Training Log Archive: WIn the 7 days ending Dec 23, 2012:
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Sunday Dec 23, 2012 #
Orienteering 1:15:00 [4]
shoes: Inov-8 X-Talon 212
The day before, I went to a travel agency in Hong Kong to try and get a China Visa. This place claimed that if I showed up before 9AM I could get a visa by 1:30 that day, and they'd do it for way, way, cheaper than anyone else. And, turns out, they did!
So, come Sunday, wake up at the crack of dawn, bus it to the border, and actually get into China very easily! Then hopped on another bus with a big crowd of other Hong Kongatons and made a 3 hour trek into Guangdong province for the rac.e
The race notes said that this race had zero climb. I'm not sure I've ever experienced that before. The trees were quite low hanging so visibility was fairly low and I found myself running in a sort of squatted position so I wouldn't smash my head (I did anyway).
First got to do a quick ultra-sprint, though just as a casual run. That race was apparently reserved only for the China racers. Not quite sure why that was, I've been told the Chinese do their own thing quite a lot, much to the confusion even to those in Hong Kong.
Then came the middle distance. I picked up my map and really wasn't certain where I was as I ran towards 1, partly because the start triangle was behind where we started. That was weird. Also I clearly my brain wasn't in it very well, I was just running. Fortunately there was a road that cut through the leg, so it was easy to just run until I got there. Unfortunately, I completely botched the last 100m of #1! They way I approached it, I had to cross a stream. But, at the time, I saw this dead straight blue line on the map, and mistook it for a north line. When I got to the stream, which was more of a very small (and dry) water way with concrete walls, I actually couldn't find it on the map, because all there was, was this straight blue line that was almost parallel to north. So I stopped, very confused, thought it was the trail that was past the control I was going to, and I had overshot. I relocated and ended up back at the water way, only then realizing what it was (the north lines were black on this map). So, wasted a solid 4 minutes there.
After that, navigation wasn't too bad. Weak compass bearings, I'd say, as I kept having to hook, but that may partly be chalked up to the forest being difficult to maintain a bearing. Quite a few questionable bits of the map, as well!
Fortunately for me and my stupid mistake, almost everyone else made stupid mistakes, and I still pulled out the W. Don't deserve it, and definitely not pelased about it. But... I guess I'll take it.
So, come Sunday, wake up at the crack of dawn, bus it to the border, and actually get into China very easily! Then hopped on another bus with a big crowd of other Hong Kongatons and made a 3 hour trek into Guangdong province for the rac.e
The race notes said that this race had zero climb. I'm not sure I've ever experienced that before. The trees were quite low hanging so visibility was fairly low and I found myself running in a sort of squatted position so I wouldn't smash my head (I did anyway).
First got to do a quick ultra-sprint, though just as a casual run. That race was apparently reserved only for the China racers. Not quite sure why that was, I've been told the Chinese do their own thing quite a lot, much to the confusion even to those in Hong Kong.
Then came the middle distance. I picked up my map and really wasn't certain where I was as I ran towards 1, partly because the start triangle was behind where we started. That was weird. Also I clearly my brain wasn't in it very well, I was just running. Fortunately there was a road that cut through the leg, so it was easy to just run until I got there. Unfortunately, I completely botched the last 100m of #1! They way I approached it, I had to cross a stream. But, at the time, I saw this dead straight blue line on the map, and mistook it for a north line. When I got to the stream, which was more of a very small (and dry) water way with concrete walls, I actually couldn't find it on the map, because all there was, was this straight blue line that was almost parallel to north. So I stopped, very confused, thought it was the trail that was past the control I was going to, and I had overshot. I relocated and ended up back at the water way, only then realizing what it was (the north lines were black on this map). So, wasted a solid 4 minutes there.
After that, navigation wasn't too bad. Weak compass bearings, I'd say, as I kept having to hook, but that may partly be chalked up to the forest being difficult to maintain a bearing. Quite a few questionable bits of the map, as well!
Fortunately for me and my stupid mistake, almost everyone else made stupid mistakes, and I still pulled out the W. Don't deserve it, and definitely not pelased about it. But... I guess I'll take it.
Wednesday Dec 19, 2012 #
Note
(rest day)
Ultrasprint, Middle, Sprint, Middle, Long, Middle, Middle, Sprint, Sprint, Long, Middle, Middle, Chase, Sprint, Sprint, Sprint, Sprint, Sprint, Sprint, Ultra-sprint, Night relay, Middle.... and.... surfing?
Tuesday Dec 18, 2012 #
Nordic (classic) 1:30:00 [4] 18.67 km (4:49 / km)
Probably last interval session before I head out on my trip! 5 x 4 minutes w/ 3 minutes rest. I mis-read our facebook conversation and Paul showed up with skate while I showed up with classic. So he gave me a head start and I tried to stay ahead of him for the duration of the intervals. They were likely more like 4:30 intervals since we did a set loop rather than timed. Kick wasn't always amazing and the fresh snow made the glide not amazing either.