Training Log Archive: iansmithIn the 30 days ending Apr 30, 2010:
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Friday Apr 30, 2010 #
Note
Life is full of so many possibilities, many of which emerge as consequences of decisions - some of which are not our own. Within each possibility, our actions must be reasonable, ethical, and justifiable. Indeed, perhaps it is the variation of our behavior in the ensemble of possibilities that defines who we are. It is not our behavior and actions when all is well that reveals the axioms of our lives, but the behavior and actions under stress, crisis, and adversity.
Note
SGB and I met up to exchange the tent and book I left in his Zipcar coming back from the CSU Training Camp. It turns out that he, Eric, and I all have offices downtown that are within a few hundred meters of each other. At the end of the day, this is uninformative, since we're all so busy that we can't do much besides have lunch. Nevertheless, it's a bit cool.
This summer, I hope to recruit some CSU posses and go hiking in the Whites. With so many runners, mountain running might be feasible, though with so many different speeds, I think the social aspect might be lacking.
This summer, I hope to recruit some CSU posses and go hiking in the Whites. With so many runners, mountain running might be feasible, though with so many different speeds, I think the social aspect might be lacking.
Thursday Apr 29, 2010 #
Event: CSU Park-O: Cat Rock
Note
Is anyone in the Boston area interested in taking a climbing class at BU? I am considering taking a five-week, 1 day/week course called Intro to Rock Climbing. It's targeted at beginners, costs $90 for people without BU affiliation for all sessions, and should be all around good fun.
5 PM
Orienteering 25:19 [3] 3.41 km (7:26 / km) +33m 7:05 / km
ahr:158 max:184 slept:4.5 shoes: 201004 Inov8 X-Talon 212
I took the commuter rail to Cat Rock Park (which is not insurmountably inconvenient for the return trip). I arrived an hour early to pick up streamers from the training session I set in February. I had meant to do it a long time ago, but my schedule was prohibitive. In any case, it was a good warmup, and it dramatically improved the orienteering efficiency (time spent orienteering/total time) of this trip.
6 PM
Orienteering 20:26 [4] 3.58 km (5:42 / km) +66m 5:13 / km
ahr:177 max:185 shoes: 201004 Inov8 X-Talon 212
The 3.2 km Cat Rock Park-O, set by Ross. I ran fairly well, but my fitness is not what it needs to be. Ross set a challenging course, starting with a leg straight up the hill. I started very strongly, as the heart rate data shows, passing several people in the first few controls, including Jeff Saeger and Katia.
Apparently, after control 11 (on the foot of a cliff), I had trouble keeping my heart rate up . Because so many of the usual suspects were not competing - Ross, Brendan, Giovanni, and so on - I had a shot at victory, but Sam edged me by 8 seconds. I enjoyed the race despite my weakness; while competition isn't my only goal, it is an important one.
Apparently, after control 11 (on the foot of a cliff), I had trouble keeping my heart rate up . Because so many of the usual suspects were not competing - Ross, Brendan, Giovanni, and so on - I had a shot at victory, but Sam edged me by 8 seconds. I enjoyed the race despite my weakness; while competition isn't my only goal, it is an important one.
8 PM
Running 20:00 [1] 3.6 km (5:33 / km)
shoes: 201002 Asics T918N
After the Park-O, Dave Yee graciously gave Katia and me a ride to Central Square. She and I then ran to Porter, taking a somewhat inefficient route through Harvard yard, but having a very pleasant conversation about the European education system, about Italy, and about life and its meaning. Pleasant, meaningful conversation can be an excellent remedy for many ills.
Wednesday Apr 28, 2010 #
11 PM
Running 39:47 [3] 8.91 km (4:28 / km)
ahr:168 max:198 shoes: 201002 Asics T918N
I decided that I needed to go for a run, and I ran much more aggressively than I planned. Conditions were clear, 5 C, and fairly pleasant. While at 11 PM, there were still some people out on the streets, the density was sufficiently low that they were no inconvenience. I ran in a long-sleeved shirt, a short-sleeved shirt, tights, and gloves. I believe the heart rate spike near the beginning of my run was a recording anomaly.
I had much on my mind. Suppose we define happiness as some utility function on the space of possibilities available to us. I mused on the time dependence of those utility functions. We consider our immediate utility, e.g. when preventing ourselves from falling, or conforming to rigorous sleep and food schedules. Immediate discomfort has lower utility than immediate comfort. However, we also consider longer time scales - we maintain our bodies, we plan for the future, and we reflect on the long time scale ramifications of our decisions.
There exists a complex tradeoff between the different time scales. In college, e.g., the short term discomfort of sacrifice of sleep and the opportunity cost of time was an acceptable exchange for the longer term utility of completing assignments in pursuit of a degree. Conversely, short term comfort can outweigh long term utility, e.g. when someone reneges on a diet or chooses a break in lieu of work.
However, I cannot reconcile the following: any solution to an optimization will cease to be optimal because the utility function has parameters which fluctuate in time, particularly when longer time-scale components factor so heavily into our utility function. There is an underlying assumption that the rate of change of our utility function is slow, though I cannot now state this more precisely. I suppose both the short-term end and long-term ends of the time scales are stable utility regimes. That is, our fundamental short term requirements are unlikely to change, and our long term goals should be similarly stable, up to major paradigm shifts or life identity crises. Perhaps someone with more economic experience who has mused on these matters might comment?
I had much on my mind. Suppose we define happiness as some utility function on the space of possibilities available to us. I mused on the time dependence of those utility functions. We consider our immediate utility, e.g. when preventing ourselves from falling, or conforming to rigorous sleep and food schedules. Immediate discomfort has lower utility than immediate comfort. However, we also consider longer time scales - we maintain our bodies, we plan for the future, and we reflect on the long time scale ramifications of our decisions.
There exists a complex tradeoff between the different time scales. In college, e.g., the short term discomfort of sacrifice of sleep and the opportunity cost of time was an acceptable exchange for the longer term utility of completing assignments in pursuit of a degree. Conversely, short term comfort can outweigh long term utility, e.g. when someone reneges on a diet or chooses a break in lieu of work.
However, I cannot reconcile the following: any solution to an optimization will cease to be optimal because the utility function has parameters which fluctuate in time, particularly when longer time-scale components factor so heavily into our utility function. There is an underlying assumption that the rate of change of our utility function is slow, though I cannot now state this more precisely. I suppose both the short-term end and long-term ends of the time scales are stable utility regimes. That is, our fundamental short term requirements are unlikely to change, and our long term goals should be similarly stable, up to major paradigm shifts or life identity crises. Perhaps someone with more economic experience who has mused on these matters might comment?
