Training Log Archive: kissy

West Point Long Brown on Camp Shea map. 4.0km

Much better run today. Since I was pretty much last after the middle, I figured I had nothing to lose and everything to gain by trying to push it. Right from the start, there was a route choice to #1, which was a long leg. I looked over to the hill and the swamp and the green crap, and decided to take the road to the intermittent trail (which wasn't so easy to find initially). At 1:7500, that wasn't too much out of the way, and when I saw a lot of folks wandering around looking for #1, I was glad I went the safer way.

#2 was fine; a little slow to #3 mainly because of the blueberry and the hill. Ran along the ridge to the trail for #4 because when I saw that the straight-line route went right back into the blueberry, I said, "No thank you."

The rest of the controls were fine. I had caught up to Bob Lux at #1 and then had him in sight until #8. He took the left route to #9 and I took the right one, and he made the better choice.

I managed to pass Mary today and for overall, so I didn't feel like such a loser...like I did after the middle. I just need to make sure I'm ready to focus at the start of each race...sometimes I'm a little too social at the start.

Long - Brown - Splits

In between events, Brooke and I checked out the new West Point Visitor's Center opened in December 2017. It was really well done, telling a little about the history of West Point, but mainly about being a cadet there. It was very interesting.





Then we went to the Bear Mountain Cafe and Bakery, where we found Jeff and Judy! And had a little bite to eat and a treat for later. Quite an enjoyable way to spend a few hours.

West Point Middle on Victor Constant ski slope. 3.0 km.

So, this was less than stellar. I was just hesitant from the start and I definitely didn't need to be. #1 and #2 were slower than they should have been, #3 and #4 were fine. I started on the road to 5, looking for the trail but completely missed it so I went too far down the road and had to backtrack to the control. I contoured out to the road for #6 and ran down the road until I saw the control. That was definitely the right choice for me because going down steep, rocky hills is not my forte.

#7 was where I bit it. I turned onto the trail from the road but went just a tad too far and then I still headed downhill, which I should not have done. I just didn't match up the rocky, bouldery ground with the map. Then I saw a control on a boulder and I knew it was too far away but I checked it anyway. Then I misguessed which boulder it was and continued to look too low for mine. I finally looked up the hill and saw another control on a boulder, but was convinced that it was too high up on the hill. But, since there were no other controls in sight, I climbed up to take a look. And, of course it was mine. And then I said a bad word.

Contoured to #8 and was a little too low again, but saw it right away. Took the longer route around the fence on the way to the finish control. So, not a satisfying run at all.

C • #7 1

West Point Sprint on Trophy Point map. 2.32km

So. Much. Fun.

This really was a fun sprint even though it was raining/graupeling for much of the time. I was running well and only got mildly tricked a few times. Nothing that wasted more than a few seconds, at most, each time. And what fun finishing inside a building, with a true sprint to the finish in Lane 7!

Middle - BrownX - Splits

Sprint - Brown - Splits

After a day of waiting for a locksmith to help me get into my locked garage, I was so ready to go to my running group. Tonight was just an easy run for 40 minutes.

Yes, through a series of mistakes and misunderstandings on my part, I locked myself out of my garage, which has no other doors or windows. So, I had to call a locksmith, miss work, miss a dentist appointment, wait all day, and pay $147 to get back in. But now I know what I did wrong and I also know every detail about my garage door opener!

Today we ran hills with the running group. And the hill was practically in my back yard, so I just took the trails and met the group at the hill.

We ran fast down, easy up; easy down, fast up; and then fast everywhere. My knees held up pretty well, even with all of the downs.