Training Log Archive: Gswede

A really miserable attempt at a night-o on Aston Mountain. Attackpoint automatically classified this as hiking. It was that bad.

Waist to chest-high blueberry, lots of deadfall, and rocky, icy ground.

I made it 6 controls in and decided to stop wasting my time.

Driving home I had a familiar feeling -- I wasn't having fun at all and this was miserable work.

While that feeling is to be expected any time you're working towards a goal, I think I've had this feeling far too often, especially since I've been back stateside. Ultimately I think this is giving me some robust resentments against the sport and making me bitter in general.

It's got a few components: it's cold and dark; I'm alone; the rocky ground is usually covered in lots of ice from late November to mid-March. Orienteering over the summer here felt very different, much more enjoyable and productive. I was often alone, but not freezing my face off or slipping over ice. This evening, along with many others, did not feel beneficial physically or technically.

This is really important feedback. Because, as it says in the ten basic mental concepts, you have to have fun training and competing. MOTIVATION is fundamental. I think there's still a place for orienteering and night-o this winter. But I'll scale back the frequency of technical training this winter in favor of physical training.