Running 7:31 [1] 1.17 km (6:26 / km)
ahr:143 max:147
Cool down run.
Tuesday Apr 27, 2010 #
Note
Another perspective:
http://runners.worldofo.com/bilder/large/rosssmith...
Unrelated to orienteering, on powerpoint:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/27/world/27powerpoi...
http://runners.worldofo.com/bilder/large/rosssmith...
Unrelated to orienteering, on powerpoint:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/27/world/27powerpoi...
10 AM
Biking (Commute) 20:00 [1] 7.0 km (21.0 kph)
shoes: Trek 7.1 FX
6 PM
Running 26:56 4.24 km (6:22 / km)
Tuesday night CSU interval session. I arrived late and missed the first two intervals - 1600m and 1200m. After a short warmup, I tucked in behind Brendan for the rest of the session, and ended with a short cool down. The total session was 2800m of intervals at 6:00/mile pace or 3:40/km.
Splits:
800m: 3:00 / 2:02 rest
1000m: 3:43 / 1:46 rest
600m: 2:14 / 1:44 rest
400m: 1:20
My right calf was discomforted after the session, though the cold conditions may have exacerbated the situation.
I have much on my mind; many things are uncertain. My usual approach has proven unable to effectively address present circumstances.
Splits:
800m: 3:00 / 2:02 rest
1000m: 3:43 / 1:46 rest
600m: 2:14 / 1:44 rest
400m: 1:20
My right calf was discomforted after the session, though the cold conditions may have exacerbated the situation.
I have much on my mind; many things are uncertain. My usual approach has proven unable to effectively address present circumstances.
Biking (Commute) 39:00 [3] 13.0 km (20.0 kph)
shoes: Trek 7.1 FX
Biking to the interval session from work in cold and rainy conditions. The temperature was 8 C, there was a strong breeze, a light rain was falling, and I had dressed without considering today's weather conditions - in shorts and a short-sleeved shirt. Needless to say, I was displeased, and briefly considered going home instead of attending the workout.
Afterward, while still cold, I biked on a most inefficient route to Anna's to reconstitute my strength with a burrito.
Afterward, while still cold, I biked on a most inefficient route to Anna's to reconstitute my strength with a burrito.
Monday Apr 26, 2010 #
6 PM
Biking (Commute) 50:00 [1] 15.5 km (18.6 kph)
shoes: Trek 7.1 FX
To and from Brahms Trio rehearsal at Harvard Medical School. Spent much time waiting at lights.
9 PM
Running hills 50:21 8.6 km (5:51 / km) +90m 5:34 / km
ahr:143 max:178 weight:84kg shoes: 201002 Asics T918N
Brendan contacted me at 8:45 PM and suggested we go do a hill workout; I had planned to go for an easy run after dinner, so I happily obliged. We warmed up for 17 minutes, then ran 6x up Lowell St, down Craigie St. My Garmin, which I have not charged in some time, gave out during the fourth hill. It turns out that the Lowell-Craigie loop is about 1 km, with an uphill length of about 400m.
The three splits I recorded were:
137 / 342
144 / 356
147 / 356
From Brendan:
1:38.3
1:47.2
1:35.5
I felt strong, and ramping my breathing rate up and pumping arms provided ample power. I last ran this workout on 20 November 2009, and I seem to have gotten faster since then. My result from 16 October is closer to my current performance, though I was much more fatigued then (with shorter breaks).
Brendan and I commented that we have considerable progress to make before we attain Ross-like hill performance, but we're working on it.
The three splits I recorded were:
137 / 342
144 / 356
147 / 356
From Brendan:
1:38.3
1:47.2
1:35.5
I felt strong, and ramping my breathing rate up and pumping arms provided ample power. I last ran this workout on 20 November 2009, and I seem to have gotten faster since then. My result from 16 October is closer to my current performance, though I was much more fatigued then (with shorter breaks).
Brendan and I commented that we have considerable progress to make before we attain Ross-like hill performance, but we're working on it.
Sunday Apr 25, 2010 #
Note
(rest day)
My calves have been bothering me lately - possibly due to shin splits? Because of a busy schedule and so many things going on in my life right now, I elected to take a rest day.
Saturday Apr 24, 2010 #
12 PM
ARDF 1:33:00 10.0 km (9:18 / km) +305m 8:04 / km
shoes: 201004 Inov8 X-Talon 212
ARDF Training at the Blue Hills. I set control 5, which was at the top of the hill north of the buildings north of the parking lot at Houton's Pond. Making my way up the Skyline trail was a bit brutal.
During my run, which was 8.18 km in 1:08, I had the following splits:
Control 2: 11:44 (on cycle)
Control 1: 9:56 / 21:40 total (:40 after cycle)
Control 3: 16:05 / 37:45 total (on cycle)
Control 5: 11:16 / 49:01 (on cycle, though I found it off and waited for the cycle to start, in the interest of fairness)
Control 4: ?
Finish: 18:59 / 1:08:00
I was converging on control 4 - I was perhaps 200 m from it, but four minutes off cycle - when I decided to bail out so Lori and I could get back to Cambridge. I probably would have found it in five more minutes, but my route from 5 to 4 was not very good.
My left earbud was severed by vegetation while I was running from control 1 (split 3) down to the road, so I finished the rest of the course with only my right earbud. It's also worth pointing out that between setting 5 and running the course (my start is split 1), I rode in Vadim's car to the start. I did not, in fact, run at 63.2 kph (though I did briefly consider it).
During my run, which was 8.18 km in 1:08, I had the following splits:
Control 2: 11:44 (on cycle)
Control 1: 9:56 / 21:40 total (:40 after cycle)
Control 3: 16:05 / 37:45 total (on cycle)
Control 5: 11:16 / 49:01 (on cycle, though I found it off and waited for the cycle to start, in the interest of fairness)
Control 4: ?
Finish: 18:59 / 1:08:00
I was converging on control 4 - I was perhaps 200 m from it, but four minutes off cycle - when I decided to bail out so Lori and I could get back to Cambridge. I probably would have found it in five more minutes, but my route from 5 to 4 was not very good.
My left earbud was severed by vegetation while I was running from control 1 (split 3) down to the road, so I finished the rest of the course with only my right earbud. It's also worth pointing out that between setting 5 and running the course (my start is split 1), I rode in Vadim's car to the start. I did not, in fact, run at 63.2 kph (though I did briefly consider it).
