Training Log Archive: Nadim

Event: The United States National Bushwhacking Championships
 

US Bushwhacking Championships, Jefferson National Forest, Caldwell Fields (near Blacksburg, VA). Once again I ran with my only Rogain partner, Peggy. We did the 6 hour version which to me seemed like a good way to start getting in shape for longer races... 12 and 24 hour options were available too. Going here was also fun because I got to see my old haunts from my college days. I had done my first ever orienteering event just 10 miles away (I think it was a White course sometime around 1981; I did just a few O' events in the early 1980's then had a +20 year hiatus). As Peggy said, the day was perfect, sunny but not hot, not humid. The event was held between syncline and anticline ridges separated by 3.7 to 5.7 K and a 1,500 to 1,800 ft. deep valley. The northern ridge's south slope was more gradual while the southern ridge's northern slope was deeply ribbed. There were no water stops--contestants needed to either carry drink or gather from natural sources--I carried about 140 ounces along with much Gu and some energy bars that Peggy had bought. I brought back about 50 ounces and lots of Gu.

Our pre-race analysis plotted out a 937pt. loop. We made 200 points the first hour then lost a lot of time (+30 minutes) hunting for a misplaced control (#89 we later found out was on the wrong spur well below the mapped location). There were some minor problems with at least two other controls that we went to. The steep sidehill terrain had my ankles start getting tired in the first hour but they held up fine. Our navigation was pretty clean. We went slow in the difficult to traverse terrrain walking up nearly everything while jogging down the steep and sometimes slippery slopes. Doing rogaines like this can make you feel good about your navigation. We saw some early competitors rush out ahead of us and make bad mistakes. The steep terrain also helped make it harder to make mistakes. Even though the map was essentially a pieced together USGS map, even with 20ft. countours, nearly all the reentrants showed-up.

Going down the northern ridge, Peggy seemed to pickup the pace even faster than I had wanted to go. In retrospect I should have asked her to slow down. I think she burned-up some energy there. We bumbled the "easy" 38 point control at the bottom and soon after on a bad hillside for an 80 point control, Peggy started getting both tired and unhappy. After getting the 80 point control, we rested 10 minutes and then enjoyed a scenic run in an old burn area down a long rib to the valley again.

Heading toward the end and gathering the last set of controls, we crossed a few ribs when we probably should have gone around. Near the end we went for a 36 pointer when a sure 30 pointer was easier. We ran out of time and had to bail-out getting neither, but also did not incurr a penalty which would have lost us our highest control plus another 10 points per minute. On the rush in I tried to get to a location to cross the creek without getting wet--this took me over a large log which when crossing, 30 seconds from finishing, I inadvertantly gashed my left knee. We finished with 1,041 points which was far ahead of second (I think Tom Strat and his female partner got around 600 points. I think Tim Gilbert and his female partner were not far behind this).

Our score surprised organizer Brad Hunt and had him worry that the 24 hour teams might clean the course--they didn't. However, our score was good enough to beat all the 12 hour teams. I came up with the climb (~2,560ft.) by retracing our route and counting what seemed like the optimal contours--this doesn't show all the ups and downs that were necessary to get around stuff. The distance was measured in straight lines between controls. With terrain this steep, it certainly doesn't reflect the optimal distance traveled. Our climb and distance was nothing compared to first and second in the 24 hour division--Jon Torrance and Jamie's altimiter logged around vertical 11,000 ft. while winner Scott Pleban going solo logged about 14,000 vertical feet.

Overland Park, KS. From Metcalf Frontage Rd. to 107th St. to Lamar Ave. to the Indian Creek Trail, to Barkley St. to Metcalf Frontage Rd. Just an easy jog early before catching a plane homeward.

Bonner Park, KS. Mary Jones set 3 loops in this grassy park. I set out ribbons for the one of them not using a compass.

Bonner Park, KS. I ran all three loops that Mary Jones had setup. Nancy Neuberger and Mike Eglinski set ribbons for two of the loops. I again ran without compass which lead to one error while climbing over a hill and mistaking one building for another. A little more time was lost looking for a ribbon on a manmade control when 3 were in the circle but only one on the map. I picked-up some ribbons on the third loop and a few others. Running on the grass was nice and because one could run fast, it still required reading the map to make good choices. I found myself running too fast and changing route choices mid-way because an alternate route seemed better once I had read more but already had gotten started in the other direction. It was fun and we ate burgers afterward.

Heritage Park, Olathe, KS. From Shelter #4, I dropped down to the lake (the one with the barn and silo on Black Bob Island) and looped it twice. The 1,150 acre park looks like one of the larger ones near Kansas City. Most of it that I saw is open mowed grassland (some golfing) with lines of trees here and there--good for white and yellow or night orienteering. My left knee hurt especially starting out going down the hill. I ran on the grass some.

C • 3

Overland Park, KS. From near Quiverra Rd. and 119th St. I took the Indian Creek Trail into Olathe to Mile Mark 15 (just past Santa Fe St.) and back. It was in the mid-80's F when starting and slightly uphill going out. My left knee hurt a little during this. My quadracepts were sore before I finished and I think that afterward, I wrung out the most sweat from a shirt that I ever had. It's a pretty nice trail along the creek. Available splits: 7:03, 7:05, 6:59 (31:41 turnaround) 6:56, 7:00, 6:52.

In Overland Park, KS. From Frontage Rd., off Metcalf Ave., to the Indian Creek Trail via Barkley to Antioch Rd. and back. I wanted to loosen-up after yesterday's ride, the flight and meetings. Once I hit the trail with half-mile markers, I picked it up. I read a map of Shawnee Mission Park along the way, imagining that I was on a trail and visualizing what I'd see coming up. The faster I ran, the less of this I could do. I would have gone a little farther but the trail was closed ahead for construction. Available Splits: 3:30, 3:18. My left knee hurt after but not during this.

From Rosedale Ave., Maryland Ave., to Jones Bridge Rd., to Beach Dr., to Glover Rd., to Ross Drive, to Beach Dr., Grosvenor Lane, to the Bethesda Trolley Trail, to Old Georgetown Rd., to Battery La., to Rosedale Ave. I started-off w/Peggy, going easy at level 2. When she turned back after 21 minutes, I took off spinning well and catching other riders. At one point, some guys I caught and started to pass spurred me to go harder. I was trying to get to the right side of the road but they worked harder to pull even; eventually I dropped them at a stop. I think the longer sleep helped me to be able to push harder but it could have been something else. I saw Dave Onkst running near Old Georgetown Rd. and went a way w/him before pushing on in.