Training Log Archive: sherpes

Finally a sunny day in the muddy wet Flying Pig. Overall, the course was in a very craggy terrain, with mixed vegetation, and spotty briars here and there. For Green, Red, and Blue, all courses shared the same long leg, 146-120. Todd Pownell (NEOOC) time was 20 minutes. Mine was 27. Bob Boltz (NEOOC) was 51. In my route, chose to go running on the paved road south and thinking that it was almost all white from the road end going East, I should be able to be running through the woods. I was totally wrong on that part: the vegetation was in many spots Green #2, and with briars, and had to retreat. Even that strip of yellow along the lake edge did not exist, not to mention that open clearing (i just didn't see it...). Then, on the trail leading to the West side of control 120 (12 on blue), many people got off the main trail and followed instead a trail that went NW, which lead racers to the West of the ponds that are West of the destination control. I debated if I should have taken this main trail to begin with, and maybe should have taken the trail that stayed level towards control 13.


We spent the afternoon walking about the college town of Oxford, and a big bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup restored me a bit.

OCIN_FP2014_Mounds_Saturday_Long_11 Blue - Splits

Event: OCIN Flying Pig XVIII / US Interscholastic Champs
 

We left Pittsburgh at 10 AM. Nice seeing again the century+ old suspension bridge in Wheeling, West Virginia, across the Ohio River, whose bridge was re-built by the same engineer that later would build the Brooklyn bridge. We got at 4 PM. It was soon clear that it was going to be a muddy and wet race. At the start, we are being warned to be extra careful when crossing the creek: "it will be up to your knees". I must correct that statement, as I got my underwear soaked. I had to choose the crossing points, since I didn't want to get dragged downstream into wavy mini-rapids over hidden rocks, and under downed trees, branches, roots. What can I say: I wanted adventure, and I got it. Totally worth the long drive. Looking at the route, pretty clear the time wasted looking for the control at 10. Here is the blue course map without route on it. OK, time for dinner. The teenager kids are choosy. We are in a motel in Connersville, Woodridge Inn.

post-dinner update: We had baby-back ribs at this place. The wall had a local hall of fame of local motocycists, and the guitar and banjo of a local musician

OCIN_FP2014_Bear_Creek_Friday_Middle_11 - Blue - Splits