6 PM
Biking 30:00 [1] 35.0 km (70.0 kph)
shoes: Trek 7.1 FX
Biking to and from a performance of The Magic Flute. The Bermans showed up and seemed to regard the troupe highly. The round trip actually took about 90 minutes, but my heart rate wasn't high enough the entire trip to consider it meaningful training.
I had an unfortunate error in the piece due to a transposition. It is typically for horn parts from the 18th century to be written in different keys, i.e. such that the notes on the staff actually change. That is, for Horn in F (the typical key), the second space on the treble clef is a note I would call an A (and is actually a concert D). For Horn in B-flat alto, the second space on the treble clef is what I would call an D, and is actually a concert G. It's all very complicated, and one of the requirements of playing classical horn is the ability to transpose on the fly. In Magic flute, the part changes notational keys each of the 21 movements, forcing the player to concentrate. At the start of the second act, I read "Horn in E," and so started to transpose down a half step. The part actually said "Horn in F."; the period after 'F' seemed part of the letter in the font. I played one note, realized it sounded wrong, and dropped out to figure out the problem. It was not too obtuse, but it's still unacceptable.
I had an unfortunate error in the piece due to a transposition. It is typically for horn parts from the 18th century to be written in different keys, i.e. such that the notes on the staff actually change. That is, for Horn in F (the typical key), the second space on the treble clef is a note I would call an A (and is actually a concert D). For Horn in B-flat alto, the second space on the treble clef is what I would call an D, and is actually a concert G. It's all very complicated, and one of the requirements of playing classical horn is the ability to transpose on the fly. In Magic flute, the part changes notational keys each of the 21 movements, forcing the player to concentrate. At the start of the second act, I read "Horn in E," and so started to transpose down a half step. The part actually said "Horn in F."; the period after 'F' seemed part of the letter in the font. I played one note, realized it sounded wrong, and dropped out to figure out the problem. It was not too obtuse, but it's still unacceptable.
Thursday Apr 22, 2010 #
Event: CSU Park-O: Peter's Hill
Note
slept:3.0
Today, I took an involuntary rest day. I have had a very difficult week, partly because work has been so busy. To complicate matters, before I realized how challenging this week would be, I agreed to play horn in a production of The Magic Flute at the request of my old college orchestra conductor, and I had committed to setting the Park-O yesterday.
So, I procured a Zipcar from my downtown office, drove to the Bermans at 4:20 PM and procured the usual Park-O materials. Unfortunately, as I was leaving, a cloudburst hit Boston, and slowed traffic on the Harvard Bridge and on Columbus and Tremont Ave to a standstill. A trip Google projected to take 22 minutes took me about 55. Fortunately, for the Park-O, the rain abated quickly, at about 5:10 PM.
I arrived at Peter's Hill at 5:30 PM, and hurriedly set the 20 Park-O controls. I did not finish the last ones until about 6:20. Ross, Brendan, and Ed graciously rose to the occasion and ran the Park-O administration. The turnout, despite the rain forecast, was excellent - more children than I have seen at a Park-O, largely due to the recruiting by Barb and her kids.
At about 6:35, after verifying that everything was in order, I drove to my rehearsal in Weston. Unfortunately, I made an error in a traffic circle and went far to the south, delaying my arrival to 7:15. I had told the conductor that I would be there at 7:30.
After rehearsal, I found myself in the rare but delightful position of giving someone a ride. Jason, a trumpet player whom I have repeatedly run into in the music community, had biked to Weston; with some Herculean engineering, we managed to cram his 26" bike with the front wheel attached into the back seat of a Honda Civic. On the way back, we had a delightful conversation about composition, the state of major symphony orchestras, and choices in life. I then returned home to work for several more hours. Despite the frantic and overwhelming quality of the week, Thursday night had many very pleasant interactions with other people - an unexpected boon.
So, I procured a Zipcar from my downtown office, drove to the Bermans at 4:20 PM and procured the usual Park-O materials. Unfortunately, as I was leaving, a cloudburst hit Boston, and slowed traffic on the Harvard Bridge and on Columbus and Tremont Ave to a standstill. A trip Google projected to take 22 minutes took me about 55. Fortunately, for the Park-O, the rain abated quickly, at about 5:10 PM.
I arrived at Peter's Hill at 5:30 PM, and hurriedly set the 20 Park-O controls. I did not finish the last ones until about 6:20. Ross, Brendan, and Ed graciously rose to the occasion and ran the Park-O administration. The turnout, despite the rain forecast, was excellent - more children than I have seen at a Park-O, largely due to the recruiting by Barb and her kids.
At about 6:35, after verifying that everything was in order, I drove to my rehearsal in Weston. Unfortunately, I made an error in a traffic circle and went far to the south, delaying my arrival to 7:15. I had told the conductor that I would be there at 7:30.
After rehearsal, I found myself in the rare but delightful position of giving someone a ride. Jason, a trumpet player whom I have repeatedly run into in the music community, had biked to Weston; with some Herculean engineering, we managed to cram his 26" bike with the front wheel attached into the back seat of a Honda Civic. On the way back, we had a delightful conversation about composition, the state of major symphony orchestras, and choices in life. I then returned home to work for several more hours. Despite the frantic and overwhelming quality of the week, Thursday night had many very pleasant interactions with other people - an unexpected boon.
Wednesday Apr 21, 2010 #
2 PM
Running 37:17 [2] 7.52 km (4:57 / km) +1m 4:57 / km
ahr:161 max:173 shoes: 201002 Asics T918N
I decided to go for a run in the middle of the day to "clear my thoughts" - such a curious expression, as though contemplating life while slightly oxygen deprived would somehow elucidate difficulties and obstacles. It was pleasant to distract myself for a time, which is to say that it increased my happiness.
I noticed small discomfort in my right knee, and I was more lethargic than typical. This is like because of my activity over the past few days. During my run (18 C, with a 20 kph breeze), I continued The Name of the Wind. That gchat and html use different syntax for text modification, like italic, is slightly frustrating, though I presume there was functional reason for making gchats command interface different from html.
I still am morose.
I noticed small discomfort in my right knee, and I was more lethargic than typical. This is like because of my activity over the past few days. During my run (18 C, with a 20 kph breeze), I continued The Name of the Wind. That gchat and html use different syntax for text modification, like italic, is slightly frustrating, though I presume there was functional reason for making gchats command interface different from html.
I still am morose.
5 PM
Biking 53:38 [2] 18.17 km (20.3 kph)
ahr:127 max:152 shoes: Trek 7.1 FX
Biking to a dress rehearsal of a production of The Magic Flute for which I am playing horn. My GPS track is incomplete because I switched the set activity from running to biking a short way into the trip, and evidently the Garmin Transfer function does not support MultiSport activities. The trip was saturated with both hills and traffic lights (typically at the bottoms of hills, so as to most efficiently deprive me of energy).
