(edit): Mike and I slept in, then went for a great breakfast at Doodles. Then we walked around the UK Arboretum, in the cold. Not the most interesting area, but we got outside. Quick trip to a grocery store, then back to the Arboretum to meet Sandy. It was such fun to be traveling with her on this trip. We told her some OK stories and legends, and taught her Talk Four. Her name is really Sondra, and her family sometimes called her Sond, so that fit well.
US Champs Sprint, Morehead State University
Yeah for Kentucky, my 39th O state!
I was nervous about this race, since I hadn't done a sprint in a long time. I was a bit excited with lots of adrenaline during the warm up, but I talked my self down a bit just before my start. It helped that the first few controls were pretty easy, so I could get into the game.
But then came the middle of the course, which was much trickier. I was not very smooth making the transition from control to control, and had to stop often to look at the map. AP splits says I lost time at 7, but I don't remember this. Maybe just too slow and hesitant?
Craziness at 8: Saw one woman crossing under the tape over the uncrossable wall and I yelled that what she was doing was not allowed, but she shrugged and continued on. I ran around the building. As I approached the control, a boy was also climbing under the tape, but when I told him he wasn't allowed, he said "I'm not?" and backed down. I was trying not to get caught up in those folks during my race, but it made me very mad. How do you handle d it when you see folks breaking the rules during a sprint?
Was heading past 10 when I saw someone leaving the control. I saw the right way into 12,but not that I should stay down and go around the building to 13. Hesitated and changed my mind on the route to 14, which was a mistake. Very slow to 15, because it was uphill, and I was starting to get tired. Also, I had a hard time reading the map and figuring out where I was supposed to go.
Biggest mistake was not reading the map well as I approached 16. I thought I had to continue NE to 17, rather than back to the NW. Circled around an extra building and had to back track.
Like everyone else, I hesitated as I approached 19, which was the upper walkway around the building. Stopped and double checked the map before I crossed the bridge.
As I approached the last control, Mike was there encouraging me on. He indicated that I had a chance to beat Kissy, and I should sprint. So I paused for a second to catch my breath (and let another runner punch first and get out of the way). I looked down the finish chute to gauge my direction, punched the control, and took off. Wee! I hadn't done a good, fast finish chute run in a while, so this was fun! I was only about 90% because I still haven't gotten all the way back after my hamstring injury, and I didn't want to get hurt again. And I muffed up punching the finish so I lost some time there. 13 seconds, which was fastest on the course, but 2 seconds off the best. Shoot! Someday soon I'll get the fastest finish split....
Overall, I was fairly clean, but I didn't like all the hesitation I felt on the course. Need to practice more sprints. I know I pushed as hard because my quads were surprisingly tired that night. I was't running all out (that would be bad for my nav) but I think it was the longest hard effort I had done in a while.
I appreciated that OCIN had put the control numbers on the side of the stand, so you could see the number as you approached. I also appreciated the ride back to the start from Iamstillhungry. Funny incident when conversation in the car was about people taking your map (when they are distributed after the race) only to find out that Tom H had accidentally taken someone else's map!
Nice dinner at A&W to test out my soon-to-be BIL's new creation. Enjoyed talking with Sandy and Tom H about their first experience at a national event.
route