Training Log Archive: JanetT

A little movement, a little stretching (with some extra quad stretches thrown in, as they seem to be the most sore, but not overly so). Shoulders a little achy, probably from my fall on the trail run.

Event: Hudson Highlander XVI
 

Lowlander, at the Hudson Highlander starting at Lake Welch Beach, Harriman. 12.8 km / 260m climb advertised.

FR reports: 14.685 km, 408 m climb

Lowlander consisted of the first and last orienteering loops of the HH, with a trail run of about 3 km (or so I heard) between them. First loop was on Jackie Jones and included a "scramble" section, where you were to visit any 4 of 7 controls scattered over about 10 km^2. HH had a longer trail run; I ran into Glen at the map exchange where he was headed out on a fairly long O loop on Rockhouse Mtn.

I knew coming into the map exchange that the last loop wasn't very long as my FR already was saying about 10 km, and it was advertised as 12.8. No problem with the 1:4000 scale; was slow on the climbs, but able to keep jogging the levels and downhills.

Was finished in time to see the HH leaders, Will and Boris, cross the parking lot and finish. Lots of great warm and delicious food provided; I'm sure I ate too much.

EDIT: FR is downloaded; here is my blow-by-blow description for anyone interested. :-) Maps on PG's log (except for the LL trail run, which headed NE from 9 to the road bend then headed NW up the same trail they traveled)

1 - Fairly straight, trying to keep up with Francis H. as we left the parking lot. Crossed through campground near the bathroom building but was reading the other section of camping roads and was confused that trails weren't matching up so hesitated there, but then just kept heading E. After crossing rocky ground and approaching the laurel, I could see the reentrant below the cliff forming and saw someone headed perpendicular to my line of travel so knew I was close. Sandy was coming in as I left.
2 - I headed towards the trail because I thought it was a safer route; contoured over to what I thought was a cliff control but when I read the clue realized I had to climb up on top. Saw Sandy here again.
3 - Dropped down towards the trail but looped left around a patch of green (wasn't checking my compass). Sandy arrived shortly ahead of me and headed off up Rt 106. Her compass skills are better than mine. :-)
4 - (D) Sandy's route west on 106 made me rethink my scramble order. Sharon was just behind and saw me headed up 106 too, and decided that was a good way; she passed me and caught up to Sandy. Both of them left the road and headed up the trail 40-50 m ahead of me. I had been thinking of going taking the other road towards the tower on Jackie Jones Mtn to visit C-D-E-G on the scramble section, but think D-C-E-G got rid of the steeper climb between C and D and didn't look much longer. Easy approach up the reentrant and over the spur.
5 - (C) I was able to check off features on the approach to the cliff-line to drop right down to C. Surprised to see Sandy coming in from the west as I thought she was farther ahead; she had taken a different route down the cliffs. We did the next one together as neither of us was running in the woods at this point.
6 - (E) From C west on big trail to the rocky ground near gentle right bend, trying to find the narrowest section of laurel to bash through. Slow getting through, but we hit the smaller trail near the contour-and-formline spur NNW of the cliff, and headed straight in.
7 - (G) Bashed back out to the trail, and I was able to jog, so was on my own from there on in for the most part. Attacked G from the minor trail bend to loop around the laurel; crossed some stony ground and saw a small pond which resembled the one NW of the control but quickly realized it was the rocky ground S of the control and up a contour, so kept going past the big cliffs.
8 - Back out to the big trail; used the line of cliffs headed S as a handrail. Used compass (a bit better than early in the race!) and stayed above laurel but below the crest of the hill.
9 - Mostly straight, slowed by laurel and rocks; I found the line of cliffs ESE of 9 and headed off towards the road from there.
10 - Part I of the trail run, along the road NE of the basketball court to a trail junction with funny tape markings but I quickly realized the HH runners were coming from the other direction and we would both head up the same trail. Saw that the map's contour interval was 30 m, but the 1:25000 scale didn't really register and the trail seemed MUCH longer than it probably was. There was a medium size tree across the trail not far before St. John's Rd and I stepped across it just fine but then managed to trip on the branch just past it and went sprawling on the trail. A fellow (I think on the Highlander) passed me here, asking if I was okay (just fine, thanks). He punched at the road crossing a bit before me.
11 - Crossed the road and saw the same fellow, plus 3 cadets, wandering back and forth looking for streamers and the proper trail, which wasn't really well mapped on this map. Eventually saw them head down a trail which stayed between the road and Lake Welch, and I followed it until I thought I saw a streamer near the cemetery and headed up that way. That wasn't on the trail run (there were in fact no streamers on this section), but I knew where my ultimate goal was so just kept heading NE to the map exchange. (Thanks, Judy!) On the way across here I saw a young woman wearing a dark pink shirt crossing my path right to left, who I later determined was probably headed to 29 on the "sprint."
12 (HH27) - Easy run to the end of the cliff
13 (HH28) - Up the path and through the clearing; crossed the road and looped a bit around the blueberries.
14 (HH29) - Stayed in the woods, up to the water tower, then wasn't sure of distance and laurel, so headed to the hill S of boulder to attack. Got my feet wet for the first time.
15 (HH30) - Back through the puddle, around the cliff and briars, and straight past the building. Saw another pretty distinct (but unmapped) tree near the lake but checked the proper one first.
16 (HH31) - Slogged back up the hill to the water tower and then E on the trail past the debris pile and large boulder. Tried to cross the laurel at the narrowest point (SW of 31) but I think I got pushed left and was in it a bit longer than planned. Eventually hit blueberries and knew I needed to stay in the blueberries and not re-enter the laurel; headed east and found the boulder. Saw the pink-shirt woman again here; she apparently had trouble with this control. It was probably faster to head out to the road edge and come in from the W, but for some reason I was thinking J-J's admonition to stay off Lake Welch Road meant to stay away from the road and shoulder.
17 (HH32) - Again thinking I couldn't run along the road edge , I headed E to the path, and ran along it to the tunnel/underpass, then found the trail that E and path SE towards the parking lot before crossing the rough open to the fence. Knew I had to come back out the same way, having looked at the fence on the map on the way in. Woman in pink punched behind me, then seemed to head E along the fence, so she had a bit of catching up to do.
18 (HH33) - She caught me partway across the parking lot and flew into the last control and to the finish.

