Training Log Archive: JayXCIn the 7 days ending Apr 12, 2017:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| « | » |
| » now | |||||||||||||
|
|
|
| |||||||||||||
| Th | Fr | Sa | Su | Mo | Tu | We | ||||||||||
Wednesday Apr 12, 2017 #
Note
(rest day)
Tuesday Apr 11, 2017 #
Note
slept:12.5 (rest day)
Travel home
Monday Apr 10, 2017 #
12 AM
Trek 1:30:00 [3] 5.7 km (15:47 / km)
Birch Gap trek cont'd
1 AM
Mtn Bike 3:00:00 [3] 9.3 km (3.1 kph)
On to the last leg in the lead. All we had to do was pick up 4 controls on the way to the finish. The route down to the river controls wasn't straightforward and we peppered the area for the correct turn down Skeg Branch which went through someone's driveway at 2am. Fortunately the owner was awake (or awakened by the dogs barking) and gave us permission to proceed from his bedroom window.
Once at river level we picked up the controls and the took an ATV trail out to rte 611. We considered trying a route heading along Falls Branch but eventually opted for the conservative road route to the finish and the win.
The team worked very well together, I'm looking forward to Worlds!
'Winner, winner, chicken dinner!'
Once at river level we picked up the controls and the took an ATV trail out to rte 611. We considered trying a route heading along Falls Branch but eventually opted for the conservative road route to the finish and the win.
The team worked very well together, I'm looking forward to Worlds!
'Winner, winner, chicken dinner!'
Sunday Apr 9, 2017 #
12 AM
Trek 3:30:00 [3] 16.0 km (13:08 / km)
slept:0.5 shoes: Salomon Wings Pro 2
To get to the Poor Fork of the Cumberland River we would be paddling we first had to go up and over Pine Mountain which was in our way. We followed a trail to the top and decided on a partial bushwhack to get down which turned into another Rhododendron bash. Fortunately we hit the road part way down to end the misery.
4 AM
Raft paddle 2:00:00 [3] 16.0 km (7:30 / km)
We arrived at the put-in and inflated the rafts. It was still dark and in the low 40s so everyone was chilled. A swim on the moving water would not have been enjoyable. Fortunately Alex led us through with no issues despite what sounded like Niagara Falls approaching a few times.
6 AM
Trek 6:30:00 [3] 25.0 km (15:36 / km)
shoes: Salomon Wings Pro 2
At the take-out we packed away the rafts and headed out on the long pavement trek along the ridge of Pine Mtn for a few points on our way back to the Settlement, running a good portion of it. When we arrived Rev3 was still there transitioning.
1 PM
Mtn Bike 6:30:00 [3] 100.0 km (15.4 kph)
Rev3 had left the TA just ahead of us and we caught them on the first of about 100 climbs along Pine Mtn and they stayed with us through the first few points.
Cheech Overlook Selfie
Eventually the gravel turned into pavement and our pace improved. The switchback descents were a ton of fun, the climbs not so much but they were apparently working in our favor as by the time we hit Wiley's Last Resort we were within 15 minutes of the leaders.
The craziness of Wiley's Last Resort
We were now in the valley and working well in a paceline. We caught Mostly Retired just before CP32 and the Honeybadgers duo just before the town of Pound. We rolled into Camp Jacob TA13 just before dark (still no Bin A).
Cheech Overlook Selfie
Eventually the gravel turned into pavement and our pace improved. The switchback descents were a ton of fun, the climbs not so much but they were apparently working in our favor as by the time we hit Wiley's Last Resort we were within 15 minutes of the leaders.
The craziness of Wiley's Last Resort
We were now in the valley and working well in a paceline. We caught Mostly Retired just before CP32 and the Honeybadgers duo just before the town of Pound. We rolled into Camp Jacob TA13 just before dark (still no Bin A).
7 PM
Mtn Bike 2:00:00 [3] 18.0 km (9.0 kph)
This was an uneventful ride to TA14/15 bike drop at the base of the mountain.
9 PM
Trek 3:00:00 [3] 15.0 km (12:00 / km)
shoes: Salomon Speedcross- black
On to a trek up the mtn to Birch Gap with 3 controls along the way which forced those who had avoided any bushwhacking up to this point to go off trail. It was essentially walking up a spur but I liked the idea and the terrain was relatively easy from a steepness standpoint compared to earlier. Fortunately there was also very little Rhododendron to deal with until the top.
Once at the top it was a gravel road run down. There was one shorter opportunity that looked like a good option but we stuck to our original route to minimize any potential mistakes. Others who took the short cut later confirmed the trails did connect.
Once at the top it was a gravel road run down. There was one shorter opportunity that looked like a good option but we stuck to our original route to minimize any potential mistakes. Others who took the short cut later confirmed the trails did connect.
Saturday Apr 8, 2017 #
12 AM
Trek 4:30:00 [3] 18.0 km (15:00 / km)
shoes: Brooks Cascadias 11
Trek 1 cont'd
4 AM
Trek 2:30:00 [3] 8.0 mi (18:45 / mi)
At the TA we were told legs 2-5 were cancelled due to high water on the river and we were to go straight to TA6 at the Pound River Campground. We plotted a route which included 2 short packrafting legs and some running on roads south of the reservoir. It looks like everyone else ran the road to the north side of the reservoir.
Our plan was foiled when at the first takeout we discovered we were cliffed out prior to getting to the road which meant we had to re-inflate the rafts again to find a suitable exit. We ended up losing an hour here to the teams ahead of us.
