Training Log Archive: PG

Front nine at Franconia after a round at Twin Hills with Seth. Had thought about 18, but light was fading when I started and it was quite dark when I stopped, really couldn't see much at all. And the moon wasn't coming up for another half hour or so.

Legs a little weary.

DVOA A meet, day 2 at Hay Creek, adjacent to French Creek, similar but hillier. And for some reason more fun. Maybe because it was easier?

First things first. Checked in with the e-punch crew and determined that they could not provide sufficient proof that I had been at #1 yesterday, so I was properly re-DQ'd. All's well that ends well. Plus we had a lot of laughs.

And a reminder of how awesome Valerie is.

Second things second. Drive back to CT with the crew -- Gail and Phil and Charlie -- going our separate ways at the commuter parking lot in Waterbury. Such a pleasure to have company, and especially really good company. And Charlie was fully wired, so we got to enjoy UMass beating the Penguins, and the Jets getting trounced by the Bills (yay, Mike, you're already having an impact it seems), and then the results from today's O' which Valerie already had posted. And traffic reports, and news, actually no news on the Big Deli, and also news, though really also no news on what Tim Tebow is up to now. I think we should hire Charlie for company on a regular basis.

Third things third. My O' today was significantly less hopeless, rather good in fact, except towards the end where I got a little mentally lazy. Didn't lose much, just sloppy. But still better than yesterday.

And in other matters....

Had a talk with some of the trail-O folks about the need for better facilities for spectators. They are having another trail-O at the DVOA local meet at Ridley in two weeks. I was thinking of going down just to watch, but after yesterday, well, unless the set-up is a good bit better -- think beer, at the very least, plus an electronic scoreboard, announcer, and band -- I'm not sure it's worth the effort.

And a good chat with Phil H-T. We went to the same prep school many decades ago, just a couple of years apart. Had never previously talked about the experience. Very interesting.

And overall, just enjoyed the weekend a great deal. Thanks, DVOA.

C • wired 4

C • Nice run. 32

Hay Creek - Day 2 Brown X - Splits

Event: DVOA Fall Orienteering Festival
 

Today's route. :-)

A meet at French Creek. 4.3 km beeline.

I haven't been to French Creek in many years. Back when I did go I never liked it, but I guess enough time had passed that I thought maybe I'd like it this time.

Though actually, I think the real reason I went was that I wanted to play golf with Clem. :-)

So Clem was doing the trifecta -- O', trail-O, and golf. I was doing my version of the same trifecta -- hopeless O', spectator trail-O and golf. And, as you would hope, things only got better as the day progressed.

The hopeless O' -- well, I couldn't find #1. At least that's what the split sheet said as it DQ'd me. I couldn't really remember, I mean quite a bit of time had passed and I don't remember most things these days. My initial reaction was that of course I'd been there. On a moment's reflection I thought it was reasonably likely that I hadn't.

No worries, time was passing, the day was getting on, the sun sets early these days, still lots to do. Rendezvous with Clem, he also just off a hopeless-O', golf clubs and proper clothing transferred to his car and off to the trail O'. He was competing -- you aren't allowed to just file a protest, you actually have to compete first, bummer -- and I was there in a support role, spectating and cheering I assumed.

But there was no indication of where spectators were allowed or not allowed, so, wanting to behave myself, I stayed in the parking area and chatted up the e-punch expert Sandy Ahlswede. Very fine use of time. And before long Clem showed up. The results would later show that he had the fastest time around the course. Bravo! Unfortunately, in trail-O the fastest time counts for squat.

So now onto the main event. We motor off to a nearby course, check in, they'll have us for $15 each, very fine. And then we have at it. Three and a half hours later, the sun having set a couple of holes earlier, the sky darkening, the full moon rising back over the 18th fairway, well, it was the conclusion to a most pleasurable trip around the course. The usual mix of the sublime and the ridiculous when it was a matter of the golf, but the company was always excellent. One just hopes that we get to do this again.

And then, the serious work done for the day, off to the wine tasting, with Clem driving like a bat out of hell, actually faster than that, but fortunately on the first part where the road was rather narrow and had a few bends, the car ahead of us was only going 75, so Clem couldn't go near as fast as he wanted. I was quivering.

And then the dinner and the course review, all very fine. Thanks DVOA.

Oh, and the rest of the hopeless-O? Hmmm, missed #4, technique was go where it feels right, but I got diverted by seeing another control. Checked it out, saw where I was, had been doing fine if I just hadn't see this decoy.

Missed #5, but not bad.

#7 was similar to #4, long leg across a blank map, technique was just go where it feels right, again the misfortune of just noticing a decoy off in the distance. Checked it out, saw where I was, maybe, went and found where I was supposed to be which was pretty much where I was heading. Oh well.

And fell down at least a dozen times. And tweaked an ankle.

But somehow by dinner time I was in the results with a time. Will have to get that fixed in the morning, unless they can prove I really was at #1. And I don't think they can. :-)

C • The Trifecta 4

French Creek - Day 1 BrownX - Splits

Up to the power line and back.

Entertainment was a Fresh Air interview with Tom Hanks and the guy who directed Captain Phillips. Very interesting, ought to go see the movie.

C • Tomorrow 5

Time for a little faster running, and the easiest way to do that is at the track. Warm-up. Cold and windy.

The plan was to run 7:40 pace for 3 miles, or until I started to slow down if before 3 miles, but that didn't really work. Had trouble with my pacing in the wind, plus generally feeling out of sorts. So at some point after about a mile I decided two would be enough. And it was. 1600s ended up being 7:35 and 7:30. Oh well.

And a slow mile up into the woods and back. And glad to be done.

Cold and windy, spent a long time trying to figure out where I wanted to run (mean that given the weather, nothing was very appealing). And opted for a place I'd never been, some conservation trails in Leverett that I'd read about.

Turned out to be very very pleasant, they even had copies of the trail map posted at most of the intersections, with the only hassle being that it would have been nice to have a map to carry along. But good footing, pleasant woods. And at one point I flushed a cock pheasant about 10 yards from me. They really are gorgeous birds.

And prior to the run, went with Seth to watch the UMass BB game vs. LSU, playing at 11 am on a Tuesday to get on ESPN, very entertaining and fast-paced, ended up 92-90 to the good. Lots of fun.

C • Leveritt trails 11