10 PM
Biking 4:22 [2] 2.06 km (28.3 kph)
ahr:133 max:153 shoes: Trek 7.1 FX
Leaving the rehearsal, I started spectacularly by making a wrong turn and getting immediately lost. To complicate things, I rode to the bottom of a very large hill just as I realized that I was going the wrong way. I correctly reasoned I was going northeast, so I made the appropriate set of turns to cross I-95, then turned south to link up with my route home, Route 20.
After I figured out I was going the wrong way, when I reached a major intersection, I stopped the track so I could look at my split on the map and check that I was in fact going Northeast. This is the stopped split.
After I figured out I was going the wrong way, when I reached a major intersection, I stopped the track so I could look at my split on the map and check that I was in fact going Northeast. This is the stopped split.
Biking 46:26 [2] 16.58 km (21.4 kph)
ahr:134 max:167 shoes: Trek 7.1 FX
Tuesday Apr 20, 2010 #
7 AM
Running 59:23 [2] 11.72 km (5:04 / km) +20m 5:02 / km
ahr:153 max:163 slept:1.0 shoes: 201002 Asics T918N
Breaking with my tradition, I went for an early morning run around Fresh Pond. Conditions were pleasant with a temperature of about 9 C - for which I was overdressed. I listened to The Name of the Wind.
Running offers a clarity and respite from the questions that overwhelm me, and even if the respite is fleeting, it is welcome.
Running offers a clarity and respite from the questions that overwhelm me, and even if the respite is fleeting, it is welcome.
Monday Apr 19, 2010 #
2 PM
Running 50:21 [2] 9.69 km (5:12 / km)
ahr:159 max:174 slept:8.0 shoes: 201002 Asics T918N
Easy run after the Harriman camp. This is my first use of my heart rate monitor during my training session, and it looks like I was pushing harder than I expected - either I'm still weary from the camp or my fitness is inadequate for the pace. In any case, it was a pleasant day. It should also be noted that my pace was very erratic, as is obvious from the kilometer splits.
Sunday Apr 18, 2010 #
9 AM
Running warm up/down 15:15 [1] 0.46 km (33:18 / km)
shoes: 201004 Inov8 X-Talon 212
Orienteering race 50:09 [4] 5.57 km (9:00 / km)
shoes: 201004 Inov8 X-Talon 212
This morning's exercise was a middle distance race simulation that Boris designed. I started a minute after Sam and a minute before Andrew, so I pushed quite hard out of the start.
I had some small hesitation at 1, and I was very slow moving up the hill to 3, but the beginning of my course was solid. I started seeing Sam at control 4, running down the cliff line, and I ran into an ensemble of Lori, Presto, Sam, and Erin inching our way toward 5. At 7, Patrick Goeres caught up to me and blazed past leaving 8. I struggled at 9, and Andrew gradually powerwalked past me up the hill.
Leaving 10, I was alone, and based on the past controls, I unwisely sought to minimize climb. I considered going left (which was by far the best route), but settled on running by the stream to right, which looked like good running. It was slower than I expected, but it wasn't too costly until I attacked earlier than I should have, aiming for the saddle just north of the control. The green was inhibiting, and visibility was low. I popped out into the circle accurately, but I overshot the control and had to double back up the hill. I ran into Eric at 11.
My route to 12 was slightly left of the line, aiming for the white patch in the green (which apparently does not exist). I hit the boulder pair on my line, then attacked down without problems. Eric, who had gone right, was much faster. I then charged down the spur, passing Eric, to 13.
Control 14 was by far my biggest disaster; my plan was to run along the stream to the small hill on the edge of the marsh, clip the marsh and lead into the hill where the control was. However, the marsh was more dynamic than the map suggested, and I drifted far to the left, ending up on the row of cliffs about halfway between 13 and 15. I was convinced that I was near the circle, and so I searched for about two minutes before noting the huge rocky reentrant to the north and putting the pieces together. It was a meltdown-scale failure, costing about 4 minutes.
I also made a comparatively small (15-20 sec) 180 at 15, where I thought the finish was north of me. Orienting my map really confused me, as I had planned my exit relative to the contours, and I figured it out with great frustration. Boris, Marie, Alex, and Erin were all in my vicinity from 15 to the end, which may have mitigated any further errors.
Overall, I struggled with climb and making intelligent local and global route choices through the vegetation. I made an entirely unacceptable 8 minutes of error. I think the presence of other people was ultimately negative because it distracted me from concentrating on the basic orienteering skill set. I did glean some information from people around me, so it isn't obvious what the net effect was. Alex navigated well, and beat me.
I had some small hesitation at 1, and I was very slow moving up the hill to 3, but the beginning of my course was solid. I started seeing Sam at control 4, running down the cliff line, and I ran into an ensemble of Lori, Presto, Sam, and Erin inching our way toward 5. At 7, Patrick Goeres caught up to me and blazed past leaving 8. I struggled at 9, and Andrew gradually powerwalked past me up the hill.
Leaving 10, I was alone, and based on the past controls, I unwisely sought to minimize climb. I considered going left (which was by far the best route), but settled on running by the stream to right, which looked like good running. It was slower than I expected, but it wasn't too costly until I attacked earlier than I should have, aiming for the saddle just north of the control. The green was inhibiting, and visibility was low. I popped out into the circle accurately, but I overshot the control and had to double back up the hill. I ran into Eric at 11.
My route to 12 was slightly left of the line, aiming for the white patch in the green (which apparently does not exist). I hit the boulder pair on my line, then attacked down without problems. Eric, who had gone right, was much faster. I then charged down the spur, passing Eric, to 13.
Control 14 was by far my biggest disaster; my plan was to run along the stream to the small hill on the edge of the marsh, clip the marsh and lead into the hill where the control was. However, the marsh was more dynamic than the map suggested, and I drifted far to the left, ending up on the row of cliffs about halfway between 13 and 15. I was convinced that I was near the circle, and so I searched for about two minutes before noting the huge rocky reentrant to the north and putting the pieces together. It was a meltdown-scale failure, costing about 4 minutes.
I also made a comparatively small (15-20 sec) 180 at 15, where I thought the finish was north of me. Orienting my map really confused me, as I had planned my exit relative to the contours, and I figured it out with great frustration. Boris, Marie, Alex, and Erin were all in my vicinity from 15 to the end, which may have mitigated any further errors.
