Training Log Archive: PG

I can't stop smiling about how the ski-O team did. So fine.

So the question is, what next? How to move forward? Both in terms of taking advantage of this success and building more for the future. Both in more people doing ski-O, and also in more stars. Because the two go hand in hand.

I think one thing in the works is the World Cup race planned for Tahoe next winter. Or maybe it's just a WRE?

I hope that there is some serious thinking about this, and then some serious action. So this doesn't turn out to be just a one-time moment of glory.

C • Tahoe World Cups 2

C • What next.... 32

WCOC local meet at Ansonia, part of the training weekend organized by Becky and Boris, with party by Marie and Mike. A whole lot of fun.

Even though my orienteering seems worse than ever. I can still find the points, most of the time. But getting through the woods, just purely physically, seemed worse than ever, that's one thing. The other is, it's just harder and harder to read the map when I'm moving. Getting less and less out of it unless I stop. Which is OK going uphill, but on the flats and downhill it gets discouraging.

Nevertheless, a perfectly decent run. No more than a minute mistake, and that on one where I was within 20 meters of the control, just didn't see it.

But probably 8 or 10 falls, whacked my bad thumb on each one (though I don't think any more damage was done). And just feeling exhausted the whole time. And I thought I'd been doing some training.

I guess the answer is I need to just run in the woods more. No trails, no firm surfaces, just soft stuff with the usually forest litter. Because that's what you orienteer on. And just do it, and do it some more. And maybe that will help.

C • Running in the woods 3

Mass Start - Splits

Event: WCOC New Haven Training Weekend
 

Time for the weekly Lost and Found report.

Starting weight: 144 (mid-December)
Jan. 1: 142
Jan. 8: 139
Jan. 15: 137
Jan. 22: 136
Jan. 29: 136.5
Feb 5: 136
Feb 12: 134
Feb. 19: 134
Feb. 26: 133
March 5: 133
March 12: 132.5
March 19: 133
Today: 134

Mood: Oops, going the wrong direction. Just eating too much this week in bits and pieces, every time I'm hungry I go look for something to eat.

On the other hand, how can one be in a bad mood when the ski-O team is doing so well? :-)

C • Last reading was, I think, ... 13

In New Haven for the WCOC training sprint at Yale, new map by Becky. A bit of warm-up first.

First orienteering in quite a while and it showed. Lots of mistakes. Had a hard time reading the detailed areas of the map. But it was a wonderful venue and a fine map and lots of controls you could screw up, which I did. Probably ran an extra 500-600 meters. But totally enjoyed it.

Two incidents bear noting. The first was on the way to #17, I looped around the parking garage, got momentarily confused as to where I was supposed to be going, so was looking at my map intensely when I accidentally "liberated" one of the parking lots. Meaning that you can now drive in or out of it without being bothered by the yellow bar that only raises itself out of the way when you have inserted the proper card.

That bar turned out to be not so tough. It was mano a mano, it against my stomach, and I felt not so much a blow, rather heard a loud crack, and there was the bar prostrate at my feel. Next came the quick look around to see if anyone was watching. Seeing no one, on to 17, feeling somewhat embarrassed but not so embarrassed as to actually do anything about it.

The other incident, which became more of an issue as my run progressed, involved the chest strap for my Garmin heartrate monitor. Under the stress of a race, and with the new slimmer me, well, pretty soon I was tugging on it every few minutes, pulling it back up, until I finally gave up. It spent the last 5 or ten minutes comfortably around my waist. I think I need to adjust the strap. Or bulk up.

And then afterwards a fine get-together at Mike and Marie's, pretty much all babes and studs, some young, some less young.

Very glad we came.

I'll post the map, but not until I get home.

C • Harvard hijinks 1

And then just a little more out to the first couple of controls.

And before long I was freezing, and my battered thumb, which is better but still very sore, was going numb, and I beat a quick retreat to Becky's place down the street to warm up.

Long sprint - Splits

C • Of course it should be taxable income 9

On the ridge again, legs again not feeling zippy, so didn't push things. Just got it done.

Was thinking last night that I ought to due something adventurous this year. Maybe run another 100-miler? It's been a while since I did one and they are fun.

C • wikipedia 5

Didn't wake up as early as planned, but out of the house in 15 minutes and down to the Smith track. Two miles warm-up, legs didn't feel very fresh. On the plus side, the track was just about empty.

The plan was 3 miles at a 7-minute pace, something I figured I could manage without too much stress. But, even warmed up, the legs still felt dead. Kept on pace, but it felt awkward -- some laps a second faster, some a second slower, never felt smooth. But I got through the first two and a half miles still not breathing hard, just fighting the legs, and then ran the last few laps a little faster, and ended up being quite pleased.

6:58, 7:00, 6:51, 48 (for 1600s and the final 200).

And one more mile, it too passed.

Was changing afterwards and a guy who had been walking on the track and looked vaguely familiar asked me who I was. And we had a very nice chat, he was Blaise Bisallion, a long-time member of Sugarloaf (my running club), most active in the club in the 1980s before I got active in it. But he knew who I was and I knew who he was, and we talked a bit about things long past. Quite an unexpected pleasure.

13 hills loop, just a nice steady effort, legs felt pretty good. Probably 90% bare ground so the route is getting faster, plus it's great this time of year because it drains really well and there is almost no mud. Nice to be running on bare ground, even if the day was one of those gray days that feels colder than it really was (mid-30s).

Tomorrow at the track, if I can get up early enough.

Entertainment from This American Life, a show from about 3 months ago about Cristmas comedy. A collection of stories, and as with any collection some are better than other (or, if you're a glass-half-empty person, some are worse than others). The hour passed relatively painlessly.

C • Unemployment compensation 4

On the ridge. There was an inch or two of new snow yesterday, and still some old ice and rotten snow, but I stayed upright the entire time.

Listening to a Fresh Air interview with a guy named Frank Calabrese, a Chicago mobster who turned his father in to the FBI. Quite an entertaining tale, though hard to believe he hasn't already been taken out, as he refused to go in the witness protection program. I'd say it's just a matter of time.

Snowing outside, so on the treadmill. A couple of miles to warm up about 9-minute pace, then a mile at 12-minute pace @ 10% grade, then a mile flat at 9-minute pace, then another at 12 and 10%, and a last one flat at 9. Just trying to starting learning the "this really isn't much fun but I'm doing it anyway" attitude for Mt. Washington, except I think the average grade there is 12% (and the speed slower).

Base of the thumb is quite badly swollen, but at least it doesn't hurt if I don't move it. If I move it....

One busy day, first chance now to get lunch (5:45 pm).