Training Log Archive: PGIn the 30 days ending Sep 30, 2019:
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Monday Sep 30, 2019 #
4 PM
biking - dark blue bike 56:39 [2] 15.11 mi (3:45 / mi) +320ft 3:41 / mi
weight:134.5lbs
Sunday Sep 29, 2019 #
12 PM
hike with Gail 1:34:31 [1] 4.13 mi (22:53 / mi) +347ft 21:12 / mi
Cranberry Pond, fromFalls Road by waterfall.
3 PM
biking - dark blue bike 1:38:49 [2] 25.16 mi (3:56 / mi) +918ft 3:48 / mi
weight:136lbs
North Amherst, Leverett, Montague Center. Never working too hard, never at an elderly pace. Nice late afternoon ride.
Saturday Sep 28, 2019 #
12 PM
biking - dark blue bike 1:16:15 20.59 mi (3:42 / mi) +682ft 3:35 / mi
ahr:130 max:158 weight:135.5lbs
Another sunny day, upper 70s, windy from the south, about 10-15. Made for a nice cruise the first half, heading north, and hard work for the second half.
Friday Sep 27, 2019 #
10 AM
biking - dark blue bike 2:20:40 27.13 mi (5:11 / mi) +1405ft 4:57 / mi
ahr:106 max:126 weight:135lbs
With Walter in the hills to the east, included maybe 10 miles of dirt. Conversational pace. Wonderful outing, weather was perfect.
2 PM
hike with Gail 1:29:20 [1] 3.18 mi (28:05 / mi) +684ft 23:20 / mi
Up Bull Hill from Clark Mountain Road.
Thursday Sep 26, 2019 #
9 AM
biking - dark blue bike 1:05:33 16.77 mi (3:55 / mi) +383ft 3:50 / mi
ahr:126 max:150 weight:136lbs
Foggy for the first part, then a bit of sun, temps in the upper 50s.
Took a start at going up Sugarloaf, intending to go at a slow pace, but didn't seem to manage that. Decided before long that I had no interest in working hard all the way so did a quick u-turn.
On the other hand, did a little riding at a higher cadence than normal and decided that that was something I should work at.
Took a start at going up Sugarloaf, intending to go at a slow pace, but didn't seem to manage that. Decided before long that I had no interest in working hard all the way so did a quick u-turn.
On the other hand, did a little riding at a higher cadence than normal and decided that that was something I should work at.
Wednesday Sep 25, 2019 #
Note
Back to the orthopedic folks this afternoon for another x-ray of Gail's upper arm and shoulder.
It's six weeks from the accident and it seems like the fracture is healing OK. The doc was also pleased with the amount of mobility in the shoulder joint -- though it isn't much, apparently it's a good bit more than it might be, and a frozen shoulder seems unlikely.
So it's time to up the PT. So far there has just been very limited stuff. We'll see tomorrow what the new exercises will be, and how unpleasant they will be to do.
In the meantime, still a bunch of restrictions on what she can do. But at least we are getting out for hikes every other day, so she's getting some exercise. But when I asked when biking might be possible, the answer was November at the earliest.
Still, progress.
It's six weeks from the accident and it seems like the fracture is healing OK. The doc was also pleased with the amount of mobility in the shoulder joint -- though it isn't much, apparently it's a good bit more than it might be, and a frozen shoulder seems unlikely.
So it's time to up the PT. So far there has just been very limited stuff. We'll see tomorrow what the new exercises will be, and how unpleasant they will be to do.
In the meantime, still a bunch of restrictions on what she can do. But at least we are getting out for hikes every other day, so she's getting some exercise. But when I asked when biking might be possible, the answer was November at the earliest.
Still, progress.
10 AM
biking - dark blue bike 1:11:24 18.12 mi (3:56 / mi) +792ft 3:47 / mi
ahr:118 max:151 weight:136lbs
Perfect weather. Just a touch chilly to start so put on my arm warmers and then they stayed on the whole time. Must not have been generating enough heat. But a fine ride.
Various back roads in Bernardston and Gill. I didn't have a plan because I didn't know how long I'd have to ride. Didn't know how long I'd have because first I had to get my car inspected. Had to get my car inspected because the existing sticker expired at the end of August, whoops....
And the only reason I realized this morning that I'd forgotten about the inspection was I was reading in the local paper about property taxes being due in another town by October 1. And I couldn't remember paying ours. Went looking for the bill in a pile of papers, before I got to the bill I came across the postcard reminding me that an inspection was due in August.
