Training Log Archive: iansmithIn the 1 days ending Oct 25, 2009:
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Sunday Oct 25, 2009 #
Orienteering race 1:20:09 9.4 km (8:32 / km) +282m 7:25 / km
shoes: 200908 Inov8 X-Talon 212
Day two of the BGR A-meet in Greenbush, WI. Given my clean run yesterday (easily the cleanest classic course I have ever run) and the knowledge that today's course would be less challenging, I decided to run more aggressively. Overall, I'm pleased with my performance - while this terrain is technical and requires concentration, it is not subtle, and I do not have much difficulty moving confidently. My run was clean by my definition - no navigational errors more substantial than the occasional 30 second bobble and hesitations - though I'm sure better orienteers would consider some of my actions mistakes today.
My run today was less impressive by its own merit and quality than yesterday's, though I think I did slightly better relative to the field. Examination of splits reveals that I'm generally consistent (though I do fluctuate more than the elites), though slower. Again, some of this is physical, but I think the largest component is technical simplification and hesitation. I will practice this over the winter.
I had one moment (control 13) where my zone of uncertainty grew quite large, but I spiked the control nevertheless because of my safe route (up high along the edge of the depression). I made a small parallel error at 8, but I immediately realized it and was not off my line by more than 30 meters or so - probably a 20-30 second error in total.
As I was leaving 18, I heard Ken Walker Jr closing behind me; I intensified my physical and mental efforts to try to stay ahead of him. I comfortably beat him to 19; the go control was on the other side of road along very obvious tracks. I pushed hard bailing out to the road, but I missed slightly to the north, and Ken and I reached the road simultaneously. I sidled along behind him to the go control and outkicked him in the finish chute (though he barely seemed tired, whereas I was dead). I had another modestly entertaining encounter while I was running to 14; I ran into Ross crossing my path. To my surprise, he followed me into the control. It turned out that he had gotten confused en route to 10 and used me to relocate.
I'm particularly pleased with some of my long leg route choice; while my splits on these legs relative to the leaders were not significantly better than average, I had simple, safe, and potentially fast routes (usually along ridges). That was true today on 3, 9, and 17. I suppose this is the norm for someone who is truly proficient rather than merely competent.
Other finishes of note: I was 2 minutes behind Jordan, 3 behind Wyatt, 12 behind Ebone and Clem, and 17 behind Will and Ross.
My run today was less impressive by its own merit and quality than yesterday's, though I think I did slightly better relative to the field. Examination of splits reveals that I'm generally consistent (though I do fluctuate more than the elites), though slower. Again, some of this is physical, but I think the largest component is technical simplification and hesitation. I will practice this over the winter.
I had one moment (control 13) where my zone of uncertainty grew quite large, but I spiked the control nevertheless because of my safe route (up high along the edge of the depression). I made a small parallel error at 8, but I immediately realized it and was not off my line by more than 30 meters or so - probably a 20-30 second error in total.
As I was leaving 18, I heard Ken Walker Jr closing behind me; I intensified my physical and mental efforts to try to stay ahead of him. I comfortably beat him to 19; the go control was on the other side of road along very obvious tracks. I pushed hard bailing out to the road, but I missed slightly to the north, and Ken and I reached the road simultaneously. I sidled along behind him to the go control and outkicked him in the finish chute (though he barely seemed tired, whereas I was dead). I had another modestly entertaining encounter while I was running to 14; I ran into Ross crossing my path. To my surprise, he followed me into the control. It turned out that he had gotten confused en route to 10 and used me to relocate.
I'm particularly pleased with some of my long leg route choice; while my splits on these legs relative to the leaders were not significantly better than average, I had simple, safe, and potentially fast routes (usually along ridges). That was true today on 3, 9, and 17. I suppose this is the norm for someone who is truly proficient rather than merely competent.
Other finishes of note: I was 2 minutes behind Jordan, 3 behind Wyatt, 12 behind Ebone and Clem, and 17 behind Will and Ross.