Training Log Archive: maprunner

US Nationals Long, Big Basin, F55

Today's course was only 0.4km longer than our Middle, so I was afraid of the climb. In the end, it wasn't so bad. The winning time was a bit fast. Overall, I liked the course design a lot and I'm glad we got some longer route choices. I walked most of this course.

It was fun to turn over the map and see a long leg to 1. I kept trying to see a way to use the road, but I couldn't see much (my compass was covering the start triangle, duh!). I took the trails and stream bed, which was the best choice. Executed this one cleanly, which was a nice way to start.

I stood at 2 for a minute trying to decide the route to 3. Once again, I tried to find a way to use the road, but all I saw was that it went way out of the way. I never saw that it joined up with a nice big trail, which was definitely the best route choice. Kudos to Lisa and anyone else who saw/took that route.

I had a good plan and went to the left to avoid the steepest sections. I got to the big hill and knew I was looking for a spur off a flat area. No marker, lots of wandering. Kept thinking I had stopped and relocated, but not really. Finally went all the way back to the hill, then looked very closely at the map and realized I had to go down to the next flat area. Really mad that I wandered for 15 minutes here. Should learn to read the map.

Getting from 3 to 4 was really tough, physically. Hard to avoid green or steep. Rest of the course was easier and flatter. I felt a little better about today's effort but still disappointed in my big mistake. I was happy with my physical fitness, especially after 2 tough days. I was a bit tired, but not wiped out. That is good progress.



Back to Cuppertino, then a quick visit with Mom before dinner with the other OKers: Dave and Tom

Brown Long - Splits

Event: BAOC: U.S. Nationals
 

Quick visit with mom this morning before heading to Big Basin.

US Nationals Middle, Big Basin State Park, F55 Brown

It still feels weird to run Brown.The course distance seemed short when it was announced, but of course, I was really glad it was that short while I was out there!

Nice map, OK course. Tough terrain: soft footing, some thick vegetation, and very steep hillsides. I don't like steep places: I get very scared.

Big mistake on first control. I seem to have issues with settling into maps. I ran past it and was heading back to relocate at the start triangle when I saw someone leaving the marker. Lost almost 3 minutes here.

I didn't have a clear plan going to 3 other than "follow the stream bed". Which was not so easy to do, since there was no water in the steams. I finally found the stream bed and started going along, following other footsteps. But it was very difficult and VERY steep and quite terrifying. There was one point where I was trying to climb up to a slightly flat spot and I got stuck clinging to the side of the hill, spread out, with no purchase for hands or feet. I thought to myself "they shouldn't be putting Brown runners on this hill". Did that thought make me stop and wonder? No, it did not. Not until I could see the stream junction, with no marker in sight, did I stop and take a closer look at the map. Classic parallel error. Only some blue course runners had taken this route and they agreed to was a crazy steep hillside. Some how I made it up out of there and over to the correct stream system (much flatter) and found my control. Lost 7 minutes on this route. Definitely should have paid a lot more attention to where I was going as I left 2; poor route execution.

Another bad route execution to 6. I didn't have a clear attack after the clearings. I must have walked pretty close to the marker, but I didn't stop until I got to the stream. I couldn't make sense of where I was exactly (the hill seemed steeper than mapped) so I went back to relocate at the road. Lost about 4 minutes here.

I knew where I was going as I left 7, but when I got to the stream/gully, I decided it was too steep and I backed away. I went through a less steep, but much greener, section.

I was glad to finish. I was hot and tired and not too happy with my run.



Very nice dinner with Tom, Lisa and Simon at a Mediterranean restaurant. Tried to introduce them to Talk Four but Carr nope like.

C • Middle 2

to the start

Brown X Middle - Splits

Easy flights MCI-DEN-SJC. We picked up Simon at the train station (nice to finally meet him after months of emails) and tried to get to see the bay. But the traffic was bad and we decided to head to our hotel in Cuppertino. Then we went to the Apple Park visitor's center, which was actually quite cool. We had a nice conversation with an employee, told him about orienteering (he seemed interested). He recommended a good Mexican place nearby for an early dinner.

Easy night with the trainer since it is a competition week
Tonight's set:
15X body weight squats with elevated heel
12X TRX row
24X walking lunge, body weight
15X incline push up

Easy shuffle around Holcom to keep the body loose

easy spin today