Training Log Archive: anniemac

West Point Long

What can I say here except my only goal was to finish, because in 2016 I didn't finish on this same map. So - I checked that box! However, I really wish I had been able to do better this day. So many things going on that added to the drama - it was raining and 40 degrees, it was LONG, the features were ginormous, I am not in the best shape, I was worried about myself mentally going into it.

1-Slow walk up trail looking at map in horror ;) Plan was to go in at the big boulder and contour, but I ended up dropping lower like I always seem to do. Luckily the re-entrant was obvious enough that I knew when to circle around and back up.

2 - 37 minutes on one control! I went really slowly just ticking off features and pace counting and occasionally feeling right, occasionally feeling wrong. Just when I would doubt myself another feature would pop up that would confirm my location - the water was very helpful. Couldn't see that vegetation border for shit. Did anyone?? Didn't go quite far enough as I really didn't have an AP, but eventually found it. Whew. During that long leg was able to get into the map well enough to know I was pretty out of my depths and could learn a lot if I was able to hang in there.

3-I honestly don't remember what happened during this leg.
4- I was right there but I didn't go far enough! Damn those reentrants!
5 - Oh this was a fun one. Fun going downhill, didn't know exactly where I was when I started climbing up the steep hill/cliff area but I again was RIGHT on target if I had just gone further. So lacking confidence in myself. Saw Lena on this control and we had a laugh about not being dead yet. I also read the clue sheet wrong and thought it said West side but it said East side. This control was actually totally HIDDEN behind some evergreen trees!

6-Had a good plan to stay low, avoid climbing and vegetation and hit the trail - and could have done really well on this control if I had just gone in off the trail at the right time - went too early and got all screwed up. ARG. This was where I realized I was really really tired and mentally some things were not making sense - great, I'm only halfway done!

7 - no problem
8- Ding dong city. Got disoriented and found myself down near water when all I needed to do was get back to trail! Relocated okay once on trail and found control fine after that.

9-This was the DOOZY. Hughmac3 and Brian also had trouble with this one. Looking at RG, I was so far off, and really thought that all those rocks looked like a big cliff. There was a lot of vegetation covering the water so it was hard to make out the shape of that water. Also, clue had the downward T indicated control should be at bottom, but it was definitely NOT the bottom...somewhere up near the top really. Really screwed this one up big time. Lack of fresh legs and fresh brain contributed.

10-Enjoyed this one as I could see it from a way off! Go Annie!
11-Lack of contour reading and tendency to get pulled downward, went way off on this one too. SandyF was my beacon at the top of the knoll.
12-no plan at all, should have dropped down to lower trail

3 hours is a long time to be out there. I feel I really survived something. I can understand the draw of longer events - and am already looking forward to going back so I can do better! This was definitely a step above 2016 where I simply gave up. Next time I want to actually be in shape so I don't tire out so quickly mentally and am able to not flail so much. Good job, Annie. I'm proud of you. (Continuing my dialogue with myself I had out on the course.)

C • A Warrior! 5

C • Control descriptions 4

Long - GreenX - Splits

Event: 40th Annual West Point National Meet
 

West Point Middle. Bus dropoff at cemetery provoked some nice jokes from fellow bus riders. Walk to start with Brian really nice, looking at terrain and chatting. Also really great to find an unexpected port o potty opportunity near the start. Interesting start triangle where you had your map and no one looking so technically you could cheat and look at map, but of course I didn't.

I went in with super low expectations, just to be there and have fun and know that I don't have to "do it all." Good attitude.

1- Brief confusion while orienting map, but easy to correct dropping down to trail next to field.
2-Confusion reading clue, oops other side of cliff.
3 - Continuing to go slowly and try to understand map vs reality. everything is SO BIG
4-Fine
5 - Nice downhill bit followed by climb, with the idea to hug the green and find my way through rocks. Saw Brian on this leg and also a bunch of guys huddled around Brian's control (which was basically on the way to my control.) You couldn't even see or get to the control because there were about 4 of them around it. As I went to check and see if it was mine (even though I knew it wasn't,) I said "Guys. This is not a very good place to stand" and no one responded. Weird!
6- Went a bit too slowly here and got pulled DOWN which always seems to happen!
7 - 10 easy - a lot less thinking needed but a great opportunity to plan ahead on the leg to 8.

Run in was super fun, happy bustling arena with good music and an announcer saying names as you ran in. Good spirits all around, and a delicious sandwich at 10:45am!

I really like doing these things with a posse. Let's get as many MacMullans as we can next year!

Middle - GreenX - Splits

My Garmin broke a few days ago. Testing the replacement! So easy to use. I got one like Sandy F has.

Breaking in my new shoes, and helping Brian tune up for West Point on the FDR map near our house.

C • FDR 2

Helping Brian figure out how to pace count and what his pace counts are.

Jogging on grass. New shoes feel good with the right socks!

Then we spent about half an hour looking for the car keys that somehow dropped out of Brian’s pocket.

Happy Earth Day!