Training Log Archive: JayXC

Travel home and cleaning gear.

Event: ROC - Mendon Ponds Regular Meet
 

We’re given a map with 8 points and instructions that only 7 are required. We select our route and take off arriving at the first point on a pond which is actually a different shape than was mapped causing some confusion. We recover quickly and head to the next point, no problem. While bushwhacking to the next control we encounter an unmapped parallel trail which takes us to an intersection that we can’t locate on the map. We waste time trying to reason where we are and finally decide to relocate out to the road. Once located the remaining points go relatively quickly and we head back to the start.

Norwegian MTB-O- The next map has 4 mandatory points plotted on it. Each mandatory point has 2 un-mapped optional points that are only identified on the control prior to it and the points have to obtained in order ( bike to 1, map on 1 identifies location of 1A, map at 1A identifies 1B then on to 2, etc. ). Fun network of trails which we got to know well by the end.
Once completed it’s an 8 mile road ride to the paddle put-in.

Kayak on the Wallkill River. We arrive at the TA and CP0 is still transitioning. All three teams put on within minutes of each other. Within the first 500m there’s a portage around a dam. The put-in wasn’t exactly clean and we could see CP0 struggling in the shallow water on the other side. We ran the boats further downriver and put in just ahead of them. The river was exceptionally low creating a very bony ride/hike for a good portion of it which was unfortunate since 6” more of water would have made for a very fun paddle. We arrive just a few minutes ahead of CP0.

Bike to Foot-O #2- A short road ride to the base of the mountain and onto trails where we climb up 1700’ to Lake Awosting to the bike drop.

Drop the bikes and head out for 6 points around the lake. A slight route choice mistake put us up on a cliff which requiring a longer route on trail than was optimal despite warnings from Rodney at the race briefing. Arrived back at the TA still in the lead.

Bike to Mohonk Preserve- An all-downhill ride on carriage trails with a few stops for CP’s along the way. EG has spent considerable time in the area and with one look at the map knew exactly where each point was. Made for a fun and fast trip ripping down the trails.

We quickly changed into trekking gear and headed out onto the last section. As we did CP0 arrives and we hear Joe yell “ WE’RE COMING FOR YOUUUU” in his best Freddie Kruger voice as they ride into the TA.

There were 6 points to pick up and at each point we were also given a clue to the location of the one bonus point also on the course. In theory once you had enough of the clues you could determine where the bonus point was. Unfortunately we chose a clockwise order for the points which put us the farthest from the optional point once we punched the 6th control and figured out where it was with only 45 minutes left on the clock.

We quickly headed down a reentrant towards the point and a trail which both led to the finish and to the bonus point. As we arrived at the trail we saw CP0 approaching the trail from the bonus point direction and we assumed they had just punched it and they were headed to the finish.

At this point we decided to split up the teams with the 4-person team heading for the bonus and the 2-person team heading to the finish. Tracyn has twisted her ankle 1 hour into the event and it was bothering her and we felt we had the 2 person division won without the bonus. This would allow the 4 person team to travel faster in theory giving them more time to locate the bonus and to make it back before the finish.

As it turned out CP0 did not get the bonus and still had one more optional control to punch before finishing. Tracyn and I made it to the finish before them as the first team to finish with all mandatory/all but the bonus optional point winning the overall and the 2 person co-ed category.

The UNE 4-person team discovered that the trail shown on the map heading towards the bonus didn’t exist just like CP0 had found and ran back to the finish but not before CP0 had made it in minutes before them.

Fun weekend racing with/against friends in a tight battle all race long.

Event: The Longest Day
 

NYARA’s Longest Day with Tracyn Thayer as Untamed New England 2 and Molly Housman, Meghan Smith, Erik Grimm and Dave Lamb as Untamed New England 1.

Bussed to the start at the Stewart State Forest for the Prologue start. We’re given sealed envelopes which we aren’t allowed to open until the race start. Inside is a map with 4 pairs of controls mapped and a punch card and we only need to pick up 2 of the pairs. We blow right by the spur for the first control but otherwise have no trouble and arrive back at the start just behind CP0 (Ang, Sara, Joe, Sony).

Track meets and packing.

300 fr wu
6x50 dolphin kick, no fins on 1:10
6x75 as 25 fly, 50 ba on 1:20
6x50 flutter kick on back on 1:10
6x75 as 50 ba, 25 br on 1:20
400 fr pull
6x50 br/fr on :55
200 fr cd

50 fr wu
3x450 fr on 8:00
100 fr ez
4x25 head up br
3x500 pull on 8:00
100 ez
4x50 fr on :45
100 cd