Training Log Archive: maprunner

PTOC event on a new map at Lexington Lake. It was 8c and rainy, with temps dropping during the run. It had rained all night, so the trails and stream were muddy. As were the mowed areas around the fields. It was like running in quicksand.

I started out running in the open areas on the way to 1 and 2. As soon as I entered the woods, I took a hard fall. It was so sudden, I assumed it was barbed wire. But I looked around and there was no wire, just crappy vegetation, That set the tone for the rest of the race. I stumbled all the time, got wrapped up in vines, etc. I gave up the idea of trying to run, and walked briskly the rest of the time.

Big mistake on 2. Hit the open field and tried to go straight but got pulled off the rough compass line.

Another mistake on 4. This was weird. I just did not see the reentrant on the map, and was quite confused when I saw it in the real world. I convinced myself that the retentrant was the tiny wiggle in the contour line right near the control, so I stopped and looked around a bit. Still didn't figure it out, but I went on until the end of the hill. Figured it out once I got closer. This was really silly.

After that I settled down and moved well. I went out of my line on the way to 5 to avoid an annoying club mate. I saw Gene as I left 6 (he was going towards it, along the stream). After that I tried to keep ahead of Gene. I managed to hold him off until 8. Then I pushed to keep him in sight through 10. I lost him after that.

I was with Bill from 13 to the end, that also helped pull me along.

I was bummed about my mistakes on 2 and 4, but I ended up doing fairly well compared to others. I left right away to get out of the cold wet wind. Thanks to all the others who stayed to pick up markers!

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

Tromping around the snow on West Campus, following animal tracks. It was fun. Glad Mike encouraged me to go out.

A rarity for me: I got up (after sleeping in :) and went right out to run, before breakfast. Temps were going to be falling all day, and the snow was supposed to start around 10. So I asked Mike to draw me a course on the "New Stuff" map at KU (the new engineering and geography buildings). This is a fun area, the best of campus sprints, with walls, layers and uncrossable features. This was fun.

KU New Stuff Sprint #1_Mike's course

Then I ran a second sprint on the same map, doing a course that I had drawn for myself. It was not as fun as Mike's course. And the first control was impossible to get to, so that was a bit confusing as I started out. Got in the car just as the first precipitation started to fall.

KU New Stuff sprint #2_Mary's course