Training Log Archive: BigWillyStyle

Event: Ultimate Orienteer #4 - Magnuson Park
 

For some reason, the Magnuson Park map and I never get along well. I always have an extremely difficult time reading the large and small green patches among the rough open. They are starkly contrasting on the map, but somehow seem much less clear when you're running around out there. I also dislike running through constant mud and ankle-deep water.

I had lots of time loss on the first map, very little on the second. I only have the second map, but my biggest issue was with the northern-most control next to the dog park, where the map didn't make a whole heck of a lot of sense. I also lost significant time on the one next to the out-of-bounds area (I think it was 10?), a place where I ALWAYS lose time, and the one on the small green patch NW of the start/finish. Finally, I lost 20-30 seconds when I ran to the mapped finish, only to find that it wasn't actually there. I saw many other people do something similar.

Overall, not the greatest experience. But hey - it's still orienteering!

This went much more smoothly than the Score-O, although I was very tired and it felt longer than a flat 3.5 km should feel.

Eric lent me a couple Fair Hill maps, from the 2007 Interscholastics. Based on the look of the area (rolling open woods and fields) and the min/k times at that meet, the courses this weekend portend to be FAST, which means I'm going to approach it like a sprint and blast right out of the gate.

Miles:
1. 3:59
2. 2:36
3. 3:49
4. 4:09
5. 3:25
6. 3:39
7. 3:10 (0.79)

I had to pull a "Run home Jack" after my bike mysteriously acquired a flat tire at some point during the workday. I didn't particularly want to do any running today with a meet coming up tomorrow, so I took it easy.

Well it's alright / Remember to live and let live / Well it's alright / The best you can do is forgive.

Miles:
1. 3:58
2. 2:31
3. 3:52
4. 5:27
5. 3:00
6. 3:04
7. 3:54 (0.79)

Miles:
1. 4:27
2. 3:41
3. 4:59
4. 5:05
5. 5:33
6. 4:14
7. 4:12
8. 1:02 (0.26)

Will it ever stop raining? Who can say? The internet, that's who. The internet says it will stop raining tomorrow. We'll see.

Miles:
1. 4:03
2. 2:44
3. 4:29
4. 4:19
5. 3:19
6. 3:21
7. 2:48 (0.79)

Miles:
1. 4:30
2. 2:57
3. 5:04
4. 3:24
5. 4:59
6. 4:08
7. 4:02
8. 0:52 (0.25)

Rainy. Wet. For some reason cycling in the rain is exponentially more unpleasant to me than running in the rain (which I actually enjoy most of the time).

Actually, this is the reason: When you're running you only have to deal with the stuff coming down, but on a bike you also have junk getting thrown up off your tires, into your face and soaking your shoes and socks. Not a fan of that, especially when you get annoyed and try to go faster to get there quicker but then going faster only intensifies the kickback.

End of complaint.

C • Fenders? 3

I guess this is what those in the biz call a "recovery run," although I'm far less sore than I expected to be after the Ramble. I went meandering around Bridle Trails, loosely running the reverse of the 2012 WIOL Course 7. This on the theory that if you're going to run slow, you might as well run slow while paying lip service to the directives of a map. I own you, map! I make decisions now!

My goal was to maintain a perfectly constant pace, as if on a tempo run, while keeping extremely close map contact and planning ahead at all times. I mostly succeeded - just a couple of two-step slowdowns at trail intersections after losing concentration and letting the mind wander.