The mental decline continues....
Various back roads in Bernardston and Gill. I didn't have a plan because I didn't know how long I'd have to ride. Didn't know how long I'd have because first I had to get my car inspected. Had to get my car inspected because the existing sticker expired at the end of August, whoops....
And the only reason I realized this morning that I'd forgotten about the inspection was I was reading in the local paper about property taxes being due in another town by October 1. And I couldn't remember paying ours. Went looking for the bill in a pile of papers, before I got to the bill I came across the postcard reminding me that an inspection was due in August.
The mental decline continues....
Tuesday Sep 24, 2019 #
1 PM
hike with Gail 1:35:00 [1] 3.35 mi (28:22 / mi) +584ft 24:20 / mi
Top of North Sugarloaf via the bike trails.
4 PM
biking - dark blue bike 1:11:19 18.85 mi (3:47 / mi) +490ft 3:42 / mi
ahr:127 max:162 weight:136lbs
Good ride. Several modest hills, slowly getting better at climbing out of the saddle.
Seems to work better to take a hike with Gail before a ride rather than after.
Seems to work better to take a hike with Gail before a ride rather than after.
Monday Sep 23, 2019 #
3 PM
biking - dark blue bike 59:41 14.98 mi (3:59 / mi) +304ft 3:55 / mi
ahr:108 max:135 weight:134.5lbs
Much better than expected. Warm day, verging on hot, and I debated for a while as to passing on a ride, but eventually got myself going. Legs felt dead. Good breeze out of the SW so I headed north at an elderly effort, aiming to postpone the moment of reckoning.
It took about 30 minutes to exhaust the fine tailwind. At which point, as I turned to take a slightly different route south, I discovered that my legs had woken up a bit. And then as I worked my way south, I discovered that the wind had pretty much died down. And finally, as I was getting close to home, it seemed as if it was no longer so warm.
If I could just order up these conditions on a regular basis....
It took about 30 minutes to exhaust the fine tailwind. At which point, as I turned to take a slightly different route south, I discovered that my legs had woken up a bit. And then as I worked my way south, I discovered that the wind had pretty much died down. And finally, as I was getting close to home, it seemed as if it was no longer so warm.
If I could just order up these conditions on a regular basis....
Sunday Sep 22, 2019 #
10 AM
biking - dark blue bike 2:28:53 29.03 mi (5:08 / mi) +2359ft 4:46 / mi
ahr:112 max:137 weight:135lbs
Up in the hills with Phil. Starting point was The Creamery in Cummington, hence also the finishing point, so it seemed only proper, given that we had parked two cars there for quite a while, to purchase a bit of refreshment afterwards. The ice cream went down really easily....
It was almost underserved, one might argue, given the minimal effort expended, though perhaps the fact that we reached, well, almost reached, the second-highest summit in Hampshire Country is a mitigating factor. And that ascent was not without its challenges, the first being yours truly's inability to recognize the access road as we breezed by it and leading us up a rather steep and gravelly driveway. What can I say? Phil's orienteering abilities must be rubbing off on me (as well as on JJ apparently).
For the rest of the ride the emphasis was on going slowly and enjoying the countryside. And part of the latter included winding our way down an abandoned section of route 9, not much more than a goat track at times, and being surprised to see a younger fellow walking towards us wearing nothing more than his boots. Though I'd guess he heard us coming, because some piece of clothing, or maybe a towel, was being artfully held in the interest of modesty. We did not chat him up.
A very fine outing!
The summit is over there under the golf ball. This is as close as we were going to get. But we didn't get arrested, or shot, or even barked at.
It was almost underserved, one might argue, given the minimal effort expended, though perhaps the fact that we reached, well, almost reached, the second-highest summit in Hampshire Country is a mitigating factor. And that ascent was not without its challenges, the first being yours truly's inability to recognize the access road as we breezed by it and leading us up a rather steep and gravelly driveway. What can I say? Phil's orienteering abilities must be rubbing off on me (as well as on JJ apparently).
For the rest of the ride the emphasis was on going slowly and enjoying the countryside. And part of the latter included winding our way down an abandoned section of route 9, not much more than a goat track at times, and being surprised to see a younger fellow walking towards us wearing nothing more than his boots. Though I'd guess he heard us coming, because some piece of clothing, or maybe a towel, was being artfully held in the interest of modesty. We did not chat him up.
A very fine outing!
The summit is over there under the golf ball. This is as close as we were going to get. But we didn't get arrested, or shot, or even barked at.
