Training Log Archive: TomNIn the 30 days ending Apr 30, 2016:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| « | » |
| » now | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fr | Sa | Su | Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa | Su | Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa | Su | Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa | Su | Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday Apr 30, 2016 #
Orienteering race 48:09 [4] 4.8 km (10:02 / km) +225m 8:08 / km
shoes: Icebug olx 2nd
QOC Granite Red. Boy, we lucked out on the weather. Saturday was the only dry day in a week-long string of wet ones. I had a good run, the only real problem being a careless approach to #7, although I thought I was doing the right thing, heading down the spur to the left of the big reentrant, coming in to the small reentrant, but somehow it wasn't right and I spent 3 extra minutes getting to the right place. Great woods for running and orienteering, and the right time of year to be in them.
Orienteering race 26:28 [5] 2.6 km (10:11 / km) +115m 8:20 / km
shoes: Icebug olx 2nd
Course designer Jan Merka made an inspired decision to add a sprint course through the rocky technical area, with a map at 1:5000 that actually allowed you to read the features. It was a lot of fun. I ran well for the first 7 or so controls, then things began to go haywire. Part of the problem was letting other people distract me. Dave O. and I took a suboptimal route to #8, too low, and slow to get through the pits up to the boulder. Then I started off with him in the wrong direction, and even though I corrected before he did, the damage was done, 2 minutes lost on #9. Ran with Valerie past #13 on the forested spur, but again, I corrected and backtracked to the control while she went on to finish without having punched it. More lost time for me, and a mp for her.
Map Walk 20:00 [3] 1.5 km (13:20 / km)
shoes: Icebug olx 2nd
Picking up controls.
Friday Apr 29, 2016 #
Road running 32:30 [3] 3.8 mi (8:33 / mi)
shoes: Adrenaline 16
Same route again. Drizzly today. I was comfortable enough running, but for some reason I was thinking about hypothermia.
Thursday Apr 28, 2016 #
Core strength 10:00 [3]
Wednesday Apr 27, 2016 #
Road running 32:30 [3] 3.8 mi (8:33 / mi)
shoes: Adrenaline 16
There was a little window between when I woke up and the rain started, so I took advantage of it. Cool and gray the whole way, and I got a few raindrops just as I was coming back in.
Core strength 5:00 [3]
David Roche's 5-min leg circuit (fwd lunges, back lunges, slngle-leg back lunges, single-leg step-ups. Plus a hamstring set.
Tuesday Apr 26, 2016 #
Road running 32:30 [3] 3.8 mi (8:33 / mi)
shoes: Adrenaline 16
My watch died over the weekend. I found it about 8 years ago, on a rainy day, lying in the mud. I saw it was still working, so I took it home, and I've used it ever since. It's a small Timex runner's watch, velcro strap, either a kids' or womens' model, which suits me just fine. I guess I'll try replacing the battery.
Sunday Apr 24, 2016 #
Orienteering race 2:06:23 [4] 6.2 km (20:23 / km) +245m 17:01 / km
shoes: IceBug Olx 4
West Point Long Green Y. Well, this was a disappointment, and a tiring one at that. I never understood the map, right from the beginning, when I walked the whole way to the first control, trying to make sense of what the map was saying but never getting it. And for pretty much the whole course, I just wandered through the wilderness hoping for a glimmer of understanding that would let me guess where I might be.
Saturday Apr 23, 2016 #
Event: West Point National Meet
Orienteering race 41:33 [4] 3.7 km (11:14 / km) +135m 9:30 / km
shoes: IceBug Olx 4
West Point Middle Green Y. I enjoyed this run, nice woods, good map, mostly straightforward navigation. On the first three controls I made little errors approaching the controls, which, on 2 and 3, were fairly costly because of having to run back uphill. The rest of the way went well, and I kept up good speed, to finish second in M60 and 9th on the course.
Orienteering race 27:30 [4] 2.5 km (11:00 / km) +25m 10:29 / km
shoes: IceBug Olx 4
West Point Sprint Green. This was a continuation of my terrible performance on sprints. I don't know why I bother with them. Things fell apart on #4, when I crossed through the woods by the pond and came into the obstacle course without knowing where I was. I lost minutes on each control in this area, in too much of a hurry to actually figure anything out. Then a good sequence after leaving the obstacle course, until I mispunched at 18, punching a control hung on a picnic table about 20 meters away instead. I see now that the picnic table was not a man-made object, but a stand for a control described as a paved area.
