Training Log Archive: RLShadow

Results from the Medved race are now available (and they did correct my age!).

I finished 45th out of 68 solo runners. Not a real splendid showing, actually. But then again, I maybe can rationalize that people entering a 15 mile muddy and hilly trail run are a bit more dedicated on average than those entering a 5K road race, or even one of Fleet Feet's 4-5 mile trail races.

I did indeed hold up better than many people on the third loop (or maybe I just knew enough, having done this race a couple of times before, to really take it easy on the first loop, and not even stress myself too much on the second loop). My time on the first loop was the 50th best; on the second loop, it was the 46th best, and on the third loop it was the 38th best.

I did finish 1st (out of only two people) in my age group.

Two other orienteers were in the race: Michael Meynadasy and Brian Thomas. In his log, feet had hinted strongly that he would be doing this race instead of West Point, but I see that he did West Point instead.

AP'er jsnyder was the #1 woman finisher (and 7th overall) in a nice time of 1:49 -- congratulations Jessica!

Medved Madness Mendon "15 mile" trail race. Was somewhat shorter than 15 miles, but way closer than in the first couple of runnings when it was more like 13.5 miles, by my estimate.

We expected the course to be muddy, and it certainly didn't disappoint. The first major continuous muddy stretch was at the 1 mile mark, and it persisted (on and off, mainly on) for quite a while, maybe a quarter mile? I was being careful not to lose a shoe in the mud, which I did in an O meet once.

Overall, I was pretty happy with how I did. For each of the three loops, I averaged under 11 min/mile which doesn't sound real impressive, but with the hills and the mud, I'm OK with it.

I wasn't exactly pouring it on during the last loop, but I tried to maintain a steady pace, and I wound up passing four people (with no one passing me). That doesn't sound like many, but with a sparse field, people were quite a ways apart, so this is about as many as I realistically could pass.

Since it was a small field, I thought I had a decent chance to win my age group, but they announced someone else. When I saw the person who was announced to be the winner, I mentioned to trailsnail that I'm fairly certain I watched him finish, well after I finished. I obviously didn't want to disrupt the awards by claiming they were incorrect (esp. since I wasn't 100% positive), so I'll wait to see the official results on line and determine if I should appeal to get a prize ($15 gift certificate to Medved, I believe it is). In any event, there were so few people in my age group, it's hardly anything to brag about.

Addendum: I figured out why I wasn't first in my age group. Looking at the information printed out on my bib number, they had me down as 31 years old. Don't I wish. I entered on-line, so I'm baffled as to how that could have happened. I can't imagine I entered "31" when I meant to enter "62" but I guess it is possible.

C • congrats! 10

Event: West Point A-meet
 

Trial to see how the GPS does in a lawn-mowing outing. After a few minutes, I concluded that the distance it was tracking seemed kind of fluky, so I took a break and let the GPS do a better job of capturing satellites (presumably). This was from before the break.

After the GPS had more time to possibly lock in to satellites.

Did not do the back yard at all (too wet in many places, and it really didn't need it yet), and only did around 75% of the front yard, because the rest of it wasn't long enough to see where I had mowed and where I hadn't. So therefore, why mow.

The distance recorded by the GPS seems reasonable; I could probably make an independent measurement by estimating how many passes I make, and how long each pass it. Maybe I'll do that step, but most likely not ...

C • why mow? 2

Starting the mapping of Highland Park. Mapping session cut short because it was nippier than I had expected (temperature in the upper 40's, but wind gusts up to 30 mph), and my hands can't quite take being exposed to those conditions for very long, and still be able to write.

C • Highland 4

Whiting Rd trail run, with trailsnail. One loop around, only. Not surprisingly, the trails were very muddy in the usual wet spots. They were probably 95%+ dry with good footing, though.

Finally, a chance to do some hot-weather training! And to NOT do any rain training! Upper 70's, fairly humid. Decided to do a faster run than I usually do (but a short run). Included in the run were two half-mile "intervals" (although it's tough to call the speed I was doing them at anything close to interval speed). I'm sure I'll grow to dislike upper 70's and humid, but it felt very good for a change to be wet at the end, from sweat rather than from rainfall and running through puddles and mud.

C • 70's 1

Late morning run. Not raining when I started, but was hit with some moderately heavy rain for around 10 minutes in the middle of the run, so I was pretty soaked when I finished. Then it started raining again right after I finished, so I just missed being even wetter. I would be quite happy if this rainy weather would end.

C • Rain 4