Training Log Archive: tdgood

Walk with Darcy to the Dollar Store

Walk to the duck pond.

Bethesda Turkey Trot.
I am not in great shape and recent runs have been slow, plus my left glut muscle is still tight/sore. I would be happy with anytime less than 9 minutes a mile. I actually was under 8 minutes a mile. I could definitely feel the glut on every up hill which cause me to have a shortened stride. So was fast on the down hill and slow on the up hill. I started off slow taking it easy. Was fine for a few miles but continued to get slower with each mile.

1: 7:19
2: 7:55
3: 7:40
4: 8:25 This was the mostly uphill leg.
5: 8:13
6: 8:01 I tried to pick up the pact the last 1/2 mile.

I was a coach on the orange Course. I helped a father and his daughter get more comfortable doing orange courses. We spent time discussing things and generally walked the course until near the end when we jogged the trail.

I finished coaching the orange course just in time to run leg 1 of the relay. i hadn't warmed up, didn't have my clue sheet holder, or my knee band. Fortunately I had my dibber. The clue sheet holder was very annoying as I had unfold the map at every control to check the codes and features which really slows you down in a relay.
We started by having to get our own map out of the bin on a mass start, a little awkward. No one was in a rush so I went ahead and grabbed the first one. I quick look at the map, 1:5,000. First control was the same one as the orange course. Off I ran to the orange #1 control, only to realize it wasn't ours. Hmmm, oh, ours was further on. Alex was right behind me and punched it also. I said it wasn't ours but he must not have heard me as he then ran on to #2 missing the real number 1. I cut through the woods to the real number 1 and got there just behind Martins who read the map correctly.

#2: I ran hard to the trails, and then just kept running. I was having trouble reading the map at speed. I saw the correct ditch but thought it was the first one so kept going. I cut into the wrong spot, look around a lot then came back to the correct ditch. Lost lots of time and figured I wouldn't see Alex or Martins again.

#3: I figured I should slow down and start reading the map. I took the trail around to avoid the green.

#4: to the canopy area and over to the ????. Control was listed as the north side of the hill. Control was cloth area in the middle of open woods.

#5: Down the hill to the road, and up the hill to the control. I hit the first pit and didn't see the second so paused for awhiie.

#6: Down the hill to the trail, along trail until I could see the control.

#7: I had this on the orange course. Back to the trail. around traiil instead of cutting the corner through the green to the control. I could see Alex and Martins up along the ridge as I was running the trail along the stream.

#8: Another Orange control. Straight this time. Just behind Alex now.

#9: Back down the hill to the trail. Alex angled down through the green so I got ahead of him. I started to cross the stream at the same spot as I did on the orange course then realized #9 was on this side.

#10: I didn't want to get my feet wet so started north towards where I cross the orange course. I went though the green hoping to find a dry way across but luck. Finally I had to bail back tot he rough open path and take it north the crossing. Crossed the stream to the trail, retied my shoe, and started down the trail. Alex is now way ahead of me. He found a better way across. I caught Alex just before the control.

#11: I thought about heading downhill to the trail but instead went straigtish. Got there just ahead of Alex and Martins (He made a mistake and we caught back up to him).

#12. Angled down hill looking for best way through the green. I was so focused on where I could cross and stay dry that I didn't pay attention to where the control was. I cross with Alex and Martins right behind me and I went to the trail. They punched the control. I then had to run back tot he control.

#11: Jogged down the road tot he root stock.

#12: jogged to the finish.

Control Pickup. Walked out to my first control, waited a few minutes until it was time, then did the loop to pickup controls.

Relay 1 - Splits