Overall, I struggled with climb and making intelligent local and global route choices through the vegetation. I made an entirely unacceptable 8 minutes of error. I think the presence of other people was ultimately negative because it distracted me from concentrating on the basic orienteering skill set. I did glean some information from people around me, so it isn't obvious what the net effect was. Alex navigated well, and beat me.
2 PM
Orienteering 18:42 [4] 2.38 km (7:51 / km)
shoes: 201004 Inov8 X-Talon 212
The two-man relay was an excellent exercise combining short, almost interval quality courses with team pressure.
Course A of the two-man relay; I was paired with Nikolai Nachev. The courses were on the right side of the Surebridge map, where I met disaster during the 2009 Hudson Lowlander. I was eager to face my nemesis again, but I had a poor showing. I took off about 40 degrees to my right and gradually rectified, at a cost of perhaps 2-3 minutes. I was clean, if sluggish to 2, and then started moving well. I drifted too far to my right on the way to three, but I figured it out and corrected. I banged my left knee on a rock running to 5 and had to slow while the pain subsided. I was generally pleased with my routes to 6, 7, and 8, though I was particularly sluggish on the last two. Andis was running the same course, and he was helpful at 1 and 7. I led 2-6, but couldn't keep up en route to 7. I did beat him to 8 and outsprint him to the finish, but not by much.
Course A of the two-man relay; I was paired with Nikolai Nachev. The courses were on the right side of the Surebridge map, where I met disaster during the 2009 Hudson Lowlander. I was eager to face my nemesis again, but I had a poor showing. I took off about 40 degrees to my right and gradually rectified, at a cost of perhaps 2-3 minutes. I was clean, if sluggish to 2, and then started moving well. I drifted too far to my right on the way to three, but I figured it out and corrected. I banged my left knee on a rock running to 5 and had to slow while the pain subsided. I was generally pleased with my routes to 6, 7, and 8, though I was particularly sluggish on the last two. Andis was running the same course, and he was helpful at 1 and 7. I led 2-6, but couldn't keep up en route to 7. I did beat him to 8 and outsprint him to the finish, but not by much.
Orienteering 55:10 6.13 km (9:00 / km)
shoes: 201004 Inov8 X-Talon 212
Courses B and C on the relay, including hanging around at the finish waiting for Nikolai on course B. I had significant problems on both of these courses. C was the more troublesome; I started with a massive 3-minute parallel error on 1 to the right, then overshot 2 by a minute. I came over the top of 3, but was too far to the left and didn't see the streamer until I had descended some distance, costing another 90 seconds. I admonished myself and started concentrating harder; 4 through 8 were clean, but I drifted far to the right around the marsh going into the go control, and the cliffs and clearings didn't make sense as I was reading them. I also found the streamer much closer to the finish than I expected; my distance evaluation was quite bad.
On course B, apart from fatigue, I only had one significant error which was at control 3 (split 15 on the GPS track). It turned out that going over the hill, I had drifted to the right, but I had so much trouble lining up the map with what I saw. It also hurt that the streamer was on a cliff, not in a reentrant. I was very slow on the rest of the course. I also had bobbled control 1; I am so unsure of myself on that huge SE hillside of that area.
Course times:
Relay A: 18:42
Relay B: 23:37
Relay C: 26:35
On course B, apart from fatigue, I only had one significant error which was at control 3 (split 15 on the GPS track). It turned out that going over the hill, I had drifted to the right, but I had so much trouble lining up the map with what I saw. It also hurt that the streamer was on a cliff, not in a reentrant. I was very slow on the rest of the course. I also had bobbled control 1; I am so unsure of myself on that huge SE hillside of that area.
Course times:
Relay A: 18:42
Relay B: 23:37
Relay C: 26:35
Saturday Apr 17, 2010 #
Event: CSU Spring Training Camp #2
11 AM
Running warm up/down 4:56 [1] 0.84 km (5:52 / km) +12m 5:29 / km
shoes: 201004 Inov8 X-Talon 212
Orienteering (Line-O) 18:20 [2] 1.5 km (12:11 / km) +83m 9:33 / km
shoes: 201004 Inov8 X-Talon 212
Orienteering (Control Picking) 28:25 [4] 2.77 km (10:16 / km) +32m 9:43 / km
shoes: 201004 Inov8 X-Talon 212
Orienteering (Contour-O) 4:54 [3] 0.56 km (8:48 / km) +7m 8:17 / km
shoes: 201004 Inov8 X-Talon 212
Orienteering (Control Picking) 26:41 [4] 3.37 km (7:55 / km)
shoes: 201004 Inov8 X-Talon 212
3 PM
Orienteering (Otervals) 33:23 [5] 4.7 km (7:06 / km)
shoes: 201004 Inov8 X-Talon 212
Friday Apr 16, 2010 #
10 PM
Orienteering (Night-O) 39:06 [3] 3.57 km (10:58 / km) +88m 9:45 / km
shoes: 201004 Inov8 X-Talon 212
Thursday Apr 15, 2010 #
Event: CSU Park-O: Fresh Pond
6 PM
Biking 27:00 [2] 9.0 km (20.0 kph)
shoes: Trek 7.1 FX
Biking to and from Fresh Pond.
Orienteering 17:33 [4] 3.33 km (5:16 / km) +1m 5:16 / km
shoes: 201004 Inov8 X-Talon 212
A fun Park-O set by Audun at Fresh Pond. The park is more interesting than I usually give it credit, and while it's inescapably linear, good courses can be set there. This sprint was straightforward, though I started very poorly. I didn't really get into the O-zone (i.e. start orienteering well) until control 4. I was a bit sluggish, but I am nevertheless pleased with my performance. Brendan was a few seconds faster than I, and Ross was about 2 minutes ahead (more if he hadn't tried to knock down a fence with his thigh).
Turnout seemed to be good; I ran into the usual suspects, Keith, Dean, Isabel and Barb, and others.
Turnout seemed to be good; I ran into the usual suspects, Keith, Dean, Isabel and Barb, and others.
Running 9:36 [2] 1.75 km (5:29 / km)
shoes: 201004 Inov8 X-Talon 212
Picking up the five beginner course controls that were not on the advanced course.
Wednesday Apr 14, 2010 #
Biking (Commute) 40:00 [2] 14.0 km (21.0 kph)
shoes: Trek 7.1 FX
Monday Apr 12, 2010 #
6 PM
Biking 50:00 [2] 16.0 km (19.2 kph)
shoes: Trek 7.1 FX
Biking to and from rehearsal; the track is for the trip to rehearsal.
