Training Log Archive: j-man

Event: Oringen 2008
 

Middle model. A warmish day.

I did the model controls forward and backward. I then did some other map reading in the model area and then went across the road to the blandish hillside for some more controls.

Orienteered decently, but got off on one, and the error cascaded. Still, when going slow, it isn't too hard.

WOC 2008 Long qualifier.

Perhaps I don't want to resume logging with a retelling of a disaster, so this will be a brief pause in my hiatus.

It was an incredibly frustrating experience. It seems like every time I do one of these things something else goes wrong. In Denmark it was largely route choice, in Ukraine forcing it and running too fast in the beginning. This time probably about 12-14 minutes was lost on 4 controls just in the control circle alone.

I navigated pretty well to close to the center of the circle and even saw the feature but didn't see the flag and wasn't sure where I was. It got so bad that the last time it happened, when I was so sure I was in the right place, I had to go back to the previous control. And I still wouldn't have found it except that I went in the direction some other guy went.

This orienteering wasn't hard and I was in control. I don't know if I had good legs or not--whether I was running slower than I would have normally. It feels like a really good run would have been about 75 today for me, assuming I didn't flub around so much. I know I would have been quite happy with that as opposed to what I actually did.

The terrain was fairly neutral and not surprising. On the rough side in some place, compared to what we are used to, but there were a lot of rides and things. The route choices didn't seem to be decisive, but I suppose I will need to look at others.

Anyway, I am at a loss to determine what was going on. This has happened to me before (like at an A event at the nature center in CT) when I would navigate fairly well to the feature and not find the bag. I must confess that while reading my descriptions roughly (such as looking for a boulder) I didn't read the location most of the time. Another problem may be that I simply couldn't read the map correctly in the circle due to vision. Another good reason to stop doing this I suppose.

Upon analyzing my routes it appears that I had 9 decent controls out of 21. On those I averaged 26% behind the (course) winner (not superman.) (I base this assessment of goodness based on my route, not my times.)

Anyway, not sure what this proves except that I need to have a great run to be at 75 minutes, which still isn't qualifying.

But, 9/21 is pretty poor and my bad controls ranged from 34% to 174% back.

I have made a habit of falling and damaging things this year. I don't think I am getting clumsier or falling more often, but with unlucky results.

Going down a steep hill out of two my feet slipped out from under me and so I put my hands back to stop from falling. I didn't fall but my hands got a very sharp rock so I cut my palm, again. So, on the next couple legs I kept wiping my hand on my pants. It stopped bleeding about halfway through until I tripped again towards the end. Anyway, not nearly as big of a deal as my knee, but annoying. Maybe I should wear gloves? Minna and this Japanese guy had real injuries though--Minna won her heat while bleeding from a bad wound on the top of her head.

Also annoying is that my shoes are essentially trashed and they aren't selling shoes here. Should I take better care of my shoes? I am lucky if they last a year (I repaired these in the beginning of the spring season and they were new going into last summer.) Also, my Jalas I got at Jukola are in about the same shape.

I don't often wish I were Canadian, and I suppose I still don't, but I do have to give them credit: they have got style and audacity. (And a legit currency to boot!) The Canadian squad's gear is staggering in its quality, variety, and I suppose, quantity.

They have 2 scintillating tops: same design, but one mesh and the other Extreme, and a singlet to match. They have hats, golf shirts, full warmups, and warmup vests. They have casual sport shirts. Most of the stuff is from Trimtex, with the random shirt and hat from Axis Gear. Who knows what else they have--underwear?

Don't get me wrong--we have great shirts, too. They are a step up and we will be among the better dressed athletes. But, the extent, style, etc. of the Canadian stuff is hard to believe.

Anyway, as WOC is not a fashion show, we will be taking it to the Canucks in the forest, no doubt about that! But, before and after, I have to give them the edge.

Let's bring it!

Event: WOC 2008