Training Log Archive: vmeyer

Raking and pushing around heavy leaf vac for a couple of hours. Lailah was by for a visit during this, and she was so cute with her hot pink princess garden gloves and mini rake. We were a "team."

Event: QOC Patapsco Granite
 

Meeting Peggy at 9:15 to get water and cups to put out water at three controls - this may be the only time I got out into the woods today, so I may as well offer.

OK, truth time, I was a bit concerned that the controls had gone out a week ago, including the bulk of the ones on White and Yellow, especially after the two controls being stolen at Cabin John. Figured I could put water out in the W/Y area and check the surrounding W/Y controls at the same time.

Struggled with the first control - um, it should be right on the trail here. Walked past and then returned, spotting the flag on the ground. Hang it back up, leave the water, and then on to the only advanced control on my agenda. Can't find it, but that is just because I am out of practice.

Next control is on the ground - the strings on the bags have not held up to being out a week, especially with the strong winds for two days.

Off to the next control - hanging quite nicely - but it is not the same control number on my master map. I printed the maps, and so I am pretty confident that the control is not right - 170 instead of 179, and there is 170 on a nearby control (150 meters away). Call back to the meet director to look at the course maps for a reality check and then swap the controls.

Finally off to check the last three controls, and all is well except there are 2/3 of the controls on the ground. The wind, or the vandal was kind, what with dropping the control bag right below the electronic control.

Back to the car, and then on the way out I do a bit of ingratiating myself to the property owner for parking on his land. He was just happy that I hadn't been pilfering from his shop. Tools! Shop! A missed opportunity... :)

Orange course at Patapsco Granite...

Kudos to Peggy for tidy course setting - 44 controls for seven courses, though if was perhaps one too many since I punched another control on the same line as my last control. A course win down the drain. Just kidding, Peggy!!! Totally on me for not checking the code, and, so that means I can run Orange at least one more time before moving back up, since I don't believe in running down if I win the course.

More tomorrow...or, OK, maybe today...

After going out this morning, I really didn't think I would go out again, especially since I was so cold all day. I had fed into the "nice" forecast of almost 50 today, except that it didn't get much above 40, and the wind across the open field made it feel like 30ish.

Anyway, under all of my layers, I still had my O clothes and ankle braces on from the morning, so when Jon T asked about going out, I decided that I should/would/could do it. Thanks, Jon!

So, with just a bit of futzing, it was off to the start - punching around 1:50, just 20 minutes after last start and ~10 minutes earlier than last Sunday's start.

http://qocweb.org/routes/cgi-bin/reitti.pl?act=map...

Anyway, I was sort of nailing every control and feeling markedly well for being a big ass lazy butt for these many months - impressing myself with feeling so good getting up the non-published course climb. Minimal issues - poor route choice from 3-4 thrashing through the thorny yellow instead of skirting around, and 6-7 just being a bit rusty.

So, then I looked at my watch, which is totally against the vmeyer rules, and I was SO pleased that I was not going to be over the course closing time, as long as I didn't blow the last control. Have no idea what happened next, except for the whole extraneous control thing...still kidding, Peggy!!

Map tomorrow.

I can still walk this evening.

C • Great! 4

Orange - Splits