Saturday Sep 21, 2019 #
2 PM
hike with Gail 54:15 [1] 2.06 mi (26:20 / mi) +312ft 23:02 / mi
Mt. Warner loop, clockwise.
4 PM
biking - dark blue bike 58:05 15.26 mi (3:48 / mi) +233ft 3:45 / mi
ahr:118 max:147 weight:136lbs
Mostly easy effort. Went for a walk with Gail before the ride, was a pleasant surprise how much better the legs felt (on the walk) than if it's done right after the ride.
Friday Sep 20, 2019 #
hike with Gail 55:00 [1] 2.0 mi (27:30 / mi)
South Sugarloaf, up lower trail, down road.
2 PM
biking - dark blue bike 1:18:40 19.7 mi (4:00 / mi) +275ft 3:56 / mi
ahr:112 max:138 weight:136lbs
Easy pace. But legs were still tired on the walk up South Sugarloaf with Gail that followed. Plus out all morning wandering around the north end of Quabbin.
But have to take advantage of the good weather.
This guy doesn't appear to have any leg muscles that might get tired....
But have to take advantage of the good weather.
This guy doesn't appear to have any leg muscles that might get tired....
Thursday Sep 19, 2019 #
2 PM
biking - dark blue bike 2:05:57 29.81 mi (4:14 / mi) +1418ft 4:03 / mi
ahr:122 max:154 weight:136lbs
Another perfect day, best to take advantage of it.
Over to the lower hills on the west side of the valley, starting that section with Mountain Road, the section that cuts across a low ridge and ends up at the Northampton Reservoir. I'd been this way once before. There's one nasty section, rocks and erosion, but not too long, and last time I'd made it up, much to my surprise.
This time I thought I was going to make, and then suddenly I didn't, and I was off the bike with a distinct lack of grace. Also, fortunately, a distinct lack of damage to either the bike or me. Got back on, but before I really had things under control I was off again, this time with more grace than the first time but still glad, like the first time, that no one was watching.
Besides that it was pure pleasure, though even that section was fun in a strange way, failure sometimes being good for the soul. Legs felt pretty good.
Took a slight detour to inspect the progress of the Conway highway garage. Walter is the project manager for the town. Looked like they've just about finished blasting a bunch of bedrock, so pretty soon they'll be able to start actually building something. We've talked about the project a number fo times, nice to actually see the site.
I think today gets me over 3K miles for the year. Ought to make 4K, but no way I'm going to make over 5K like the last couple of years. Five weeks with no riding. Of course, if I had an e-bike and put it at level 3....
Over to the lower hills on the west side of the valley, starting that section with Mountain Road, the section that cuts across a low ridge and ends up at the Northampton Reservoir. I'd been this way once before. There's one nasty section, rocks and erosion, but not too long, and last time I'd made it up, much to my surprise.
This time I thought I was going to make, and then suddenly I didn't, and I was off the bike with a distinct lack of grace. Also, fortunately, a distinct lack of damage to either the bike or me. Got back on, but before I really had things under control I was off again, this time with more grace than the first time but still glad, like the first time, that no one was watching.
Besides that it was pure pleasure, though even that section was fun in a strange way, failure sometimes being good for the soul. Legs felt pretty good.
Took a slight detour to inspect the progress of the Conway highway garage. Walter is the project manager for the town. Looked like they've just about finished blasting a bunch of bedrock, so pretty soon they'll be able to start actually building something. We've talked about the project a number fo times, nice to actually see the site.
I think today gets me over 3K miles for the year. Ought to make 4K, but no way I'm going to make over 5K like the last couple of years. Five weeks with no riding. Of course, if I had an e-bike and put it at level 3....
Wednesday Sep 18, 2019 #
9 AM
biking - dark blue bike 2:00:44 32.48 mi (3:43 / mi) +940ft 3:37 / mi
ahr:129 max:154 weight:135.5lbs
Bernardston to Brattleboro and back, north on Rt. 5, back on 142. Both have minimal traffic because the interstate is going the same way.
Nice day, almost a little chilly, about 60. Breeze from the NE, usual variability, probably with me a little more than against me, though I thought it might be more so -- 142 is mostly through farmland, but the wind there was more cross than I expected. But the first couple of miles heading back from Brattleboro and the last couple of miles on route 10 were really sweet.
Legs dead the rest of the day, certainly noticeable on the walk with Gail up a good hill in Bernardston.
