while, at least).

This course was more physical than day 1, and I was moving slowly and getting a bit tired. When I saw the route to 7, I was a bit scared to go straight along the contour; how would I know where I was? So I tried to follow the intermittent trail. I lost it once or twice along the way. But I knew I was looking for a cut in the cliffs. So I finally came across the cut, and it had a red-blazed “trail” going down it. Eureka! It was very scary going down (loose leaves, etc. I hate steep !!!) but near the end I could see a marker. Ran to it, and it was not mine. Ok, time to re-group. I was looking for a 5 m boulder. Look around, there it is! Run to it; no marker. Look all around it, in case the marker is hidden. Not there. Look at map. am I in the right spot? Yes, down the trail, turn right. I started to slowly check out all the other boulders. At this point, another runner came by and ran towards a boulder on the other side of the trail. I looked at my map again: I was on the correct side of the trail. I was still mucking around in the rocks when two other Green Y runners came by (including the other F50 I had seen at 3). They were contouring across, and went past me to the boulder on the other side of the trail. So I followed them (sometimes, one DOES have to pay attention to others :) When we got there (of course the marker was there!), I said out loud: this marker is on the wrong boulder. The second runner commented that there were two trails leading down through the cliffs. What? I stopped and looked really closely at my map. Argh!! A classic parallel error. I can forgive myself for the initial error, but not for all the time I lost mucking around. Stop and reassess the situation!

The next leg sucked. It had rained briefly, just enough to make this a steep hillside of mud and wet leaves. The three of us slowly slogged up the hill (me more slowly than the others). I stopped to eat and drink on the way up, but mostly it was an excuse to rest.

I was within sight of the second Green Y runner for the rest of the course. I tried very hard to concentrate on my own navigation and to ignore her. I had some small bobbles (like losing the trail towards 10) but I beat her to 9, 10, 11 and 12. But I didn't get cocky, and I just kept plugging along.

So, I was again frustrated with a huge mistake due to a lack of focus. But I was able to recover, do well on some other controls (9 and 13) and ignore another runner close by. My route

Sunday Classic, Green Y - Splits

Event: West Point A-meet
 

West Point Day 1
My goal for the year is to increase my focus. I tend to get distracted when I’m tired; or when other people are around. I've been practicing re-focusing when things go astray. I also worked on identifying the danger signs.This was going to be my first real test, since there would be lots of folks in the woods (way more than at our local meets). All I can say is: fail.

I did OK on the first few controls, not great, but kept bringing my mind back to the map. The woods were nice (no leaves yet) and the kept us out of the really junky areas. I was a little hesitant to 3, but after that I began to get into the groove.

I made a snap judgement to go to the road to 7. Not until I was running along the road did I notice the climb, and that I probably should have stayed up and contoured across. As I was approaching the end of the road run portion, another Green Y runner joined me, so I wasn't alone in the route choice! She and I stayed together for most of the rest of the course. We were joined by a third Green Y runner around 9. Now this was a real test; could I ignore them and focus on my own race? Mostly I did OK, but I had to do a lot of talking in my head to remind myself to look at my map and ignore them.

As we went towards 12, the first runner and I took the same route along the road and crossed into the woods at the end of the marsh. At that point, we went different routes. I met up with runner 2 close to the control, and we punched around the same time.

At this point, I looked at my watch: I had been out one hour. First warning sign: I start to get tired around one hour, so I stepped away from the control to eat some Clifblocks and take a drink. Then I looked briefly at the map, and started toward 13. After about 150 meters, I ran into runner 1, who was going back to find 12. In my head I said ”Aha, I beat her to the control!” Warning sign number 2: getting cocky about being better/faster than others. So I promptly started running faster to show her knew where I was going (ah, the gods are going to get even with me for this!). So I took a rough glance at the map, said to myself ”just follow the cliffs and cross the stream”. Warning sign number 3: letting go of the map, and having only a general idea of my route.

So, 1+2+3= epic fail. I turned off my brain; ignored all the warning signs, and had a huge blow up. Went all the way down the hill, wandered around, took forever to re-locate. And then had to climb all the way back up the hill. Why didn't I look at my map sooner, or more closely? Wish I could figure this out, I’m so frustrated with myself.

There were some positives today: physically, I was fine, and the hills were not a problem. I had some good legs, including 1, 8, 9 and the finish chute. My route

After the race, Mike’s brother, his wife and two kids joined us. It was fun to join the kids (aged 5 and 7) in the Maze O. We even did part of the white course together. I think they enjoyed playing in the woods with us. Finished with a nice visit with the grownups over a late lunch.

Saturday Classic, Green Y - Splits

Spent the day exploring some Rockland county parks with mom and dad, followed by a big lunch at X. Later, I felt like getting just a bit of exercise, so I ran across the street and explored parts of Rockland Lake park.

Heading to NY tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing everyone at West Point!

Ulrik's hill with Mike, Blair and Jenny. Started fast, and this time I expected to be breathing hard. Slowed down the pace as I went up the hill, but I was pulled along by Jenny (who was just ahead of me) for another PR.
6:11
Then a short jog over to Daisy Hill for some O training.

Did the short course from '13 NOW. Had to keep an eye out for pedestrians and cars. Felt smooth but not very fast. Legs are tired now from the hills. Once again, bogus HR data. This is getting annoying.