Training Log Archive: furlong47

So on Saturday evening when we were at dinner, what I thought was allergies suddenly exploded into a full-blown upper respiratory illness to the point where I couldn't breathe out of my nose at all. At that point I was still intending to go out on Sunday, even going to Target to get a new water resistant jacket to use for orienteering in the cold/rain since I hadn't brought my old one and it really needed replaced anyway.

Overnight I hardly slept and my sickness grew worse. At some point in the night I decided it might be a good idea to scratch, especially considering how difficult I knew the course would be and the 45 degree rainy weather.

So I didn't go out, and while that sucks I'm glad I didn't. I waited to cheer on everyone else, and by the time I drove home and got all my stuff in the house I was exhausted and very sick. I went to bed very early to get 11 hours of rest.

Taking a few days off now. I think I've pushed my body as far as it can go and this past week has been the result.

C • Good call 3

Event: 40th Annual West Point National Meet
 

We parked at the ski slope, and were informed quite a bit later that this parking was ONLY for team trials and foreign nationals (which was not what any of the notes said, only that those people MUST park at the ski slope. In fact, the earliest notes said parking near the middle arena would be limited.) Well, I needed the first bus which was leaving in less than 15 minutes so I said I would move in between races.

The bus dropped us off at a cemetery (cue some dark jokes) and at first the cadets with us were not even sure where we were supposed to go. It was figured out and we walked up through the cemetery and down the path to start, with team trials folks having to go outside the fence and the rest of us inside. The promised bathrooms at the bus drop off were actually at the start, which was nice except it created a weird situation of going past all the call up lines and right next to the start triangle (and the quarantine area) to use the bathroom.

West Point - Victor Constant Ski Slope Middle - GreenX (F35+)

I have had some really bad days on this map in the past. Luckily this was not one of them! I really enjoyed this course.

Semi-stupidly went through the woods just next to the field on the way to 1, not wanting to be right in view of all the people waiting at start. Bearing off the field corner, no problem.

Up toward 2, could make out the bigger hill to the left and went between them, then turned right and found it.

Popped over the little hilltop toward 3, checking a control as I passed over one of the little lumps even though I knew it wasn't mine.

Through the green to 4, made note of the large boulder, came out in exactly the right place.

Back through the green, down across some of the stone walls, picked up the fence for a short distance, then started climbing to get above the first big cliff. Went along the wide ledge to the control at 5.

Followed along the cliffs, but dropped down a bit, saw the stream of rocks and could see 6 from a long way off.

Down to the big cliff face, bearing from the corner of it and kept an eye on the building and fence below to find 7.

Dropped down to the second road, along the road, past the PX right down the sidewalk by the doors. Dave Yee was just starting to take photos at the spectator control at 8, so I tried to look like I was doing something ;-)

Junky here so I went all the way along the end of the field until I found an ok place to cross the powerline and get 9 and 10. Then back across powerline same way and across the field to finish.

Very clean for me for a WP course, and decently quick for me here even though I felt very sluggish and was coughing a lot (once or twice to the point of gagging) which at this point I still thought was allergies.

West Point - Trophy Point Sprint - GreenX (F35+)

So we moved the cars into the middle arena after the middle, only to find most people had gone off on other adventures between the races. Having made no such plans (stupid, for some reason I thought everyone would just hang out for 5 hours?) we lined the cars up in a row and opened the windows and talked between them. It got very windy and rained and even hailed a bit.

Finally it was time to take the bus to the sprint start. I got there kind of early and it was cold and raining on and off. Found the nice warm indoor bathroom nearby.

When it was time to start, flipped over the map and had trouble finding the triangle. The first leg to 1 was downhill on wet, slippery grass that was already chewed up a bit into mud. With no spikes and no ankle braces I had to move extremely tentatively, so not off to a great start.

Over to the corner where 2 is, didn't see it, looked up, read description, saw it must be above. Up stairs, around corner, some guy in a suit wandering around up there, past him to control.

Out to 3, easy.

Went too far on way to 4, to bridge that goes to parking lot, then realized I could only get there via stairs I had already passed. Back to stairs, over hole in railing, behind building (squeeze past BBQ grill).

Kid who was there with me went down metal grate stairs/bridge with sign pointing to garden. I could not make out whether this was a viable route with an exit at other end, so I ended up going back up steps, around buildings, back down steps to 5.

Up steps one last time and down sidewalk in front of iconic buildings to 6. A group of cadets was coming along in dress uniform in some kind of formation, so I scooted to get ahead of them in case they turned where I needed to go next!

Down that diagonal walk to 7, then down the sidewalk and steps to 8 coming out underneath the tunnel. 9-10-11 were cool in this castle like structure having to read inside and outside corners.

Down stairs and through garden to 12, then up steps and south of the large building (probably too far south) to 13. Around the corner of the wall to 14.

I did get caught out by the trap on 15, approaching the awning and then looking at my clue sheet to see it was beneath. So I went around the West end. Easy run down to 16, then back around that West end again and across the lot to 17.

Straight shot to 18, down through the grass having to be cautious again and around the East end of the wall to 19. Over to the stairs to 20 and then into the building to finish. Even though I had heard rumors of the indoor finish at the start, I was momentarily stunned by the lights, noise, and amount going on visually inside the doors and for a moment didn't know where to run. (The map shows the chute on a slight angle when it was actually straight, I think just to make it clear that finish is inside by having the circle entirely indoors.)

A very, very fun sprint with lots of cool elements and the indoor finish was neat. I learned from this that I need to read ahead better on sprints, as well as checking clue descriptions earlier and not just when I think I'm approaching the control.

C • Control descriptions 3

Middle - GreenX - Splits

Sprint - Green - Splits

Honestly didn't do much of anything today. After the migraine week from hell, I took a relaxed travel day to work my way up to WP and stopped at the Sterling Hill Mining Museum to tour the mine and see the cool fluorescent rocks. There was some walking on the tour but very slow and lots of stopping.

Lesson on Cricket

Yesterday was ok and then I had 2 scotoma today, one right on waking up and another at the end of the work day. But I pushed through the day and was okay for my lesson.

It was suggested to me that my electrolytes may be screwed up since I've been eating less processed food, and that does seem like a good possibility. I have some other signs that I may be dehydrated or out of balance even if I don't feel like I am. I've been pounding Gatorade since I got off of work and added salt at dinner. If migraines persist into next week, I will have to go to the doctor.

Will see how tomorrow goes, but I think this weekend will be taken one day and one race at a time. If Saturday involves migraines, I may decide not to go out on long on Sunday. Fingers crossed for a couple of good days.

C • Fingers crossed 4

Feel like I haven't been doing enough outside. Unfortunately this was the worst pollen day. Yuck. My throat is all scratchy.

Not sure how I convinced myself to go to the gym too, but I did

Woke up feeling dull and headachy already, and another scotoma is now underway. I hope my brain straightens itself out before the weekend.

Since babying myself yesterday did nothing

Not feeling so hot today, so I just did the bare minimum again. After I woke up and took a shower, I had scintillating scotoma (for the second time in a few weeks... they often come in groups, although I have never identified a trigger). So I felt dull and had an achy head all day. Then of course it was a rough day with lots of technical issues that started almost immediately upon my arrival at work. Going to go to bed early.