Training Log Archive: JanetT

Event: 2011 US Classic Championships
 

Event: Canal Cities Orienteering Festival
 

Distance/climb is as reported on the control descriptions.
FR = 8.259 km, 100m climb

What can I say? I was "sucks" on #2 -- the track is hilarious. Left #1 at the wrong angle, and never realized it. Hit the first road/trail at an "open" area that I made be the clearing on the line, and tried to match things up. Got suspicious when no one else was anywhere nearby for a while (I was NOT keeping track of the time -- bad girl) so went back to the road/trail to try again. Both times I saw a yellow control just off the road but couldn't place it (because it was under the control descriptions printed on the map!). Tried to attack again, but after still no success returned to the road (quicker this time) and decided to run east on it until I found something I could definitely identify, or hit the main road bisecting the map. D'oh! Finally found the clearing I thought I hit the first time, a good couple hundred meters east. (Saw Patty Lyons heading the opposite direction, probably headed to 7.)

After finally finding 2 (~41 minute error), I managed the next 5 fine (a little off on 3, as I saw the rootstock NW of the control first and looked around there before heading to it). On the way from 7-8, I stepped into a shoe-sucking marsh and had to stop; couldn't get my shoe loose so I had to slip my foot out and retrieve the shoe from the muck, untie it so I could slip it back on, and retie it before proceeding. Found the stone-pile control west of the circled clearing (my attackpoint), but was NOT finding the clearing/control where I expected to, and reattacked from the stonepile. Finally went along the veg edge and spotted a flag in a small clearing (described as 4 x 8 m)... seemed to be outside the circle, especially based on continuing on to the last control near finish and hitting things farther right than I should have. Protest!

Found out a LOT of other folks also thought it was far enough to also protest, and the assembled jury decided to void the Brown course and the Green X (women's) course on which #202 (clearing) appeared. So I can try again tomorrow; it just won't be a 2-day championship for those two courses this year. Of the 5 times I saw posted in F55+, there were 2 mispunches, and I was in second place, almost an hour behind Mary Jo who had an awesome run of 64 minutes--way to go, MJC!

Day 1 Brown (Course voided) - Splits

Stopped at Klondike State Forest on the way out to Cicero and tried to orienteer in the wet woods on an map from a
previous event (CNYO local).

As soon as we stopped the car the deerflies landed on it! But Glen was brave and opened the door, and they weren't biting. The mosquitoes seemed more bothersome. We both used bug spray, but I still heard a lot of buzzing while in the woods.

Wet woods and warm temps meant that my glasses would be useless, so I just used the magnifier on my compass. Hard to read the map, so I hope tomorrow is drier. Good to test things out, anyway. FR later at some point.

Using rings. Nikki subbed for Mary (she'd done that before). Breathing is a major focus in Pilates, but she often goes too fast (I would hyperventilate if I followed her direction). And in the 'hundred' she counts funny ("shoulders up 2-3-4-5," as if saying "shoulders up" only took one count)... :-) She worked us well anyway.

Hill interval program, level 3 -- incline alternating from 6 to 14, resistance 25 throughout.

1.83 mi, MHR around 134

Pulldowns, adductors, RDLs, and leg dips off the step.

In Chatham. A slight bit cooler than on Monday. Will walk to P.O. (later) to mail a couple of things.

With bands. Did a lot of downward dogs and planks in warmup, so my shoulder's not happy.

Was going to do elliptical or row, but didn't feel like doing anything. Maybe a walk later, or maybe I just need the rest (got a better night's sleep last night than the previous 3 or 4).

We saw the fellow who (I think) is running in this YouTube video "preview" at Moreau on Sunday. He was filming a girl running on a trail near the parking lot where we were getting ready for our outing. Haven't seen any advertising for the race yet. We didn't get his name, but he said he works for the State Parks Dept (I think).

If you'll be in the area, watch for "Race the Range" announcements; maybe check the Moreau Park website.

He noticed our running attire and figured we might be interested so told us about it. :-)

C • info on course and registration 2

A new session begins. Weather cooperated so it didn't get too stinkin' hot. 5-5-5 x 2 workout (step, floor aerobics, weights) with warmup and cool down.

My track for practice course. I missed the cliff on 4 (my excuse is that I didn't have my magnifier to enlarge all the detail in this area) but did find the cliff to the west. And I went to the wrong feature for 5. But I was confident on the others (once I spent some time looking around).

Glen and I went to Moreau for a little orienteering exercise before next weekend's challenges. The weather was really pleasant, low 80s and no excessive humidity. Talked in the parking lot to a couple who were planning trail races to be held there on Sept 11 (~5k and 15k), which we'll miss but maybe other locals might try?

While changing I realized I didn't have my trail shoes. I didn't have to go in sandals, though, as I did have my regular sneakers. Just needed to avoid the wet parts of the marshes.

Packed lunch and extra water in a small backpack which we stashed up the hill, then ran/walked the O course that Glen drew. Partway up the climb to the start point, I realized I didn't have my compass, either! But I decided the map is so awesome and the sun bright enough that I could orienteer without it. I was going to try to do bearing/straight-line practice but ended up doing precision navigation so I always knew where I was (didn't go as fast as I might have otherwise, either).

EDIT: Added FR track. Glen noted this was pretty close to optimal "model" training for next week -- a Mark map, with lots of detail, made from Lidar (and under time pressure). :-)

Orienteering practice, designed by Glen; no streamers (he said he set up a couple of stick tripods, though I didn't see them). Original plan was to go as straight as possible, but without a compass, I decided accuracy was more important. I didn't have the magnifier on the compass either, just my glasses, so went slow enough to be able to stay in good contact and see what I needed to. I was very proud of myself to 1 and 2 and decided I'd be okay, but I couldn't really run much at all.

I was avoiding marshes to keep my shoes dry but read features along side of them and moved along well. A lot of stuff going on around 4, and I think I hit the right spot; on 5 I went too far and on correcting, thought I was headed for the spur with the dot knoll and cliffs on both sides, so I'm not sure I was in the reentrant at the circle's center. I'd planned to be out about an hour and was already to 25 minutes at 5, so decided to skip from 6 to 11. Fine, navigationally. I figured Glen might catch up to me somewhere between 11 and 12 (my 7th and 8th controls) and he did, just short of the hill with the cliff. Fine to the last control and then in, but slow to check and make sure I was at the right spot.

Good practice, especially without the compass/magnifier! This is such a nice map and area. I might post the map/route later.

A few mosquitoes (some of which didn't survive the day) and maybe one or two DFs.

Back to our packs to have sandwiches before part 3.

Hiked back to the car, but stopped to visit a few possible BG controls along the way, so won't show track. Also wanted to show Glen the neat little "between a rock and a hard place" (basically, a 4' wide gap between two pieces of exposed rock, about 5' high on either side) just off the trail in the NE part of the plateau. Descending off-trail was a bit tricky in places because I didn't have spikes to dig into the dry leaves, so I had a short slide on one steep hillside. Checked out likely aid station location, too.