Training Log Archive: TomN

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!

C • why is there a city here 1

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.

Goddard perimeter road at noon. 50 and sunny, a fine day for running.

The usual routine.

Pushups, planks, squats, lunges, figure-8s. Stretching and foam rolling.

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.

C • Fun weekend 3

Flying_Pig_2016_Sunday_Classic_9 Green A - Splits

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.

Flying_Pig_2016_Saturday_Classic_9 Green A - Splits