Training Log Archive: TomN

The advanced course at Great Falls. We had an unusual level of difficulty getting this course approved, in a park where the approval difficulty was already nearly maxed out. Less than a week before the event, the NPS took out a number of our control locations, and insisted on the following rules for the remaining controls: (1) all competitors shall travel on a straight line between checkpoints; (2) competitors shall use trails wherever possible; and (3) competitors shall cross streams only at bridges. Needless to say, these are inherently mutually exclusive choices.

The resulting course was odd-looking, but pretty good. There was route choice, and variety among the legs. If you ignored the rules (and you had to ignore at least 2 of them at any one time), it was good orienteering. Not the maximum difficulty the park has to offer, but good running in great woods.

Advanced - Splits

Goddard perimeter road at noontime, right around 60 deg. and sunny, with a little breeze. I don't get it. It sure didn't feel that fast.

Riding to work on an incredibly fine morning, partly cloudy and 60 deg. when I started and warming up during the ride. It was a pretty fast time today, including a couple minutes taking off my long-sleeve shirt. Felt so much better than on Tuesday, and 10 min. faster.

Goddard perimeter road. Wow, mid-70s and full sun.

Biking to work. Overcast and mid-40s. It felt cool at the start, and I never really warmed up. Maybe could have used a hat and gloves, but it wasn't painful. I was pretty slow, never feeling like pushing the pace, and all but one of the traffic lights were against me. One nice thing about the cloudy skies though, it's a lot easier to see, particularly on the SE leg of the trip. Route.