Training Log Archive: ParkSchool

Event: WCOC / US Team A-Meet/WRE
 

WCOC Ansonia Middle Red-Y. After my fine result on the middle at West Point, I was really looking to make a statement. Unfortunately, the statement was, "You don't belong in the big leagues!" I only had 2 significant problems, but they were major mistakes. First I somehow contoured too much around the hill between #2 and #3 rather than descending. As a result, I wound up recrossing the main NS trail rather than the smaller trail 50 m in front of the control. And if I had considered that I was crossing a large trail, it would not have cost me much. But I didn't, and instead ran around like a crazy person checking every boulder I could see and trying to make sense of the fact that there was a rise in front of me but none on my map. Finally I consulted my compass which told me I was facing E not W. But this was not the worst of my follies. For reasons that remain unclear to me, I mistakenly navigated directly from #7 to #11. This was certainly not an ideal route choice, but it was hardly a major disaster as #8 was only 150 m away. However, I became flustered and tried to correct my mistake too hurriedly, and then I was out of contact with the map. In retrospect, I had crossed the EW marsh S or #8 and not the NS marsh just W of the control. I suppose the fact that I crossed a trail should have alerted me to my error, but sadly it didn't until another 10 minutes had been lost. All in all, I very disheartening performance.

Red Y Day 1: Middle - Splits

Caryl Short. Felt good and ran somewhat faster than expected during warm-up run for WCOC.

Event: CSU Park-O: Pine Hill
 

Caryl Short.

Pine Hill. Was expecting a lackluster performance following three straight overnights and a relatively energetic run with dogs just prior to the event. In retrospect, lackluster would have been very welcome. Got confused on trails heading to #2 resulting in a large loss of time, then struggled with route choices for the rest of the evening. The woods were very green, and a sensible person would have spent much more time on the trail network. At the end, I got to compare wounds with Ross, who also emerged quite bloody. However, that was where the comparison ended, as he finished quite impressively in under half my time.

Needham Town Forest.

Needham Town Forest.

Caryl Long. Good steady effort after tough/hot event yesterday.

West Point Long Red. This had the feel of two separate races, first a long sprint, then a more technical part. Like yesterday, I only did the technical part well. I blew #1 by failing to make the transition from a trail run to technical navigation inside the circle, then failed to take the far more attractive trail option to #2. Not only did I do unnecessary climb, but I failed to appreciate the two unpassable fences on my chosen route. I then further compounded the disaster by going up to get around the fence instead of down to the trail I should have taken in the first place. This decision was appropriately punished by vegetation that was even thicker than mapped and which ultimately forced me down to the trail anyway. If only I had made that decision on my other two opportunities! Afterwards I had a fairly decent run, marred only by my poor execution of the long leg where I twice drifted left of the line I should have taken, first encountering vegetation along the fence I had planned to use as a handrail, and then hitting the E-W trail much further W than necessary. I still thought I might make it under 100 min, but I just didn't have enough energy at the end.

Red Long Distance - Splits