Sunday Apr 11, 2010 #
Note
It turns out that my AP log is the fifth hit on the Google search for "Boston X-talon 212" (the search for the terms, not the exact string). Woohoo! Unfortunately, that doesn't help me get some new X-talons.
10 AM
ARDF 22:36 [4] 3.01 km (7:30 / km) +78m 6:39 / km
shoes: 201002 Asics T918N
I ran the (apparently 3 km) 80m ARDF course at Hammond Pond. We had more people than receivers, so in the interest of haste, I started three minutes after Lori, on control 4. This had the unfortunate consequence that Lori and I arrived at the next four controls concurrently.
I had assigned the large areas in which each of the controls were set, and that intimate knowledge of the control locations did make it difficult to simulate race-condition ignorance of the course. At the start, I pushed hard to control 4 and ended up about 100 meters from the control. While advancing on the control, I managed to drift about twenty or thirty meters to the left; I seem to struggle going straight on a bearing in the absence of feedback.
The logical order was 4, 1, 3, 2, 5; the appropriate times were 4 mins, 6, 8, 12, 15, and the finish at 20 minutes. I found 4 off cycle, missed a cycle at 1 (which I also found off cycle at ~10 minutes), and then ran cleanly. My effective finish time was 25:36.
This ARDF session was ineffective; I invested six hours of time for about twenty five minutes of actual ARDF training. The original plan was to run two such courses and a few short 5-10 minute 200m sprints. The rest of the physical activity was beneficial, but not the objective. The primary causes of the inefficiency were delays setting the course and more people than receivers, necessitating sharing. It's also hard to coordinate multiple exercises given the different speeds everyone has. I'm not quite sure how to resolve this, but ARDF sessions continue to be unacceptably inefficient.
I had assigned the large areas in which each of the controls were set, and that intimate knowledge of the control locations did make it difficult to simulate race-condition ignorance of the course. At the start, I pushed hard to control 4 and ended up about 100 meters from the control. While advancing on the control, I managed to drift about twenty or thirty meters to the left; I seem to struggle going straight on a bearing in the absence of feedback.
The logical order was 4, 1, 3, 2, 5; the appropriate times were 4 mins, 6, 8, 12, 15, and the finish at 20 minutes. I found 4 off cycle, missed a cycle at 1 (which I also found off cycle at ~10 minutes), and then ran cleanly. My effective finish time was 25:36.
This ARDF session was ineffective; I invested six hours of time for about twenty five minutes of actual ARDF training. The original plan was to run two such courses and a few short 5-10 minute 200m sprints. The rest of the physical activity was beneficial, but not the objective. The primary causes of the inefficiency were delays setting the course and more people than receivers, necessitating sharing. It's also hard to coordinate multiple exercises given the different speeds everyone has. I'm not quite sure how to resolve this, but ARDF sessions continue to be unacceptably inefficient.
C • hmm 2
Biking 52:54 [2] 16.18 km (18.4 kph) +53m
shoes: Trek 7.1 FX
Biking to Hammond Pond for ARDF training.
Orienteering 17:06 [3] 2.73 km (6:16 / km)
shoes: 201002 Asics T918N
Setting control 2 for the training in the northwest corner of the map. Since I was able to run largely entirely on trails, my pace was actually faster than while running the training course. One method for increasing the efficiency of training sessions is for a single individual to set all the controls in advance. We could rotate and absorb some of the time costs. More coaching and less waiting would be a significant improvement.
1 PM
Orienteering 17:42 [3] 2.42 km (7:19 / km) +21m 7:01 / km
shoes: 201002 Asics T918N
Picking up controls 2 and 3.
3 PM
Biking 38:31 [2] 14.2 km (22.1 kph) +23m
shoes: Trek 7.1 FX
I biked home from lunch at a rotisserie chicken place with Keith, Lori, Ruth, and Joseph. Despite the significant traffic and numerous stoplights, much of the trip was downhill, and I achieved a speed record on my bike of 31 mph.
Saturday Apr 10, 2010 #
5 PM
Biking 1:30:28 [2] 39.71 km (26.3 kph) +86m
shoes: Trek 7.1 FX
The past week has not been pleasant. Due to a busy work week, a cold, and general lack of focus, I have not trained at all in the past five days. While my nose is still running, I decided to take advantage of the beautiful day and bike the entire Minuteman Bikeway.
Conditions were brisk and windy, with a temperature of about 13 C and a west wind of 22 kph gusting to 32 kph. This made the ride to Bedford somewhat arduous. I brought a liter of powerade and a liter of water and consumed about half a liter total.
My right calf has felt very tight this week, resulting in some moderate arch pain. It is partly because of that and general muscle fatigue that I rested this week.
Biking is not as stressful on my muscles as running is. I have been morose this week, and getting out and doing some exercise, particularly in such splendid conditions, has greatly improved my morale.
Conditions were brisk and windy, with a temperature of about 13 C and a west wind of 22 kph gusting to 32 kph. This made the ride to Bedford somewhat arduous. I brought a liter of powerade and a liter of water and consumed about half a liter total.
My right calf has felt very tight this week, resulting in some moderate arch pain. It is partly because of that and general muscle fatigue that I rested this week.
Biking is not as stressful on my muscles as running is. I have been morose this week, and getting out and doing some exercise, particularly in such splendid conditions, has greatly improved my morale.
Thursday Apr 8, 2010 #
Biking 40:00 [1] 14.0 km (21.0 kph)
shoes: Trek 7.1 FX
Commute to rehearsal. I changed my rear inner tube earlier today.
Monday Apr 5, 2010 #
Note
The CSU Pawtuckaway training camp was a tremendous success, largely due to Brendan and Clem's sublime organizational work. The training plan and courses were more structured and focused than previous camps have had. Brendan put together an excellent evaluation document for course analysis, and both Brendan and Clem set the controls well in advance. The cost of the camp was $15 per person to cover map expenses and food.
Clem edges Brendan out as the MVP of the camp for his work picking up the controls from the Saturday exercises and setting the flags for the Sunday exercises early on Sunday morning. Those attending included Ross, Brendan, Alex, Lori (and Presto), Giovanni, Katya, Sam, Jeff Saeger, Jeff Schapiro, Ali, Becky, SGB, Andrew and Ethan, Siobhan, Bob Lux, Ernst Linder, Jim Paschetto, Lynette, John Goodwin Sr, and me.
The Andersens and their pushily gregarious dog, Buck, were fantastic hosts and welcomed us with delightful hospitality. Once we arrived at their house, they basically took care of our every need, despite that we were tired dirty orienteers who smelled like Pawtuckaway.
