Training Log Archive: Charlie

Event: WCOC Sessions Woods
 

Very fine and difficult course set by the wealthy N, exposing some of my deficiencies of technique and focus and then some. First 6 legs in thick, technical areas of Sessions Woods in the SE, then the rest in the fast, open northern part. Real problem executing in the circle on #1, then very poor route execution on #4 and #5, with it all adding up to (by my count) 23 minutes of errors.

However, a very enjoyable experience, and an example of a hard but fair course. None of the problems I saw in my last 3 A-meets, which had:
1. Controls on features not visible in the terrain (US Champs Day 1).
2. Controls on features not visible on the map (Boulder Dash)
3. Wrong clue descriptions (rock features much smaller than advertised - think 1 meter boulders actually the size of a microwave oven).

Instead, today's course had technical terrain, plenty of hills, difficult green patches you could fight or navigate around, and finally fast open sections. All done using features and routes that were new in an area we have used many times before.

Dug out some stumps out of the side field with the backhoe, which was generally satisfactory (if cold), until I hopped down to horse one of them into the bucket so I could dump it in the woods. The loader bucket is just a bit too small to pick up the stuff I seem to want to pick up. I suppose that might be true no matter how big a tractor I had. Anyway, strained my back, and will probably be pretty gingerly for a few days.

Red - Splits

Same run from Pleasant Valley as Wednesday, but cold and just felt tired and sluggish. splits: 9:46, 18:00, 16:33, 9:30. AOWN - handsome bald eagle perched in a tree on W side of river 400M north of the bridge.

Rhonda's morning class. A little hard to get up - too much pizza and out too late at Land Trust fundraiser.

Out and back on E River Rd in Pleasant Valley, eating the dust of Rhonda and Kathleen. Splits at gate to Mathies Grove, at turnaround and at Mathies Grove again. 9:04, 16:01, 14:51; 8:16. Back is a little easier - more downhill and definitely downwind today.

Ann Loop with Kathleen and Rhonda. Short but very hilly, and those girls really abused me.

First section of Rhonda's morning cardio class

On the spinning bike in the cardio class. Turned up the tension and rode standing for a while. Seems like that would help with leg strength. I was a strong runner when I rode a lot of hills.

during cardio class

treadmill in cardio class, including about 5 minutes at a 7 minute pace. Not used to it.

Rhonda's morning class, with Kathleen, Jan, Sue and Linda

Art Sweeton loop, with Hazel. Getting cool and dark around 4:30, but pleasant, and felt surprisingly spunky.