Training Log Archive: tdgood

Event: 2022 Billygoat
 

Best Billygoat I have had in awhile. I guess my training paid off, plus it was a little bit shorter than usual. Generally I just went with the flow of the people around me.

#1. I took too long at the start line trying to figure out where the start was and everyone was passinig me. I got stuck behind slower people. I finally said to myself, stop reading the map and just get ahead to the people so you can catch up to people moving your speed. Got up with Wyatt which was good starting point. Finally figured out roughly where we were going. I let others navigate through 2. Vadim and Anders seemed to be leading the group. Vadim wasn't navigating well so I didn't worry about where he was going. Still lots of other people around.

#5: people were about to run past it so I steered them to the control. It was very hard to punch and get out of with all the people trying to punch right behind.

Going to #6 Alex Jospe passed me. She was a good person to have in the group so I just tagged along with her for most of the rest of the course.

Fork: chose 10A (right) because it looked straighter run and I liked the 10A to 11 route better. group ran the trail but I cut the corner through the field. Vadim moved ahead of group.

10A-11: Group Followed more along cliff edge. I cut up towards the trail after crossing the road. Group spread out as a result. I was now ahead of Alex who was looking confused.

12-13: I got confused by the trails and out out of bounds area. Before I knew I saw the drink station. I wasn't planning to stop but since I was there I went ahead and had a glass of gatorade. Caught back up to Alex who stopped for longer.


14: On the way to 14 had to cross a stream. There was a great picture opportunity. Alex crossing the log above as I crossed the stream. I just hoped she wouldn't fall off and land on top of me.
At 14 group skipped 15. I had decided to skip 16 and was the only one. I decided to risk parting from the group as I was already starting to lose the group because I was moving slower.

#15: Was surprised to see Jonathan Campbell at #15. He must have already skipped.

#16/17: Skipped this one so I could have railroad run. Turned out to be a good choice. I needed to rest my legs by running on even surface for awhile. I wasn't fast and stopped for a gel on the way. Fortunately I was clean to 17. Skipped paid off. I got ahead of Alex and was just behind Vadim again.

#18: I couldn't get up the hill. I too tired and couldn't get traction. I was sliding back down. I finally had to grab roots to get up. When I got up the hill I was exhausted. Control was behind a fallen tree and I missed it. I went by it and as result lost all the gains from my Skip. Alex caught back up to me.

At this point I was exhausted. My goal was to just keep contact with the group enough so I wouldn't have to navigate the last few controls. Group was moving faster than I was. At this point there was Vladimir, Alex, Anders, Vadim, Piotr in the general group. Group converged again at 19.
Piotr lost his dibber. I spent about 15 seconds looking with him but then ran on. Last few controls uneventful. I did hesitate going to 21 as I was confused for a bit on the reentrants before the stream.

Finished 14th which gives me lifetime points. I didn't expect to get anymore so at this point so It was nice bonus.

Total Distance traveled 8.26 miles 471 meters climb.

Walk with Darcy After I got home. Good to loosen up after sitting in the car for several hours.

Billygoat - Splits

Event: ROC - Overlook NRE
 

Lost a substantial amount of time on #2. Overall, somewhat sloppy, definitely unlucky, and not very fast (walked much of the uphills). Majority of my problems were Map/printing related. Some of my difficulty was because they didn't cut the circle/lines and they hid features I was trying to navigate by.

#1: Ignored the trails. ran general direction to the steep part of the hill then along hill to the reentrant. Saw the reentrant but no control. Stopped to read the map more carefully. It had to be the correct reentrant. Control turned out to behind a tree from where I was standing.

#2: Ignored the trails again. Other than to cross to the second one. Ran up to where the bend started up the hill and cut into the control. This is where the trouble started. I was having difficulty reading the contours. I saw a control on a marsh ahead of me. I figured it was marshes south of the control and cut up accordingly. At the worst I figured I would get to higher ground and see the control behind me. That didn't happen. Eventually, after wandering, I came to the major stream/reentrant west of the control. From there I cut back to the same marsh I had seen before. I checked the control and it was mine. I was not happy. Looking closely at the control there is barely a marsh under a charcoal platform. The marsh was much more noticeable than the "supposed hill" the clue description listed. I lost more then 5 minutes becuase of this clue description.

#3: control line should have been cut. Again lost some time because on my approach the control was behind a tree. I hesitated trying to decide if I was in the correct reentrant. I was.

#4: Straight. Intent was to get to the flatter area and see the depression. I got up there and saw the control off to my left. Ran to it only to find it wasn't my control. It was in a depression under the control line. I cut back over to the correct depression.

#5: Straight. Spur was obvious from my approach so went right to the control.

#6: Plan was to go straight. I hit the first trail and took it to tip. Apparently the wrong tip. I cut in and hit the 2nd trail. Second trail? Realized I was on the main trail east and ran to the bend and cut into the control.

#7: Straight. Ran across the gap in the marsh but couldn't find it on the map (under the control circle). Lost some time as a result but did go to the control.

#8: Straight. No problem.

#9: Straight but I drifted left. Followed steep edge to control.

#10: Straight. Hesitant but no problems.

#11: Did not like how this was mapped. Forest areas on both sides of the trail looked the same in terms of green but I just kept going. No problems.

#12: I had already seen that go control was on a trail that looked to loop around. Everyone followed the trail instead of cutting through the woods but I had already judged that through the woods was best route. I didn't follow the trail and cut through the woods.

Green - Splits

It wasn't too hot but very humid which made a big difference. I was fine the first few miles then just felt tired and because I didn't want to burn out before the billygoat I didn't push the pace.

Dist Pace
1.00 7:50
1.00 7:57
1.00 8:20
1.00 9:02
1.00 8:57
1.00 8:58
0.28 9:35

Mapping a long mapping run out at Woodstock map. I wanted to redo some of the fields that have started to get overgrown. While there I looked for the stolen control (didn't find it). Last bit of mapping was old style as my computer battery died.

Felt good so just kept on going.

Dist Pace
1.00 7:43
1.00 7:54
1.00 8:03
1.00 8:46
1.00 8:53
1.00 8:16
0.30 8:34