Fun course, and I wasn't too exhausted.

Lowlander - Splits

My typical 2-mile local walk. Couldn't let the lovely weather get away, but didn't push the pace -- just wanted to loosen the joints. Right hip still feels tight from Pilates yesterday.

We used the rings today for extra hip torture. Not our instructor's favorite Pilates tool (I think she likes the bands best), though I like it myself. Didn't need to do adductor machine after this. :-)

Hill interval program, level 3 (since level 2 seemed easy last time I did this). Lots of quad stretching afterward.

9 pulldowns at 68.75 lbs (next step up from 62.5 lbs), working my up to 12.

I need new shoes (I have separate ones for general use, the Y, and exercise class). Got an upper-foot cramp (near big toe) and had to stop for a minute to work it out. :P

At the Y; only tool was weights.

I'm always amazed that exercise instructors can change things up and barely think about it (and still get done in an hour), but if you've been doing it for 20+ years it must be second nature.

Warming up for intervals on the indoor track. This seemed easy today; I wasn't sure how I'd feel since I did the race 3 days ago, but I guess that was enough rest.

Had to hop off the first treadmill I selected because the belt was generating a godawful squeak.

Counter clockwise rotation today (they switch the direction every other day, so this is opposite of last week). Five times 345m fast and 230m slow (walking). Fast splits 1:57, 1:57, 1:58, 1:58, 1:59.

Left upper back started tweaking during the first interval so I took the time to stop and stretch it during the slow portion. Usually it's the right side that bothers. Hmm.

And the cool down, followed by plenty of stretching, esp. quads and hamstrings and calves. Did 2x12 RDLs, too, just because I've been noticing my left hamstring just a little more than usual.