Conditions at the camp were in general quite good; there were very few mosquitos, no deer flies, and clear skies. The temperature was unfortunately high - with a maximum of 23-25 C on both days; we readily dehydrated. As was to be expected, Pawtuckaway offered highly technical training, and the course design made good use of the challenges.
When it was decided by the CSU training group to host this camp, one of our goals was to make it open to anyone who wanted to come, in the spirit that we want national training camps to be. There certainly are times for exclusion - e.g. the US team preparing for WOC and building camaraderie - but in general, the purpose of training camps implies inclusion. The camp largely accomplished that goal; it must be hoped that no one felt left out by the strength of the friendships among those most active in the Boston training group.
One thing we can do better at subsequent camps is more deliberately review our courses together. There was some conversation, but it was unstructured. For instance, everyone could get into small groups and discuss routes, attackpoints, challenges, successes, and so on.
I met a number of new people and especially enjoyed hanging out with the Childs, e.g. on the Night-O. I can see why Sam has reported of much laughter from her JWOC coaching experiences.
Clem edges Brendan out as the MVP of the camp for his work picking up the controls from the Saturday exercises and setting the flags for the Sunday exercises early on Sunday morning. Those attending included Ross, Brendan, Alex, Lori (and Presto), Giovanni, Katya, Sam, Jeff Saeger, Jeff Schapiro, Ali, Becky, SGB, Andrew and Ethan, Siobhan, Bob Lux, Ernst Linder, Jim Paschetto, Lynette, John Goodwin Sr, and me.
The Andersens and their pushily gregarious dog, Buck, were fantastic hosts and welcomed us with delightful hospitality. Once we arrived at their house, they basically took care of our every need, despite that we were tired dirty orienteers who smelled like Pawtuckaway.
Conditions at the camp were in general quite good; there were very few mosquitos, no deer flies, and clear skies. The temperature was unfortunately high - with a maximum of 23-25 C on both days; we readily dehydrated. As was to be expected, Pawtuckaway offered highly technical training, and the course design made good use of the challenges.
When it was decided by the CSU training group to host this camp, one of our goals was to make it open to anyone who wanted to come, in the spirit that we want national training camps to be. There certainly are times for exclusion - e.g. the US team preparing for WOC and building camaraderie - but in general, the purpose of training camps implies inclusion. The camp largely accomplished that goal; it must be hoped that no one felt left out by the strength of the friendships among those most active in the Boston training group.
One thing we can do better at subsequent camps is more deliberately review our courses together. There was some conversation, but it was unstructured. For instance, everyone could get into small groups and discuss routes, attackpoints, challenges, successes, and so on.
I met a number of new people and especially enjoyed hanging out with the Childs, e.g. on the Night-O. I can see why Sam has reported of much laughter from her JWOC coaching experiences.
Sunday Apr 4, 2010 #
Note
Some observations from the CSU Training camp:
- As per (my) declaration, the mascot of Oxford University is the "Crumpets." Note that this declaration is retroactive.
My strengths and ways I have been improving:
- Control Picking: I had fewer problems staying in contact and planning routes than in the past; I had good flow (for me)
- Having the will to keep fighting, even when I'm tired
- My ability to simplify complex terrain is stronger than it has been in the past
- I have improved moving past gnarly obstacles without giving up speed
- I have occasional moments of strong focus and physical power, showing some measure of potential
- I move well downhill
- I am comparatively good in finish chutes (possibly because I'm moving slower on the course than is optimal)
Weaknesses:
- My fitness is still inadequate to be competitive. In particular, I lack the stamina to train as hard as I want to.
- I very much struggle with my compass; while trying to make optimal local route choice (moving past features within 20-30 meters), I deviate significantly from a global route choice (legs of length 200m+). This is particularly clear in gnarly places like Pawtuckaway, where there are many local obstacles.
- I had difficulty getting into the map at the beginning of a course. I typically made some early mistakes, and as my focus sharpened, I improved later in the courses.
- I am influenced by other people in the woods; I become self-conscious, speed up (i.e. try to beat them), and make mistakes. Amusingly, I tend to specifically not follow them.
- I am comparatively slow on hills (possibly exacerbated by giving blood).
- My core muscles are weak and easily tire from having to crouch to avoid obstacles.
- As per (my) declaration, the mascot of Oxford University is the "Crumpets." Note that this declaration is retroactive.
My strengths and ways I have been improving:
- Control Picking: I had fewer problems staying in contact and planning routes than in the past; I had good flow (for me)
- Having the will to keep fighting, even when I'm tired
- My ability to simplify complex terrain is stronger than it has been in the past
- I have improved moving past gnarly obstacles without giving up speed
- I have occasional moments of strong focus and physical power, showing some measure of potential
- I move well downhill
- I am comparatively good in finish chutes (possibly because I'm moving slower on the course than is optimal)
Weaknesses:
- My fitness is still inadequate to be competitive. In particular, I lack the stamina to train as hard as I want to.
- I very much struggle with my compass; while trying to make optimal local route choice (moving past features within 20-30 meters), I deviate significantly from a global route choice (legs of length 200m+). This is particularly clear in gnarly places like Pawtuckaway, where there are many local obstacles.
- I had difficulty getting into the map at the beginning of a course. I typically made some early mistakes, and as my focus sharpened, I improved later in the courses.
- I am influenced by other people in the woods; I become self-conscious, speed up (i.e. try to beat them), and make mistakes. Amusingly, I tend to specifically not follow them.
- I am comparatively slow on hills (possibly exacerbated by giving blood).
- My core muscles are weak and easily tire from having to crouch to avoid obstacles.
10 AM
Orienteering (Time Guessing) 45:00 [5] **** 5.0 km (9:00 / km)
9c shoes: 200908 Inov8 X-Talon 212
Clem set a very intriguing "Guessing" exercise, the primary objective of which was estimating how long a particular route would take. We broke into groups - I was with Ross and Brendan - and would pause at each control to examine the possible routes to the next control. We would each take a different route and try to estimate how long that particular route would take us individually. It should be noted that I did not have a good plan for how to use my Garmin, and my track is not overly informative.
I think this exercise would be more informative either if I were able to test each of the routes or if I was running with people closer to my speed. Brendan and (especially) Ross were much faster than I, such that sometimes when I had the best route, I finished behind them. Nevertheless, it was an interesting exercise, bringing some of the merits of planning in advance like Saturday's simplification exercise.
I was pretty tired after the weekend's events, and we pushed hard on each of the legs, so Brendan and I aborted after control 9 to pick up controls from the Night-O. Ross finished the course and picked up some of the flags. Seeing Brendan and Ross fly out of controls starting their routes was impressive and informative.
