Training Log Archive: PG

More sprint training. From the car over to the start.

Long course from day 3 of the 5-day. Didn't have a copy of the map, but found a copy of the course online and copied it onto a short map, doing my best in the process not to look at any of the routes.

OK run. Lost time two places, one on the way to two, the wind blew my hat off and it took a few seconds to track it down, the other on the way to 5, started following a line on the short course, but discovered it before too much damage was done. A good reminder that in sprints, besides avoiding traps and choosing good routes, you also have to go to all the controls and in the right order.

Felt a little tired. Was certainly working hard. Temp in the upper 70s.

Off to WMOC tomorrow, where the forecast is 60s and rain. Excellent.

And back to the car, getting lost in the process.

Event 3 - UMass Long - Splits

Maps from recent orienteering --

Day 3 at the 5-day, short course, and my route.

Ratlum Mt. and the WCOC summer picnic -- Sprint B and Sprint A (that's the order I did them in).

Went for my annual physical today, OK except for one thing I knew was a problem that I hope I haven't put off dealing with too long, a hernia issue. No pain, but it's only going to get worse, appointment with a surgeon in a couple of weeks, then in for repairs I expect.... :-(

C • Laparoscopic 5

C • Worse 1

Maybe the best O' photo I have ever seen (from the Swiss O' magazine), click on image for a larger version --

C • Caption? 7

On North Sugarloaf, mostly on the bike trails. Aren't many of them, but enough to make the running more interesting, as there used to be just a couple of trails that steep enough that running them wasn't a lot of fun.

Mellow pace, but some effort because it's not flat.

I've been meaning to go run the sprints from Day 3 of the 5-day, finally got around to it, at least the short (I have a bunch of those maps, but not a one of the long course). According to the radar, I had enough time to be done before the approaching thunderstorms arrived.

A little warm-up over from the parking to the start. The sky was getting darker. Legs felt crappy, as usual when starting up.

UMass short sprint. Pretty good effort. One bad route, didn't see that 4 to 5 was a good bit shorter weaving between the buildings. And not really reading the detail around 6 and 7 as well as I would want, but I had my glasses on so my up-close vision was not as good.

Started to rain on the way to 5. Started to pour on the way to 8. Plus a few booms of thunder, but nothing closer. Soaking wet by the time I finished. But it was all quite good fun, out in the elements, it's the difference competing makes, you really just ignore what's going on around you.

Time was decent. Legs actually felt like they had a little life once I got going.

So, added splits. And despite the fact that e-boxes were synched by a certified expert (i.e. not me) on Thursday evening, there is something wrong, both at the last control or finish, where everyone's splits are too fast, and also at #3, where splits from 2 to 3 seem slow, and splits from 3 to 4 and definitely fast. Not that it really matters. Except when you have more than one start box and/or more than one finish box, and if they aren't exactly the same, it does matter. So why were things so wrong?

C • Splits 6

Back to the car, splash-splash, ka-boom, no worries....

Event 3 - UMass Short - Splits

On Pocumtuck Ridge, from the south end past the towers and down the access road, and then back. A little more energetic than expected. Not as hot as it's been recently, but still warm, and still sweating a ton. And also, with the blue cap out for the first time this season, dispensed with 20 FDFs.

C • I heard rumours of FDF's, s... 6

Got a call from JJ early afternoon, he was thinking of flying at the Holyoke Range. So we consulted a bit about the weather forecast, scattered thunderstorms, which seemed to make the prospect of hang gliding even stupider than it is under the best of conditions. But he was heading our way anyway.

Pretty soon it was pouring, but off I went, and by the time we met up the sky was clearing. He had a friend, Andy, some experience but not as much as JJ.

The launch site is west of the summit house, probably not quite a half a mile from the parking. Helped JJ carry his glider out, then went back to help Andy the last half, then hung out for a long, long time.

It was a glorious late afternoon. The sky had cleared, just a few thin clouds for off to the northwest. Greylock could be seen, also the southern Green Mountains. Just perfect. Except almost no wind. And the launch site seemed to be a bit dicey -- you didn't have that much room to clear the trees and there wasn't much room for a running start. So a good breeze coming right up the slope was desired.

I'd guess we got out to the site around 5:30. It took them a while to assemble their gliders. And then we waited. And kept looking for wind. And measuring what little wind there was. And wanting a good bit more.

At some point a couple of park rangers showed up, they'd seen Andy's vehicle with the roof rack. Totally friendly, talked with them a bunch about both hang gliding and orienteering, totally supportive of both activities.

By now it was getting close to 7. The wind was picking up a little. The plan was Andy would go first, as the less experienced one, with JJ able to advise on the best moment to launch. So Andy got in his harness and was in position to launch. And waited for sufficient wind.

The wind was getting stronger, but it was variable, and really pretty marginal. And after about 15 minutes, Andy climbed out of his harness. Not this time.

So JJ got set. And the wind got a little better. And he thought about it a couple of times but didn't pull the trigger, and then there was a little more wind, and then in the course of about 5 seconds he went from suddenly looking serious to launch. A couple of quick steps and a jump and he was off, dropping quite fast and then swooping out, not clearing the trees by much, but definitely clearing them.

And then, because such a mellow late afternoon also meant no thermals, he took an immediate left and headed for the landing area where he touched down about 2 minutes later. One of his shortest flights ever. I think. But I was very impressed.

And then Andy packed up his gear and we hauled it back to the car and drove down to pick up JJ.

Would I ever go hang gliding? The short answer is, "No way." The long answer is, "No fucking way." But I am envious of the people who do.

C • It took me longer... 6

Nothing much of an outing. Had planned to do a little more, but thunderstorms approaching made cutting it short seem a wise choice. Still pretty hot, 92, but didn't seem as bad because it had already clouded over.

Another erratic day, what else is new... :-) 90-36-7-30. Good heat training though, keep sweating, keep drinking.

C • Just keep the stroke count ... 1

Catching up -- 95/83/83/87/91/82-35-6-29, some really bad stuff.

Up to the power line and back, before it got really hot, but even at 8 it was 85F. But got out and did it.

305's track and data especially worthless today.