Training Log Archive: ParkSchool

Event: NEOC--Houghton's Pond
 

Very pleasant day with many good legs,but the mistakes/problems were killers. Most egregious problem was trying to execute eastward compass leg from #2-#3 after punching #1. There were many clues that I was making a serious error, from the thicker vegetation ("curse the mapper for not updating better") to the steeper and longer climb ("I really thought my conditioning had improved, but maybe yesterday's race took more out of me than I expected") to the fact the the top of the hill was on my left, not my right (no, I didn't have a rationalization, so I finally stopped and figured out my mistake). But the damage of 5:00+ was already done. Rest of run was fairly clean with the exception of small hesitations at #5 and #10, and a 9:30 problem at #11 which was due at least in part to an inadequate map/poor control placement. I managed to navigate to just outside the circle when I was drawn off by a flag on a small knoll. I correctly figured out that the knoll could only be one feature on the map about 50 m N of my control, but when I ran down the re-entrant, there was no flag. I then wondered if perhaps if I had simply run by it, so I climbed back up above the wrong control. Finally, I bailed out S to the trail, hitting it near a mapped boulder that seemed to be in the right place, but chose to run the trial to the nearest intersection before making the next approach, this time hitting an apparently unmapped reentrant E of the circled area. Although I cannot take all the blame for this problem, it did seem that others probably dealt with the problem more efficiently than I did (10:05 from the time I hit the wrong flag). During each of my last four major errors, I have circled over the same area for far too long before firmly relocating myself. I think I will have to bail out earlier in the future to avoid throwing good time after bad. Oh well, at least it was a good work-out, and the conditioning held up reasonably, even if Ian Finlayson again left me in the dust.

Red - Splits

Event: WCOC Huntington meet
 

Ugh! I'm too experienced to have been so out of contact with the map. Started poorly by circling wrong feature (off the clock) for the first control. Then the wheels fell off. Had absolutely no contact with the map after leaving #4. Was trying to make sense of where I was when I compounded the problem by trying to make my way to #7. Realized I was heading for wrong control, but now thoroughly lost and embarrassingly unable to relocate. Finally hit the marsh NNE of #10 and confirmed position on #10. Sadly, I still managed to take two stabs to get to #5/8/11 both times I approached from #10. I also managed to miss it once approaching from #7. All in all, a demoralizing performance. Rest of race was not bad, although I somehow managed to miss #17 even with a stone wall handrail. Despite the disappointing performance, I thought the map was interesting and the course was quite well thought out. Thanks to Petr Polivka for an excellent event.

Red - Splits

After failing to motivate myself after 2 straight difficult overnight shifts, I finally got out with the dogs for an easy jog in place before a planned weekend of orienteering. Felt less energetic than I would have liked after two days of rest. We'll see if energy back by tomorrow.

Got ready to go for a mid-range road run, but dogs saw me getting ready, so had to take them first. Did usual route at very steady warm-up pace. Day was delightly with bright sun but slightly cool breeze.

Went back to my Original circuit which I first started running when I began my first attempts at training back in 1999. I cannot recall my times from that era, but I don't think I was able to do 8:00/mi over this somewhat more hilly course. I do remember how much the small hill at the 1/3 mark took out of me on that very first run. Today was a solid run, even though I approached it without making any attempt at high performance. I feel as if I am making steady progress in my conditioning. I will give things a real test this weekend with back-to-back Red/Blue events in Redding, CT and the Blue Hills (hooray for getting this event back on the schedule).