I think this exercise would be more informative either if I were able to test each of the routes or if I was running with people closer to my speed. Brendan and (especially) Ross were much faster than I, such that sometimes when I had the best route, I finished behind them. Nevertheless, it was an interesting exercise, bringing some of the merits of planning in advance like Saturday's simplification exercise.
I was pretty tired after the weekend's events, and we pushed hard on each of the legs, so Brendan and I aborted after control 9 to pick up controls from the Night-O. Ross finished the course and picked up some of the flags. Seeing Brendan and Ross fly out of controls starting their routes was impressive and informative.
Orienteering (Control Pickup) 1:00:00 [1] **** 5.0 km (12:00 / km)
4c shoes: 200908 Inov8 X-Talon 212
Picking up four Night-O controls and running back to the start along a trail.
1 PM
Orienteering (Control Picking) 47:38 [4] **** 3.84 km (12:24 / km)
26c shoes: 200908 Inov8 X-Talon 212
The first of Clem's control picking courses; I decided I was too wasted to run the second. I was moving slower than the exercise from Saturday, but I nevertheless had a constructive session focusing on flow, preplanning and quick execution. I had some minor bobbles, but no major errors apart from going too high on the hill to 14 - losing about 90 seconds.
I saw Alex running to 20 while I was going to 18, but I failed to catch up to her.
I saw Alex running to 20 while I was going to 18, but I failed to catch up to her.
Orienteering (Control Pickup) 30:00 [1] **** 2.0 km (15:00 / km)
shoes: 200908 Inov8 X-Talon 212
Picking up three Night-O controls and seven controls from Sunday's control picking exercise. At best, I was jogging.
Saturday Apr 3, 2010 #
Event: CSU Spring Training Camp #1
10 AM
Running (Trail) 16:40 [2] 2.66 km (6:16 / km)
shoes: 200908 Inov8 X-Talon 212
Orienteering (Control Picking) 1:01:56 [4] **** 5.97 km (10:22 / km)
spiked:21/35c shoes: 200908 Inov8 X-Talon 212
I really enjoy control picking exercises, and certainly my technique has improved through that training. Brendan set a challenging course with 35 controls over 5 km in the most technical area of Pawtuckaway. It was exhilarating, though physically I was unable to push as hard as I would have liked.
2 PM
Running (Trail) 19:18 [2] 2.66 km (7:15 / km)
shoes: 200908 Inov8 X-Talon 212
Orienteering (Simplification) 1:17:03 [3] **** 7.76 km (9:55 / km)
spiked:14/19c shoes: 200908 Inov8 X-Talon 212
The simplification exercise consisted of 19 controls over 6.7 km with emphasis on choosing intelligent routes and check features. Notably, we thoroughly planned our routes in groups before running the exercise. Brendan and I planned together, and it was interesting to see how orienteering can be when you have a thorough understanding of the course. I imagine that the top navigators in the world run their races as well as if they had planned their routes in advance. I made significant errors on five controls, including four of the first seven. Particularly with a map as complex as Pawtuckaway, I struggle getting into the mindset and focus I need to run effectively. I grew more comfortable as the race went on.
Approaching control 15, I was fatigued and slogging along the small hills into the control when I heard Sam below me and saw Ali ahead of me punching at the control. I dug deep, focused intently, and pushed with my last reserves of stamina. Ali made a mistake at 16, and I just barely managed to hold Sam off into the finish. It was a very exhilerating finish; if I can muster that level of focus and intensity for an entire race, I will fare well. Training at that intensity would also be beneficial.
Approaching control 15, I was fatigued and slogging along the small hills into the control when I heard Sam below me and saw Ali ahead of me punching at the control. I dug deep, focused intently, and pushed with my last reserves of stamina. Ali made a mistake at 16, and I just barely managed to hold Sam off into the finish. It was a very exhilerating finish; if I can muster that level of focus and intensity for an entire race, I will fare well. Training at that intensity would also be beneficial.
10 PM
Orienteering (Night-O) 54:36 [2] **** 3.95 km (13:49 / km)
11c shoes: 200908 Inov8 X-Talon 212
We started the Night-O at about 10:10 PM, with the requirement that everyone be back at the parking lot by 11 PM. Andrew, Ethan and I ran together, and we decided to skip controls 3-7 - they were the most distant, and in terrain with fewer catching features. The remaining 11 were sufficiently interesting to be challenging.
I enjoyed running with Andrew and Ethan; we took turns leading the legs, and Night-O is much more fun when you're not alone in Pawtuckaway. Leading legs and following along were both educational activities, and we made few mistakes. Overall, it was a pleasant experience, and one I was far better able to tackle than the Wicked Hard Night-O from September 2009, in which I basically piggybacked with Boris, Kat, and Brendan.
I enjoyed running with Andrew and Ethan; we took turns leading the legs, and Night-O is much more fun when you're not alone in Pawtuckaway. Leading legs and following along were both educational activities, and we made few mistakes. Overall, it was a pleasant experience, and one I was far better able to tackle than the Wicked Hard Night-O from September 2009, in which I basically piggybacked with Boris, Kat, and Brendan.
Running (Trail) 7:00 [2] 1.2 km (5:50 / km)
shoes: 200908 Inov8 X-Talon 212
Run to the start.
Friday Apr 2, 2010 #
Note
(rest day)
Decided to rest again in the hope of having the stamina for this weekend. Oddly enough, my lower legs are a bit swollen. I can't quite account for this - the past week has not been that strenuous. The camp this weekend was long - I was running for long periods, but at low intensity. It is possible that giving blood somehow exacerbated circumstances, but I do not see how. Perhaps the half marathon from 12 days ago also caused some problems? I'm most concerned about shin splints, but without a more thorough understanding of my condition, I see no recourse but to monitor my condition and plod on.
Thursday Apr 1, 2010 #
Note
Interesting comparison:
COF's financial statement from March 2008 - March 2009:
http://www.orienteering.ca/pdfs/2009/2009AGM/2008-...
USOF's operating fund budget, 2009:
http://www.us.orienteering.org/binder/vbdocs/2009b...
COF's financial statement from March 2008 - March 2009:
http://www.orienteering.ca/pdfs/2009/2009AGM/2008-...
USOF's operating fund budget, 2009:
http://www.us.orienteering.org/binder/vbdocs/2009b...
Note
(rest day)
My legs still feel like crap, so I'm taking a rest day in the hopes that I will have the stamina and speed for a productive training camp this weekend. I continue to be frustrated by my weakness.