Training Log Archive: Sid

Light work out after weekend of O-racing.

Random cycle. Legs felt good and was able to maintain near 90 rpm for most.

Did 1 set of 10 at maximum and second to exhaustion at one notch less.

Long leg stretch to help recovery after the weekend.

Beuatiful weather for race start though it was a 1.5 km walk. Started out good taking my time to CP1. Cross country to CP 2 was not an issue. Across stream and up deep valley to CP3 was not and issue. CP3 was interesrting in that it was in a very small ditch, 10", on a ridge yet marked on the map. Lost it going to CP 4. Got distracted by another course's control and ended to far to the east. Relocated using a rootstock after seeing DR, who started 4 minutes behind me. Decide to kitty corner to road and trail to CP5 which went well until I got in the neighbourhood of the control. Decide on taking a bad route choice and had trouble staying in cotact with the map. Got all turned around at one point and decided my compass was wrong. Took out my back up and sure enough, they both pointed in the same direction. Bailed to the trail, ran to the intersection and took a slow bearing to the control but the damage was done. Down the vallet and across a dried creek to CP6 was easy. Cross country to a road and took a bearing to CP7 but travelled by contour and crossed to the saddle when close. Angled out to the trail for the attack of CP8. Used broasd spur and roorstocks as an attack feature and small ditch to lead the ditch and the control. Straight up the ridge from 8 towards CP9 but made a mistake here. Attcked control from the trail aimimg for a slight creek junction. However, missed the junction and got off line. Ended up bailing to nearby road and attacking from a series of rootstocks to hit the control. Too many mistakes at this point.
Took it easy to CP 10 and spiked it. Start to see other racers going to similar controls and hit 11 & 12. Ran across a stream bed to a trail and down to the river crossing. Bridge marked on map but it was just a rope for balance. JT was encouraging at this point. CP 14 was on small trail leading up the trail to 15 and the finish. After punching out check map so as not to miss a control as in the sprint but was fine.

Not bad race but too many lesser mistakes but considering other factors a reasonable weekend.

All the Lost Boys were finished by 12 pm. We retrieved our maps and hit the road at 12:30, stopping for a bite to eat at Quizno's in Leesburg. Continued north to Fredick. On I-70 headed northwest, stopping at the Warford road side rest, just in Pennsylannia. Next I-70 to Breezewood and 30 to I-99 past Altoona. There was a bit of discussion on route choice here. The fast route was longer, I-70 to I-76 to Erie and I-90 to Fort Erie, 360 miles from Warford. It was decided to take the shorter but slower route, I-99 north to 350 through Philipsburg to 320. Joining I-80, this was run for about 20 miles brfore veering north on 153 to 255 to St. Mary and 219 to Bradford and crossing into New York, near Salamanco and Allegheny State Park. North on 219 through Ellicottville, we veered on to I-90 just before Orchard Park. Straight through the border at Fort Eirie, we stop to eat at Niagara Stone Road and arrived in Mississauga at 11:20 pm. It appeared that it was 6 hours either way. The cross country was slow with speeds of 40 mph, difficult navigation but no problems. Whether the Interstate was faster is an item for future investigations.

Day 2 Green X - Splits

Day 2 Green X - Splits

US Champs 1st day at Prince Williams Forest. Weather cool but sunny. Start was on a hilltop just passed a small bridge.
Started out great spiking CP 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5. Saw HC at 1. A bit green going along the hillside to 2. CP3 was a long crosscountry. Crossed two stream beds and hit a road. Followed road to trail just before the bridge. Took trail north. HC came up behind. Left trail just past second dip, passed 5, staying low to hit CP3 in a ditch. Reversed to hit CP 4. CP5 was just a bit to the east. Blow CP 6 badly. Should have gone to CP 3 and over but decided to go directly at it and just missed it. Bad correction cause me 20 minutes!! Saw 3 known features but made bad mistakes in taking bearings to 6. When on a bearing through very green section to hill top. Followed contours to 7. Came through the green to white and 7 was just to the right. Kitty cornered t road, bridge and CP 8 and water stop. Up road to trail and clearing and trail to 9. The control feature seemed a bit off and DR mentioned so after. Trails through cottages and CP 10. Across creek to right of way. Almost went the wrong way but corrected the map and compass. Made small mistake looking for 11 in the stream ditch rather than the slight ditch over the stream. Back on the right of way and the finish. Stayed focussed a bit better at the end than yesterday. Mistake meant 20 minutes and was critical.
Mentally a bit better but perhaps still a bit distracted!! Nice forest and course though!

Went to the reception at the National Marine Musem. Interesting place tracing the history of the marines. Opened in 2006 and is architecturally designed to symbolize the famous planting of the US map at Iwo Jima. Suspended aircraft in the main foyer added to the favour. Awards for the sprint and WRE were handed out after a 40th birthday celebration for the Quantico O-Club. Notable winners, Eugene in the M40 sprint, Mike Smith in the WRE, and Katarina Smith second female in the WRE.

Day 1 Green X - Splits

Day 1 Green X - Splits

Event: US Champs
 

US Champs at Prince William Forest Park Brutal race!! Started bad, off line to control 1. Got going slow to CP 2 and dithered through the woods. CP 3 was straight forward but messed up big time on CP4. Thought it was further, yet it was by the trail, like a white control. Did not realize the error until, I backtracked from CP 5. CP6 was no problem! Started off to CP7 planning to hit the trail to the right but got messed up and ended too far to the right. Hit trail and went the wrong way. Realized error and went west to hit stream. Backtracked to control but lost major time. Cross country to CP 8 was good, kitty cornered to CP9. Reeled off 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15. Totally ran by 16 on the way the finish and CP 17.

Very ugly race! Perhaps mentally a mess!!

Left Breezewood at 9:40 am and took 70 south to 522 and south through Berkely Springs to Winchester. Took 82 to 66 and est to 234 south. Got off at Manassas fat 12:15 pm for lunch at Salvadorean restaurant. Had 2 tongue tacos and a chicken one. Back on the road at 1 pm arrived at Prince William Forest at 1:40 pm. Did sprint model course but did not help in race.

C • Problems in race 2

Sprint Green - Splits

MTC Swim. Warmup - 600m pull, 400m kickwith fins, board, side, back and fly, 400m swim , 2 x 100m on 2:15, 300m, 3 x 100m, 200m, 4 x100m, 200m pull, 200 m cool down.

Light attendance and no coach. Was slow this morning only doing 1:55 to 2:00 for the 100m. Felt like I was using my arms not core to swim. May be 2 missed sessions were the problem.

On the road to the US Champs with EM, DR, HC and RC. Left T.O. at 10:30 pm. Took the I-90 to Erie, I-95 south, onto 422 to Indiana south on 220 and 76 east to 70 and Breezewood for the night. Arrived at 7:30 pm. Looks like good weather for the races for the weekend.