Wednesday Apr 20, 2016 #
Core strength 20:00 [3]
Core plus leg exercises. My legs are still feeling pretty battered from a hard week and a long O-course. I notice that muscle soreness has been appearing 2 days or more after the actual overuse event, which seems like a long time. Nothing at all in the intervening day. Maybe it's part of aging, along with a longer recovery time in general.
Tuesday Apr 19, 2016 #
Road running 32:12 [3] 3.8 mi (8:28 / mi)
shoes: Adrenaline 16
Morning run, high 50s and sunny.
Monday Apr 18, 2016 #
Core strength 20:00 [3]
Core strength plus some leg exercises.
Sunday Apr 17, 2016 #
Orienteering race 1:30:45 [4] *** 8.0 km (11:21 / km) +200m 10:05 / km
spiked:22/25c shoes: Icebug olx 2nd
QOC Gunston Hall Blue. Brand new map! (Who can resist?) Tom Strat did a great job on this map. I found it accurate and easy to read. One might quibble with some of the symbols, but it doesn't detract from the overall effect.
I ran Blue, longer than usual, because I wanted the extra length for training, and the idea was to keep a steady pace throughout. No significant navigational issues. For some reason I got too far west on #5, even though the control was only 100m from the attackpoint. I lost focus 13-14 with all the criss-crossing and navigated towards 7 for a while, then recovered badly. Terrible split on #17, but I don't think the map accurately reflected the difficulties. I tried to thread the needle around the south end of the green, but it extended well down the slope and made any attempt from the south side useless. After that, comparing splits with Vido, I seem to have held up well in the steeper section at the end, and that was certainly the goal.
Fun course, and the map now opens up the possibility of a megacourse, combining Mason Neck, Gunston, Pohick, and Meadowoood.
Yes, Valerie, there were butterflies, easy enough to ID even on the run. Zebra Swallowtails, whose host plant, Pawpaw, grows all along the edge of the Potomac, and Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, more ecumenical, flapping their big yellow wings through the forested and grassy areas. Both first-of-year for me.
I ran Blue, longer than usual, because I wanted the extra length for training, and the idea was to keep a steady pace throughout. No significant navigational issues. For some reason I got too far west on #5, even though the control was only 100m from the attackpoint. I lost focus 13-14 with all the criss-crossing and navigated towards 7 for a while, then recovered badly. Terrible split on #17, but I don't think the map accurately reflected the difficulties. I tried to thread the needle around the south end of the green, but it extended well down the slope and made any attempt from the south side useless. After that, comparing splits with Vido, I seem to have held up well in the steeper section at the end, and that was certainly the goal.
Fun course, and the map now opens up the possibility of a megacourse, combining Mason Neck, Gunston, Pohick, and Meadowoood.
Yes, Valerie, there were butterflies, easy enough to ID even on the run. Zebra Swallowtails, whose host plant, Pawpaw, grows all along the edge of the Potomac, and Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, more ecumenical, flapping their big yellow wings through the forested and grassy areas. Both first-of-year for me.
Friday Apr 15, 2016 #
Road running 40:30 [3] 4.5 mi (9:00 / mi)
shoes: Adrenaline 16
Goddard perimeter road.
Thursday Apr 14, 2016 #
Road running 15:46 [3] 2.0 mi (7:53 / mi)
shoes: Adrenaline 16
Jog to the track, warm up, and 3 strides.
Speed work 33:00 [5] 3.8 mi (8:41 / mi)
shoes: Adrenaline 16
Virtual speed work, Q2. 4x1200 with 5 min rest (mostly jogging). Sunny and low 50s at 11 a.m. I think these intervals are more effective (and less subjective) if they're run at straight I pace instead of accelerating, so that's what I did. Assuming vdot 46, goal was 5:00. Times:
4:55
5:01
5:01
5:02
I would have quit after the 3rd one if it weren't for virtual speedwork, so thanks MB and BP.