Our plan was foiled when at the first takeout we discovered we were cliffed out prior to getting to the road which meant we had to re-inflate the rafts again to find a suitable exit. We ended up losing an hour here to the teams ahead of us.
C • we 1
7 AM
Raft paddle 30:00 [3] 4.0 km (7:30 / km)
Packraft portion of route.
Mtn Bike 1:00:00 [3] 16.0 km (16.0 kph)
Onto the bikes for the short ride to TA7 at Camp Jacobs and our Bin A. Well, everyone's Bin A with the exception the one Mindy and I were sharing.
Apparently in the confusion when packing bins I had labeled our Bin A as Bin B. Somewhere along the line we loaded it as Bin A and the official Bin A label was applied. The support staff was obviously confused by this info and for some reason decided to ignore the official labels and delivered both our Bin A and Bin B to TA10. Fortunately we were able to split up some of the food from Jesse and Alex here but we would be without fresh batteries.
Apparently in the confusion when packing bins I had labeled our Bin A as Bin B. Somewhere along the line we loaded it as Bin A and the official Bin A label was applied. The support staff was obviously confused by this info and for some reason decided to ignore the official labels and delivered both our Bin A and Bin B to TA10. Fortunately we were able to split up some of the food from Jesse and Alex here but we would be without fresh batteries.
8 AM
Mtn Bike 1:00:00 [3] 13.0 km (13.0 kph)
It was a relatively short ride to the next packrafting leg on Pound Lake Reservoir but not without another slight nav bobble by me along the way.
9 AM
Raft paddle 2:00:00 [3] 6.0 km (20:00 / km)
We had originally planned a clockwise loop to pick up the three points with a portage between two different fingers of the reservoir but changed our minds and decided on an out and back paddle with an out and back trek sans rafts. I think our first choice would have been better.
11 AM
Mtn Bike 10:30:00 [3] 55.0 km (5.2 kph)
slept:2.0
It was at this point I thought we needed a change as I could see we were in a funk. We were putting in the effort but it seemed we were losing ground with poor nav/decisions and I asked Alex to take over nav. He got us through the next bike leg and a drop for 2 points at Kingdom Come SP with no mistakes. We arrived at the Settlement with 2nd and 3rd place still in the TA so things were now looking up.
Oven Fork Mercentile Selfie
CP16 selfie
We decided this would be a good place to sleep after originally considering trying to push through the next trek-packraft-trek loop. We attempted to bank 3 hours but ended up getting cold and probably only slept about 1.5 hrs of it. A smart decision here would have been to pull the plug on it after everyone started rolling around. Lesson learned.
Oven Fork Mercentile Selfie
CP16 selfie
We decided this would be a good place to sleep after originally considering trying to push through the next trek-packraft-trek loop. We attempted to bank 3 hours but ended up getting cold and probably only slept about 1.5 hrs of it. A smart decision here would have been to pull the plug on it after everyone started rolling around. Lesson learned.
Friday Apr 7, 2017 #
Event: Breakdown XPD
12 PM
Note
Breakdown XPD with Shrekfeet, Jackson5 and Jesse Tubb.
Maps hand out at noon gave us 5 hrs to plot a route and make adjustments to the bin packing if necessary before everything had to be turned in. The race would start just after the pre-race mtg.
Maps hand out at noon gave us 5 hrs to plot a route and make adjustments to the bin packing if necessary before everything had to be turned in. The race would start just after the pre-race mtg.
8 PM
Orienteering 1:00:00 [3] 7.0 km (8:34 / km)
slept:7.0 shoes: Brooks Cascadias 11
Prologue-
At the meeting we discovered that there would be a prologue prior to starting the rest of the course. We were handed a map of the area to the NE with points pre-plotted but with the trails removed to make it interesting. With that done we were off.
It was a bit of a conga line early but with only needing to punch 10 of the 14 points it quickly split up. We finished it in 3rd just behind Honeybadgers and Mostly Retired (Mr. Squiggly Lines's team).
At the meeting we discovered that there would be a prologue prior to starting the rest of the course. We were handed a map of the area to the NE with points pre-plotted but with the trails removed to make it interesting. With that done we were off.
It was a bit of a conga line early but with only needing to punch 10 of the 14 points it quickly split up. We finished it in 3rd just behind Honeybadgers and Mostly Retired (Mr. Squiggly Lines's team).
9 PM
Trek 3:00:00 [3] 12.0 km (15:00 / km)
shoes: Brooks Cascadias 11
Onto the trek for a few points then towards the rappel. We avoided disaster here as Alex found 1/4 of my paddle in the bush after it was pulled out of my pack by one of the milion miserable Rhododendron branches we would encounter during the race.
Credit to the course designer here as the rappel fit well into the course linearly and was immediately followed by a packraft ferry across the river.
The next 10k seemed to be all up hill with the exception of the one turn I missed that required a slight backtrack to correct which put us behind Rev3 in 4th place. Once we hit the downhill portion we ran despite the 30 lb packs and caught 2nd and 3rd in TA1 at Brenhams Farm.
Credit to the course designer here as the rappel fit well into the course linearly and was immediately followed by a packraft ferry across the river.
The next 10k seemed to be all up hill with the exception of the one turn I missed that required a slight backtrack to correct which put us behind Rev3 in 4th place. Once we hit the downhill portion we ran despite the 30 lb packs and caught 2nd and 3rd in TA1 at Brenhams Farm.
Thursday Apr 6, 2017 #
Note
slept:8.0
Travel to Breaks Interstate Park, VA.