Training Log Archive: iansmith

Event: NE Challenge race #4: CSU
 

This session include streamering part of the Forest-X course at 8:30 AM and hanging six of the navigation games controls at 11:30. Uneventful.

Mass start race at Long Pond by CSU. This course was basically a 5 km green course with a mass start of about 50 people. I started running pretty fast (3:30/km apparently) down the trail to get away from the throng and came to the first control alone. In hindsight, I may have started too hard (as is my wont); I wasn't really awake, caffeinated, adequately breakfasted, or warmed up. I stayed in the lead through control 3 when I celebrated by completely bombing 4 for a loss of 1:40. Oops. I redoubled my focus and resolved to execute cleanly; I punched 4 with the trailing pack of Izzy, Tim, Ari, and others.

My execution at 5 was good, and I scooted down the trail running 4-4:15/km. I elected to run slightly around the last hill rather than straight up it, which I think was reasonable given the openness of the woods. I had some small hesitation at 6, where I caught up to Dancho. My route to 8 was a little accidental, in which I picked up the trail left of the line rather than running straight for a 10-15s loss. I caught sight of Ian Finlayson while he was leaving 8. On 9-12, I gained ground on Ian and was pretty clean. I dropped Ian with some clean punching through green to 13, though I had a spectacular faceplant crossing a trail in front of some innocent civilians.

I lost a full 50s at 14 when I went to the wrong knoll in the circle and was confused for a long while. Alex was waiting at 14 to take a picture, but I didn't see her. Really bad execution. I was good on 15-16, with a solid route to 16. As I approached 16 from the south, I saw Ethan running into it from the north. For the last controls, it was just a matter of speed and navigational caution. The goal was no mistakes and to have enough in the tank to drop Ethan on the final sprint. He whittled my 18s lead at 16 down to 3s at 19 - where I almost made a mistake, but I dropped the hammer on the run to the finish for a 15s victory.

Mass start races are great for driving you to the limit of your physical and navigational abilities. My performance was middling at best - two big mistakes and sluggish legs. I was sort of annoyed to have so much trouble reeling Ian Finlayson in, who often remarks about how little training he does. Clearly he should be running blue, and I am considering promoting him to nemesis status - where he only has to beat me on one split. I really need to be doing more tempo runs. On the plus side, IanF, Ethan, or I won every split.

Picking up 5 controls, including 1-4.

After a short nap and listening to some football on the radio, I ran the Skyline trail in my Orocs. It was a glorious day for it with a temperature of about 10 C. Running in Orocs gave me better grip on the trail than is typical, but a full day of Orocs is painful. Also, I had less protection against rocks underfoot than is usual, so parts of my feet were tender after the run. I was quite tired by the end, but it felt good to get out.

This penguin is my spirit animal:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8aFcHFu8QM#t=39s

NE Challenge - Splits

Tired. Maybe getting sick?

I listened to Mahler 3 today - best known for its trombone solo, but obligatorily having a fantastic French horn part because Mahler. Other characteristics Mahler symphonies have are grand scale, complexity, and a wide range of expression typical of romantic symphonies. They're not as stirring as Tchaik, but they are powerful and contrasting (compared with say Mozart, which are more pretty and intricate, but lacking in emotional intensity).

C • Mozart 9

OUSA Communications committee phone call this weekend. Das agenda:

1. Review of tools for communications and project management within the Board (e-mail, trello, basecamp, freedcamp). Ian is making a short report on this, which we can then recommend to the Board.
2. Evaluation of mechanisms for Board-OUSA member and member club communication
3. Tools for marketing and publicity to the public
4. Drafting a 2017 communications plan which we can recommend to the Board including funding request
5. Comm Comm plans: how often we will meet, what mechanism to use, where our annual party will be.

I volunteered with the Hillary Clinton campaign this evening and made about 40 phone calls. I find calling people really difficult, even this call is a get-out-the-vote effort rather than soliciting money. So, it was a good exercise to face that challenge and try to accomplish my objective as politely and amicably as possible.

Afterwards, I joined Ben, Joe, and Melanie for climbing at Brooklyn Boulders. I felt great today, unlike last week, and I powered through pitches which had stymied me. I almost cleanly sent my nemesis tall orange 5.9, with a small rest on one hold near the top. Lame. My pinnacle was demolishing a black 5.9 overhang. I managed a 5.10a with bgallup, but it was ugly. Still, while almost all the 12? pitches I did were 5.9, I was strong and capable for the entire evening.

C • Volunteering 6

Eine kleine nachtrunning. My right ankle is a bit gimpy presumably from the sum impact of several minor tweaks over the past month.