4:55
5:01
5:01
5:02
I would have quit after the 3rd one if it weren't for virtual speedwork, so thanks MB and BP.
Road running 13:05 [3] 1.5 mi (8:43 / mi)
shoes: Adrenaline 16
Slow jog back home.
Wednesday Apr 13, 2016 #
Core strength 20:00 [3]
Pushups, planks, squats, lunges, figure-8s.
Road running 41:22 [3] 4.5 mi (9:12 / mi)
shoes: Adrenaline 16
Goddard perimeter road. Lovely day, sunny and low 50s at noon.
Despite the cool temps, it was a big day for butterflies. Seen on this run, all on the dirt road or edges:
Clouded Sulphur - 1
Cabbage White - 1
Duskywing (probably Juvenal's Duskywing) - 5 or more
Mourning Cloak - 1
Pearl Crescent - 1
Eastern Tailed-blue - 1
Despite the cool temps, it was a big day for butterflies. Seen on this run, all on the dirt road or edges:
Clouded Sulphur - 1
Cabbage White - 1
Duskywing (probably Juvenal's Duskywing) - 5 or more
Mourning Cloak - 1
Pearl Crescent - 1
Eastern Tailed-blue - 1
Tuesday Apr 12, 2016 #
Core strength 10:00 [3]
Pushups, planks, figure-8s.
Speed work 1:00:00 [5] 7.0 mi (8:34 / mi)
shoes: Adrenaline 16
Virtual speedwork training, Q1. The rain passed through in the morning, and it turned out to be a fine day. No one on the track, which was a good thing given that people seem to feel the need to punch me.
7x200m intervals, the first one fast, the rest accelerating. 5 min rest after the first, 3 min between the others. These are much shorter intervals than I usually run, and I wasn't sure I could get the pacing right, but it seemed to work out o.k.
Times: 38....42, 41,42, 42, 41, 41.
I'm not sure what I'm getting out of these. Too short for aerobic, too much rest for lactate. Daniels suggests running economy, which I've never given too much thought to. I think it was also Daniels who said older runners tend to develop economy naturally over time.
7x200m intervals, the first one fast, the rest accelerating. 5 min rest after the first, 3 min between the others. These are much shorter intervals than I usually run, and I wasn't sure I could get the pacing right, but it seemed to work out o.k.
Times: 38....42, 41,42, 42, 41, 41.
I'm not sure what I'm getting out of these. Too short for aerobic, too much rest for lactate. Daniels suggests running economy, which I've never given too much thought to. I think it was also Daniels who said older runners tend to develop economy naturally over time.
Monday Apr 11, 2016 #
Road running 33:00 [3] 3.7 mi (8:55 / mi)
shoes: Adrenaline 16
Easy run in the afternoon. Rain this morning and rain tomorrow, but a nice patch this afternoon, 70s and sunny.
Sunday Apr 10, 2016 #
Note
A trip down to Badwater, 280 feet below sea level, where we walked out onto the huge salt flat. Then we drove through Artist Drive, just to confirm that just about every color imaginable is exhibited in the rock in Death Valley. And we have pictures to prove it.
We misjudged the time getting back to Las Vegas for our flights back in the afternoon (separate flights because she's on government travel and I'm not), but everything going out was on a 2-hour delay so it all worked out and, happily, we didn't miss our departure times.
We misjudged the time getting back to Las Vegas for our flights back in the afternoon (separate flights because she's on government travel and I'm not), but everything going out was on a 2-hour delay so it all worked out and, happily, we didn't miss our departure times.
Saturday Apr 9, 2016 #
Hiking 4:30:00 [2] 11.0 mi (24:33 / mi) +500m 21:30 / mi
shoes: Roclite 280-2015
I solo-hiked up Fall Canyon this morning. The weather was just great, partly cloudy and fairly cool, particularly higher up. It rained a little yesterday afternoon and evening, part of an ongoing weather pattern, and the desert plants were all in bloom.
There's a pretty well-worn path up to the mouth of the canyon, and then it's just hiking on the canyon floor for about 3 miles until you come to a dry waterfall, smoothed and carved, which blocks further passage. But it was not too hard to find the way around it, which involves backtracking a ways and making a couple of easy climbing moves up a little weakness in the rock. I took some pains to remember what it looked like from above, so I could find it on the way back.
