Training Log Archive: DWildfogel

US Champs Long: 1st Place in M65. (NOTE: Leg-by-leg details are in my split comments on AttackPoint. Also, my route is on the GAOC RouteGadget site.) Ran surprisingly well, especially over the last several legs. Made me realize that I'd underestimated my conditioning on yesterday's sprint. The last two months of good training (relatively injury free for the first time in two years) must have made a difference.

Many people lost a lot of time on #6, which it was generally agreed was mis-mapped, being actually about 60m further from the river. Fortunately for me, I had realized during the first leg that I wasn't going to be able to identify the subtle details on the map, so I employed throughout a strategy of compass and pace count, see the big features, look around if necessary. That worked beautifully on most of the controls, probably saved me on #6 (the misplacement didn't bother me), and didn't hurt me too much on the other three I didn't nail (1, 3, 8) because in each case I was able to figure out which way I was probably off and so to go in the right direction to find the control.

Peter hurt himself twice while out on the course and was unable to finish, opening the possibility of a championship for the rest of us. I was fortunate to be able to beat a number of very good orienteers (Gord Hunter, Bob Putnam, Bill Cheatum, Charlie DeWeese, Jim Hall, Francis Hogle, among others) and quite unexpectedly win the Long.

Charlie re-injured his hamstring and bruised his toe by stepping in a hole, which was also the cause of Peter's injury. I also stepped in a hole, I think it was after leaving #6, and felt a shooting pain in my left knee. It didn't bother me the rest of the way, nor too much the next day, but stiffened up on the plane ride home and really hurt after a short walk on Monday.

Good warmup in the start area (plenty warm so it was easy to get loose, and my heel didn't hurt much - thank you, ibuprofen!).

No warm down to speak of (too excited about winning), though I did some good stretching after a while.

Long - Brown - Splits

Event: US Individual Championships (Sprint/Middle/Long/Trail)
 

US Champs Sprint: 2nd Place, a distant 3 minutes behind Peter but nearly 2 mins ahead of the next competitors (Gord, Charlie). Solid run, no navigation errors (that is, always went where I intended to go), 3 small route choice errors (total :30). Finished very strongly; should have started running hard sooner. (NOTE: Leg-by-leg details are in my split comments on AttackPoint. Also, my route is on the GAOC RouteGadget site.)

Good 14 min warmup (1.25 mi)

6 min cool down (0.4 mi)

Sprint - Brown - Splits

Fly to Georgia for the US Champs. Left home around 10am, met Charlie in the Atlanta airport around 8:30pm, drove with him, Tapio and Steve Gregg to Carrollton, arriving at the Econolodge around 10pm.

The usual weekly accumulation of morning stretching (entered on Thursday this week due to tomorrow's race).

Front of house: 545, 508. Raw, chilly morning. Legs felt good, achilles only mildly sore. Got going pretty well. Just loosening up for Friday.

Legs reasonably ready, conditioning decent but not great. The big thing: can I get some sleep and also let go if all the things that have me stressed.

All the usual stuff, but only 2 sets each instead of 3.

Front of house, with map and new magnifier: 606, 538, 508. Just keeping loose.

Lovely day. Went for about a 12 minute walk (3/4 mile) on Skyline, but that was more to get outside than it was training. I did, however, bring my new magnifier and the Diablo Valley College map in order to practice using that magnifier on the move - wow, big difference in my ability to see the details on the map!