Training Log Archive: RLShadow

Event: ROC - Letchworth West [2009 Club Series #1]
 

Warmup. With the dog (Homer).

Green course at Letchworth.

Actual distance traveled was 3.76 miles, per Forerunner.

I was pondering whether to enter M60 (Brown) or M40 (Green) for the club series, and finally decided if I'm going to the effort of attending a meet, I shouldn't just do the comparatively short Brown courses, so I went with M40 Green.

I didn't make any big navigational errors, just went slower than I should have in many places (sometimes the slowness was due to endurance, other times to being cautious about the navigation).

I had a small bobble going to #1 which didn't cost a lot of time but it was frustrating -- I didn't notice this indistinct trail going from the main trail down the hill, in the rough direction of the control. So I went too far down the main trail, looked for a place to leave the trail and head down the steep hill, when I concluded that the hill was too steep for me to be comfortable in descending it. That's when I noticed the trail, so I backtracked, picked up the trail, and was OK. No significant issues on 2, 3, and 4.

Endurance issue going out of #4 towards 5, while climbing a 9-contour, very steep hill. Got #5 OK but it seemed like I was going very slowly once I left the trail. Got a little confused going to #6 -- when I crossed the stream, I couldn't tell precisely where I was. I knew where I thought I might be but really couldn't verify it. So I approached the control assuming I was where I thought I might be, and fortunately found it OK.

No problem with #7. From 7 to 8, I think I took an inefficient route, deciding to forego a trail run and instead head more directly east. I think that was driven by being bushed from climbing up the steep hill from #7, and not liking the thought of doing a trail run. In any event, the progress was fairly slow and I had to pay some attention to navigation, so I'm sure I would have been a lot better off just taking the (only slightly longer) trail route. I did find #8 with no problem, at least, but this split was by far the longest of any of my controls.

I took a moderately direct way to the dirt road and then to the indistinct trail that lead to near #9; that went OK. From 9-10, I was looking for a trail starting from near #9 that headed almost directly to 10. I thought I saw a trail, which I took, but it was really a non-trail, so I wound up doing more off-trail running than I needed to. I might have lost a minute or two by not finding the trail.

All in all, I was fairly happy with things. I wish I had been in better shape on some of the hill climbs, but all things considered, it was OK, just not great.

GPS route:
http://picasaweb.google.com/RDetwiler1/GPSTracks#5...

C • 2

Green - Splits

Trail run at Ellison Wetlands. Most ambitious run since I took some time off due to a hamstring issue. I had forgotten how brutal the hills are at the Wetlands. (Which sounds like a bit of a misnomer, because "wetlands" seems to imply only flat, swampy areas -- which there are plenty of -- but there is also plenty of high, dry, hilly terrain.) I should say, my mind remembered the hills, but had forgotten that I used to be in much better shape than I am now, and they weren't quite so grueling even a year or two ago.

I'm, as usual, extremely impressed that feet does workouts on this same terrain and averages 7:30-8:00/mile.

Course setting at Webster Park.

Morning bike ride, to beat the forecast rain. The morning was remarkably pleasant. I was a bit concerned it might be on the cool side for biking (I don't really like biking when it's at all cool out -- I really should get over that, and get the right clothing, then I'm sure it would be OK). But it was mid to upper 60's, with a slight wind from the west that was a slight annoyance at times on the way back.

Basic route was out to Berg Rd in Ontario, mostly on roads paralleling Klem Rd. Details route: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2772119

Generally felt OK but I could tell I haven't done much biking, from the soreness of various body parts towards the end of the ride (hands, arms, and neck mainly -- surprisingly, not so much my rear end).

C • DD is Famous 7

Urban run on a warm day. Parked on Park Ave. near Berkeley; ran east on Park to Culver, to Monroe, to Union, cut down a short street from Union to Alexander, Park Ave east again to East Blvd, to East, to Berkeley, and back to the car. Tons of people at restaurants, taking advantage of the outdoor seating.

Official temperature is 82 degrees as of now (1 pm), and I think that's about what it was in the Park Ave. area. Much cooler here in Webster (66 degrees). It was good early-season heat training.

I had hoped to run 6 miles but didn't quite have the energy to do that last mile. Hamstring felt ok; probably the hot weather is good for a problem like that.

It was a good day to try out a "fuel belt" (which holds four small bottles, 8 ounces each) which was a Christmas present from Cheryl. It was reasonably comfortable; spreading out the bottles around the waist seems less annoying than a single larger bottle. I started with the bottles full of water, and by the end of the run, I had consumed nearly all of it (probably about 1 ounce left in each bottle).

C • fuel belt 2

Run on mostly roads; over to Maple, through Finn Park, to Gravel, Rt 104 path to 5ML, then back to Maple on 104 path, and back home. Nice day for a run; sunny, low 50's, kind of a cool breeze from the north, started with shorts, t-shirt, light gloves, and headband, fairly quickly ditched the gloves and headband. Hamstring still seems to be doing OK. The chiro has now suggested that I run 2 out of 3 days, up to 6 miles a run, but to of course keep an eye on things to be aware if it flares back up.

C • weather 2