Above the fall was really nice. The canyon narrows down to a slot, making a sinuous way between smooth vertical walls for a couple hundred feet.
I went another couple of miles before turning around. Supposedly the way is blocked again after about 3 miles, and I must have been close, but at that point the canyon was wide and rubbly, and not too interesting.
By the afternoon it was full sun and getting hot, and I must have passed 40 people who had decided it would be a great time to start hiking up. Hope they brought water.
There's a pretty well-worn path up to the mouth of the canyon, and then it's just hiking on the canyon floor for about 3 miles until you come to a dry waterfall, smoothed and carved, which blocks further passage. But it was not too hard to find the way around it, which involves backtracking a ways and making a couple of easy climbing moves up a little weakness in the rock. I took some pains to remember what it looked like from above, so I could find it on the way back.
Above the fall was really nice. The canyon narrows down to a slot, making a sinuous way between smooth vertical walls for a couple hundred feet.
I went another couple of miles before turning around. Supposedly the way is blocked again after about 3 miles, and I must have been close, but at that point the canyon was wide and rubbly, and not too interesting.
By the afternoon it was full sun and getting hot, and I must have passed 40 people who had decided it would be a great time to start hiking up. Hope they brought water.
Hiking 2:00:00 [1] 2.0 mi (1:00:00 / mi)
shoes: Roclite 280-2015
Death Valley is so huge, everything takes anywhere from a half-hour to 2 hours to drive to. But the area around Stovepipe Wells has a bunch of stuff to see. In the afternoon we went to Salt Creek (40 minute drive), where there's a boardwalk over a salt marsh. The creek was flowing, and it was full of pupfish. This tiny area is the only place in the world where they live, gradually confined to a smaller and smaller habitat as the valley has dried up over the past 10,000 years.
Then a late-afternoon hike up Mosaic Canyon, about a mile up, then back again. Amazing rock formations. The name refers to the rock fragments embedded in a concrete-like matrix and smoothed off like a polished wall.
Then a late-afternoon hike up Mosaic Canyon, about a mile up, then back again. Amazing rock formations. The name refers to the rock fragments embedded in a concrete-like matrix and smoothed off like a polished wall.
Note
High up in Fall Canyon I saw a number of butterflies of a single species, which I guessed was a checkerspot of some kind, and it turns out I guessed right.
It's a Sagebrush Checkerspot, native to the desert areas in the far west, and shows up in Death Valley from time to time.
I give up, even after I've shared a photo on Google Photos, I can't include an image inline.
It's a Sagebrush Checkerspot, native to the desert areas in the far west, and shows up in Death Valley from time to time.
I give up, even after I've shared a photo on Google Photos, I can't include an image inline.
Friday Apr 8, 2016 #
Trail Running 38:00 [3] 4.2 mi (9:03 / mi) +300m 7:24 / mi
shoes: Roclite 280-2015
We drove through Red Rock Canyon this morning, something I've long wanted to do. Then on to Pahrump (why is there a city here?) and into Death Valley. Stopped and gawked at Zabriskie Point. Checked into our room at Stovepipe Wells. Florence went to the park HQ for some Mars stuff, and I went for a run up to Grotto Canyon and back. It's a nifty little slot canyon off the end of a dirt road. My map shows 1000 feet of climb, didn't seem that much. There was deep smooth gravel for the last third, which was tough slogging going up, but a lot of fun to run down!
Thursday Apr 7, 2016 #
Core strength 20:00 [3]
Traveling to Las Vegas tonight, driving to Death Valley tomorrow. It's a junket. My wife is speaking at the MarsFest. Planetary scientists have been going to Death Valley for years, because it's one of the most Mars-like places on earth.
Wednesday Apr 6, 2016 #
Road running 38:23 [3] 4.5 mi (8:32 / mi)
shoes: Adrenaline 16
Goddard perimeter road at noon. 50 and sunny, a fine day for running.
Core strength 20:00 [3]
The usual routine.
Tuesday Apr 5, 2016 #
Core strength 20:00 [3]
Pushups, planks, squats, lunges, figure-8s. Stretching and foam rolling.
