Training Log Archive: BorisGr

NorthWest Cup - Day 3, H35

This was a sprint in the Italian village of Sestriere. I was really looking forward to this, naively expecting a sprint with dozens of narrow passafeways and cobblestone streets of a medieval Italian village, a la Cervara di Roma: http://www.matstroeng.se/maps/show_map.php?user=mt...

Unfortunately, the area and the course setting left some things to be desired. We had a section on an open hillside with some scattered trees followed by a pretty straightforward course through a bland village, including multiple sections where you could see the next control from the previous one. We have better sprint venues in the US, so I was pretty disappointed.

My own performance was also pretty dismal. I got frustrated by my shoe choice - regular running shoes that kept slipping on the slick open hillside - and ended up losing focus and making sizable mistakes. So, all in all, not a great experience.

I had a great time in France and Italy with a wonderful group of orienteering friends. My expectations for my own ability to run were very low coming in, since I reinjured my back just a week before departure. I was pleasantly surprised to be able to run each day, to finish 5/6 days, and to not have my back fall apart by the end of the week.

This is the third year in a row that our group of 6 has managed to get together in a new country to go orienteering: Sweden, Slovenia, and now France. I very much hope that real life remains on hold and allows us to continue this streak a year from now!

Event: Deschutes Daze
 

NorthWest Cup - Day 2, H35

Same area, but different part of the map. We started much higher, which was facilitated by a 2km walk to the start that included 270m of climb!

Most of the climb on the course (set by my friend Michele Caraglio!) was in the beginning, so the second half was a lot of fun. I orienteered pretty well and was moving along steadily when I was caught by Andrew from 6 minutes back on the way to 12. I decided, since this was the last forest day, to just go for it and see how long I could stay with him. I managed to do a decent job running with him while also doing some navigating. This really helped me remember what aggressive orienteering really looks like - I have not done much of that in a long time! I stayed with Andrew through 19 and then was dropped, ending up staggering home the rest of the way.

Andrew won the day in 64, Neil had 65 despite a 4-minute mistake. I had a great time! Orienteering in Europe is so much fun!

Again, here is the elite course from this day: http://www.emilianocorona.it/carte/North%20West%20...

Event: North West Cup 2015
 

NorthWest Cup - Day 1, H35

Right after the French three days around Briancon ended, the NorthWest Cup just across the border in Italy began. The terrain was Alpine, all held on a massive slope overlooking a beautiful valley. In addition, this was the site of the biathlon races during the Turin Winter Olympics, so that added an extra coolness factor.

I really enjoyed the terrain today and cruised around the course without major mistakes, though I got routes wrong on 14 and 18, losing about a minute on each one.

Andrew crushed the course in just under 65 minutes, I was third in H35, way behind Neil.

Here is the elite course from the day, to give an idea of the terrain: http://www.emilianocorona.it/carte/North%20West%20...

Brianconnais Tour - Day 3, H35

This was the most physical day, and the one with the least enjoyable terrain. The climb to #1 seemed interminable and way steeper than it looked on the map. It was only after the race that I figured out that the contour intervals was 10 meters!

I got 1 and 2 ok, but then came to a river crossing on the way to 3. I made a couple of attempts to cross, and decided to give up and run around. I was considering quitting the race here, but spotted Neil, who had started two minutes ahead of me, on the way to 4. I went to 3 and timed how far behind Neil I was at this point, and it seems like I was running even with him. This inspired me to continue. I ran 4-6, but was just not feeling it, and quit the race at the spectator control. I think it was the right decision in order to preserve my back for the rest of the week.

After the race, Bara and I went out to spectate at the crazy control in the middle of a giant boulder field. We got cheer for Alli as she clambered her way towards the control. Very cool spot!

Brianconnais Tour - Day 2, H35

This was the middle distance day, and I was pretty excited about that. I started out with a greater effort than the day before, and managed to keep that up for most of the race. I mostly ran cleanly, though lost some time with suboptimal routes on 6 and 16. Really fun area, including a control on an old World War II military bunker.

Andrew won in 33:49, I was 4th.

Alli and I had a nice time relaxing and swimming in an Alpine river, and then taking a tour of Briancon's old fort.

Event: Brianconnais Tour 2015
 

Brianconnais Tour - Day 1, H35

We got to France and met up with Neil in Geneva. After hanging out there for a day, we drove up to Briancon with Neil and Andrew and met up with Bara and Martin at the house we rented there. The whole gang is here again!

It was a game-time decision for me whether or not to race, and I decided to at least start and treat it as a long jog. I did that, though there were a few controls early on where I went above jogging effort. The orienteering was really fun, and I was just so happy to be out there finding controls ok. My back held up ok, and I spent a lot of time icing and stretching both before and after the race. My navigation left a lot to be desired, and I totaled about 10 minutes of errors, including one over four minutes on the second half of the course.

Neil won the day in 70 minutes.

Andrew's routes on our course: http://www.ifklidingo.com/doma/show_map.php?user=A...