Training Log Archive: bl

WCOC A meet, long. Blustery, chilly NW day but fine when in motion. B/B+ run, only missed one control by maybe 1.5-1.75', need to see splits. This was #7 - had the distinct feeling I was being followed (4-5 controls) & was distracted & went left of line going up hill & misread what I was seeing. Rest was pretty much straight-to, very nice woods for the most part. Mt. laurel areas provided a good change of pace/style - did spent more time passing thru mt laurel than I should of, perhaps. Did not spend enough time on 2 or 3 of the legs weighing route choice but just went straight, often thru the laurel. Was first M60, not sure what Jeff did. Was ahead of tp for the 2 day by one second - he was 4 ahead yesterday, so I got him by 5 seconds today - how to do....

Very nice meet as I'd expect from WCOC. Awards showed creativity as well as choice of bus drivers. Really wanted to get on the road so we flipped a coin in the car - Beth called it so in I went. Within 2', PG had announced that Beth had won an award (she was still in car putting shoes on) & I'd collected one as well as BP's - 3 awards in about 7' and away. Fun to see Beth pleased with herself:-). 540 mi for weekend.

Ended up first on green summary; time is running out:-).

Roadside religion, NH

C • Award 4

Green Day 2: Long - Splits

Event: WCOC / US Team A-Meet/WRE
 

WCOC middle distance. Good run, even rate it an "A" for having no mistakes. Numerous hesitations & one or two episodes of confusion resolved sans damage but always steady progress. Was raining moderately just before starting, dark in woods, a mild form of "chaos" a possibility. Went off to #1 in considerably less contact than I thought I was in - to wrong side of open area, not really reading map but land shape suggested cliffs ahead & another runner, seemingly going to same control, appeared & ran into cliffs & confusion was forgiven. Pretty much read map & ensure continual contact for rest of course, be pedantic. Never really able to run for any length of time, risking loss of contact. No ticks, black flies or mosquitoes encountered. 2nd M60, Jeff S 10" ahead, TP 4" ahead; 3rd green X.

Stay at Best Western, very nice setup. Tarrywile proved too inconvenient with appox a 0.4 mi walk to tent area, dogs in car, forecast for rain.

Dinner at the local firehouse with Carl & Ethan Childs. After took a drive along east side of Candlewood Lake - west wind was practically furious, williwaws here & there.

Bubble magic



Tree creature

Green X Day 1: Middle - Splits

AM DP, last 2 controls! Cool, NW breezy, no bugs.

Control pickup at Nottingcook, 5 - two to go. Overcast, tried to rain - one brief bright ray when I visited the "shooting gallery" and found it mostly cleaned up! gave my opinion of HS a nudge upward. All 5 controls present after 2 weeks - on 2, the wind must have untied the lines, seems peculiar but no other explanation....

SPS 2 metric miles: 6:51, 6:55, 400m walk between. Had planned on three but tired, felt warm & wind was ahead 50% of the time - was 5:30pm, had 2 naps today so the conspiracy dictated. No 7 minute stuff for nearly 4 wks. Went to BHS first but must have been 60 kids there, SPS all to myself.

Run to track & back & warmup on track (parked by 89).

Sans Souci CP DP, Holbrook. Flat, sandy Long Island park, many trails, found a clear-running brook, a bit of a surprise. Lots of shade & still early.

From church parking/cemetary in Greenwich, somehow ended up there - at the edge of a necklace of green "trinkets" that kept me occupied, however sluggish. Such gorgeous foliage/trees, flowering azaleas etc., ah, sigh, May.

At a small park near Brad's in Holbrook. 20' complete (=21:00 when one thinks about it) 20" at 4, 40" at around 2 effort times 20, around the perimeter of a baseball field, 302' to left & right fields & 384' at center, around 100m a side, 400m per lap as it worked out. Something approaching honesty - another night absent fm Tu track.

Map walk with Beth on Surebridge map from group camp on Arden Valley Rd. Not easy to park - contemplated entering open gate to camp as I did once before under similar circumstances - but found space for one car, reasonably safe appearing. Good thing, as gate was locked less than 2 hours later. Bit of rain but still really nice. Let Beth lead the way most of the time. Superb forest & map as expected. Part used was from the '07 meet, went to some of the control sites from different directions.

A version of the (rock) Garden of Eden

Zoe surveying


The enchanted forest


A forest denizen




After, went to Liberty Corner to visit CBE, an 'old 92' & an old friendship going back to '66. Then on to Rye & Harrsion & the usual return-visit suspects, incl. Three Ponds and in early May - just as 50 years ago! but the place is a specter of its former self & only 250 yards or so from Rte 95. That road was not present in the late 50s - 3 Ps was for turtles, fish & birds - now overgrown & with a moderate amount of detritus floating around. In fact, Zoe, standing on a bridge maybe 9" above surface of water, thought she was stepping onto something solid & went in, out of sight for a few long seconds, surfacing very surprised. Holed up at a Super 8 in Stamford. had considered Ward Pound Ridge but it rained hard last night, tent is very wet & 3 nights in it deserves a change.

Faraway series, photos from elsewhere, #14:

Old man daydreaming, 1977; Duke, c. 12 years, on the Olympic seacoast.

A 'golden-age mile', pushing CBE around Fellowship Village perimeter walks & drives in her WC, the changing vistas keeping her entertained. One of the more symbolic miles I've covered, perhaps the last time I will see her alive.

Golden-age mile

CBE, a mile brigns a smile