Sunday Apr 3, 2016 #
Orienteering race 1:08:57 [5] *** 6.0 km (11:30 / km) +330m 9:01 / km
spiked:16/18c shoes: IceBug Olx 4
Flying Pig Classic Day 2 Green. I did what I needed to do for the two-day combined. A little more conservative today, trying to avoid a disaster. My biggest blunder was on #2, when I saw the flag from the top of the ridge but was sure it wasn't my control because it was in a reentrant, not on a hill. So I spent a couple of minutes checking out the hills before deciding it had to be the one. It was.
5-6 was a nice leg, hard route choice and I changed my mind in the middle. I thought I would go all the way around on the road, but instead ran back down the road to the bottom of the hill, then along the little trail to the base of the spur and up. Wasted a couple minutes of climb.
Another mistake on the short leg 7-8, when I managed to get down to the stream between 8 and 12 (there was a control there) before recognizing my error.
Sixth on Green, second in M60 a minute behind Soupbone, who had a really good run today. First M60 in the combined.
5-6 was a nice leg, hard route choice and I changed my mind in the middle. I thought I would go all the way around on the road, but instead ran back down the road to the bottom of the hill, then along the little trail to the base of the spur and up. Wasted a couple minutes of climb.
Another mistake on the short leg 7-8, when I managed to get down to the stream between 8 and 12 (there was a control there) before recognizing my error.
Sixth on Green, second in M60 a minute behind Soupbone, who had a really good run today. First M60 in the combined.
Saturday Apr 2, 2016 #
Orienteering race 1:05:16 [5] *** 5.6 km (11:39 / km) +250m 9:32 / km
spiked:15/18c shoes: IceBug Olx 4
Flying Pig Classic Day 1 Green. Really happy with this run, even before I saw the results. I believe I was just on the edge most of the way through, going as fast as I could while maintaining map contact. Most of the time I was confident approaching the controls, but in a few cases I was thankful that the number was right.
I went off the ridge early on #1, too early really, but I figured hitting the reentrant from the side was better than from the top.
Leaving #3, I tried to figure out the trails, but gave up and ran straight to the toe of the spur, then up the trail. Again I went over the ridge too early, and spent some time checking out the wrong gullies.
Approaching #8, I could see the problem coming up, but still managed to pick the wrong reentrant after crossing the vague green. I have a lot of trouble with this kind of control, even though they are standard fare in ridge-and-reentrant terrain.
On the long leg 13-14, I followed the stream towards #4, then crossed over and up to the ridge, ran the ridge as though I was going to #2 again, but headed down right where the two forked reentrants meet at the top of the ridge. Briefly distracted by another control up high, then straight down to the right one. I totally missed the road route, but might not have taken it even if I had seen it. I think it would probably have been a faster route.
Seventh overall on the course, first in M60.
I went off the ridge early on #1, too early really, but I figured hitting the reentrant from the side was better than from the top.
Leaving #3, I tried to figure out the trails, but gave up and ran straight to the toe of the spur, then up the trail. Again I went over the ridge too early, and spent some time checking out the wrong gullies.
Approaching #8, I could see the problem coming up, but still managed to pick the wrong reentrant after crossing the vague green. I have a lot of trouble with this kind of control, even though they are standard fare in ridge-and-reentrant terrain.
On the long leg 13-14, I followed the stream towards #4, then crossed over and up to the ridge, ran the ridge as though I was going to #2 again, but headed down right where the two forked reentrants meet at the top of the ridge. Briefly distracted by another control up high, then straight down to the right one. I totally missed the road route, but might not have taken it even if I had seen it. I think it would probably have been a faster route.
Seventh overall on the course, first in M60.
Friday Apr 1, 2016 #
Event: OCIN Flying Pig XX
Orienteering race 25:00 [5] 2.7 km (9:16 / km) +25m 8:51 / km
shoes: Roclite 280-2015
Flying Pig Sprint Green. Too bad about #8, I had a really good run other than that. #8 was the first control in that green area with the weird linear land forms. I totally misread the paths going in, looked for the control in the wrong place, lost 5 min. Never really got the hang of that little area, but managed to get through it without much further ado. Fun course, good use of the technical areas, and it's always tough to go from campus to woods and back.