Training Log Archive: Linear Ice

I was stunned, driving into the Hawn State Park, looking at the wide open woods and the great terrain. I had tried to study Hawn on previous years' maps, but the wide open woods were much better than anything I had imagined.

I was again one of the first to head out, but had enough time to warm up and check which way was North and try to see some of the bigger features. The only things I could check out in advance, and it gave me something to do while I warmed up. Still a few nerves getting started, but I was feeling pretty good. My one very important goal this year was to finish an A meet course, and this was my first opportunity. And, I wanted to stay on the map. Yes, I did it on the Sprint... but here? I was hopeful but maybe not quite confident.

First control, located about 15 meters from the start and on the trail.... was a great way to start. One down. Yay. And my map was oriented correctly, everything ready to go for the more difficult one..
Second control, okay here too. Third control... I felt like I was right on it on the re-entrant, but it wasn't there so I kept climbing... maybe behind all the deadfall?, and it wasn't a parallel error (I checked) and so I went back to the first re-entrant, decided maybe I was too high.... and yes, I was MUCH too high, since I then spotted Ian and the control about five contour lines down, and ran down to punch. And got control of myself again.... watching Ian sprint away... tempted to follow, somewhat.... but what fun would that be? Instead, I followed my plan, tried to pick a good route, tried to follow the good route I picked (my gps will show I didn't quite do that!) but after a little re-adjustment, found 4.
My only other really big miss was at 10, when I looked at most every cliff on the previous re-entrant, even several that weren't mapped, and finally just said the heck with it and ran along the entire lower part of the bluff until the next re-entrant, hauled myself up that, saw people streaming down... a good clue (since the map and all my plan had failed me) and then down down water water home.
Very fun, very exhilarating, and I was SOOO happy to find that I had not missed any controls and actually got a time. Not super fast.... hoping that will come later once I am more solid on the mapping skills.

It was also great between events to get to hang out with all the MNOCs, socialize with the CAOC crew, meet OK and SLOC people, and everyone else.... share experiences, joke around, take photos, soak up a little sun, eat the good SLOC food, watch the others come in and find out how they did. Perfect day.

Good sprint course, which was billed as being "all downhill" --wouldn't that have been perfect?
Yes, most of it was indeed downhill. And fast, which made it easy to overshoot control 3.
Most of the rest was okay, until 9, when I didn't understand from the clue sheet that the control was IN the building... eventually decided to take a peek because it was nowhere else! and then control 10. I ran up to Control 10 (within 10 feet), figured it was maybe control 11 - and without checking the number, ran off like an idiot to look for Control 10, upstream, before realizing i was an idiot. Lesson learned: If you are within 10 feet of a control, check the number on it!! ARGGHHH and the rest was easy and fun and fast feeling.

Hawn sprint - Splits

Hawn middle: green - Splits

Event: A-meet and 2nd Annual Gateway Grunt & Runt - Hawn
 

I've been looking forward to running the SLOC event in Forest Park. I've been around the park many many times on the bike trail, haven't run a race there in 30 years, and virtually never ran off the path since then either...... so this event felt like my old life colliding with my new orienteering life. Very fun. And, it gave my parents a chance to tag along and see what I've been up to lately.... as they bundled up in heavy winter clothing while everyone else was running around in short sleeves.

I had the third start time, which kind of ruined my hopes of getting comfortable and familiar with people running off; on the other hand, it was nice to get out early instead of wondering what to expect.

The course was fun. I didn't get "lost".... it's still on my mind as a distrinct probability, even on a sprint (my Mom assured me that if I got lost, I should definitely be able to find my way home which is 1/2 mile away, so I shouldn't worry. HA!)

Made a strong finish, and then relaxed on the picnic table by the finish, got to meet Rick Armstrong who was chatting w my folks (Dad was his old prof), enjoyed seeing others come in....... whooooopssss.... what's that control they seem to be checking by the building??? the go control???? was that on my map? I missed it? OK.... ran back and got it. Only lost 5 minutes or so in the process, and intend not to make that mistake again!

Forest Park: GrBrOr - Splits

I went back to see Optometrist Tran regarding my O-lens, see if perhaps we could get something even better then my bifocal reading/short range lens in my left eye. I suggested it might be better in my dominant eye, rather than the submissive one....then was told it's actually illegal for him to prescribe a reading lens just for the dominant eye. (So of course I clarified, aha... but not for me to use it in whichever eye I choose).
I explained again, how I was having trouble with the orienteering map and compass..... and here we found the problem..... he had actually given me a prescription for geocaching not for orienteering and once he understood the difference and why I wanted such clarity.... he came back with a second lens. Now I have some magical combination that makes it possible to read from either eye and still the distance seems pretty good. YAY.
I gave it a test run today on my five mile loop with a map. The reading seems good.... now it's just figuring out the route choices etc. etc. But the seeing part is huge. Hope I'm still happy with it this weekend, but for now... it seems like an answer.
I also ran into Avi --the receptionist from Sweden, who told me that he bookmarked the mnoc.org website.
All is good.

Warm up jog to Afton Hills Rd. (1.5)
Hill work.
3X up with effort up steeps and back down at recovery jog (4.5 m total)
Jog back home (1.5)