Training Log Archive: maprunner

PTOC event at Kill Creek, Advanced short. I wanted to make this a good practice for next weekend, so I treated it like a real race. I warmed up, stood around at the start for a bit and then took off.

Map (below) is Mike's long course. I saved my Garmin track after the race, but somehow it disappeared. Maybe my memory is full? Any way, using Mike's map instead. My course went from 1 to 6, then was the same as his.

Decision time right away at the start. I did not go the same way as Mike, I took the southern route and stayed on the trail the whole way. I knew the grass near 1 was rough and that I would have to walk, whereas I could keep jogging (slowly) on the trail route I chose.

Down to the paved trail, then on to 6 (on Mike's map) I took the same routes as him through here. As I approached 8, I saw Eric (a tall man in a bright orange coat). He punched ahead of me but when I got to the field after the control, he was nowhere in sight. How was that possible? Made me doubt that I was in the right place, took it slow through the tall grass (I went on the straight line, different than Mike's route). Turns out that Eric was just out of view around the woods to the east, he was right behind me at 9.

I was doing a good job of ignoring Eric and reading the map. I was talking out loud a lot but I found it helped me concentrate better. I was also moving fairly well, jogging non-stop on the trails and walking purposefully through the woods.

I took very similar routes to 10, 11 and 12 (not much route choice here). I saw Blair leaving 12, and he was on the north side of the stream. As I punched at 12, I thought to myself, I'm getting tired and thirsty, I should drink. That distracted me and I didn't see it as a sign to be careful. I just blindly headed back across the stream. I should not have done that, I should have stayed on the side where I was. Doh!

I caught up with Blair on the way to 14 but I went straight and he missed it a bit. I was glad to have the practice of seeing, then trying to ignore, other people.

Pushed it hard on the run in, telling myself you never know how everyone else is doing. In the end, I beat Gene but lost to Sandy. I was pleased with this race, it was good practice (mentally) for next weekend.

http://sprintseries.org/doma/show_map.php?user=spi...

Blair and I went to Heartland to check out the courses for the Pre-Possum. Slow walking, checking points and talking over course design. Blair designed the course, and I was his mentor this time. The last few winters, we have been pairing up newbie course setters with experienced course setters. It's a good plan, working out well to help the club develop.

Nice night to move around on west campus. Cold to start, but was dressed just right for the end. Felt good to move my legs.

Another run at Clinton. My legs felt dead the whole time, so this was a struggle. But it was a perfect fall day, sunny and 15. So beautiful in the woods!