Nice day, almost a little chilly, about 60. Breeze from the NE, usual variability, probably with me a little more than against me, though I thought it might be more so -- 142 is mostly through farmland, but the wind there was more cross than I expected. But the first couple of miles heading back from Brattleboro and the last couple of miles on route 10 were really sweet.
Legs dead the rest of the day, certainly noticeable on the walk with Gail up a good hill in Bernardston.
1 PM
hike with Gail 1:13:29 [1] 2.64 mi (27:50 / mi) +531ft 23:23 / mi
Fox Hill Road, Bernardston, to a little above the steep place.
Tuesday Sep 17, 2019 #
8 AM
biking - dark blue bike 1:01:04 16.28 mi (3:45 / mi) +401ft 3:40 / mi
ahr:128 max:156 weight:135lbs
Only time available to ride was early, so I waited until the temperature hit 50 and then headed out. Perfect morning, sunny with a light breeze from the north, and the legs were not so bad.
Monday Sep 16, 2019 #
3 PM
biking - dark blue bike 1:22:35 21.23 mi (3:53 / mi) +463ft 3:49 / mi
ahr:121 max:141 weight:135lbs
Legs were dragging. But the weather was perfect.
Sunday Sep 15, 2019 #
9 AM
biking - dark blue bike 3:36:53 38.9 mi (5:35 / mi) +3762ft 5:06 / mi
ahr:118 max:147 weight:135lbs
Fine outing with Walter. Rode up to his house to join up, then through the hills to the top of Massaemett Mountain. And then back the way we'd come. Gorgeous day, conversational pace, couldn't have been much nice.
Legs feel a little tired afterwards. We did go up a few hills.
Legs feel a little tired afterwards. We did go up a few hills.
4 PM
hike with Gail 1:05:15 [1] 2.31 mi (28:15 / mi) +488ft 23:32 / mi
South Mountain Road to the clearing, and back.
Saturday Sep 14, 2019 #
9 AM
biking - dark blue bike 1:35:57 26.72 mi (3:35 / mi) +242ft 3:34 / mi
ahr:134 max:153 weight:135.5lbs
To Northampton and back. Breeze from the south, down the zig-zag, back on River Road, so I had a little more wind helping than hurting. Included a couple miles chatting with a woman about bikes, mostly me extolling the virtues of mine and she being suitably envious. :-)
Got the timing just about right, as it was raining pretty hard about 15 minutes after I was done.
Got the timing just about right, as it was raining pretty hard about 15 minutes after I was done.
Friday Sep 13, 2019 #
1 PM
hike with Gail 1:09:32 [1] 2.98 mi (23:20 / mi) +16ft 23:13 / mi
Gate 29 to the power line and back.
4 PM
biking - dark blue bike 1:25:06 22.3 mi (3:49 / mi) +282ft 3:46 / mi
ahr:124 max:145 weight:135.5lbs
Food ride for the basics -- fish, corn, bread. Moderate effort, but no hills so easy on the lungs.
Thursday Sep 12, 2019 #
Note
Rain. Nice visit to Ratlum Mountain!
Wednesday Sep 11, 2019 #
9 AM
biking - dark blue bike 2:01:54 26.11 mi (4:40 / mi) +2032ft 4:21 / mi
ahr:126 max:155 weight:134.5lbs
Wednesday, so Bernardston (Gail has an art group that meets there Wednesday mornings, and for a while I am her transportation).
A bit warm and humid, though I really didn't notice until I finished and realized I was sweating a lot. Plan was to head for the hills and not work too hard, and I managed pretty well. A bunch of dirt roads and 3 good climbs, but I kept the heart rate from getting into the "suffering" range. And much of the time in the shade on the tree-lined narrow roads. Don't recall any cars, though there must have been some.
Dropped out of the hills down Eden Road, reasonably wide, newly paved, and no traffic while I was on it, so while I was poised to hit the brakes the whole way down, I never did. A little disappointed to not be in the 40s (39.6 was supposed my max), but while I was doing it I saw no need to try and go any faster. Overriding concern, as always, is not crashing.
And then since I was about 20 minutes early, did a loop out in the flats.
Legs tired, as expected, but not horribly so.
A bit warm and humid, though I really didn't notice until I finished and realized I was sweating a lot. Plan was to head for the hills and not work too hard, and I managed pretty well. A bunch of dirt roads and 3 good climbs, but I kept the heart rate from getting into the "suffering" range. And much of the time in the shade on the tree-lined narrow roads. Don't recall any cars, though there must have been some.
Dropped out of the hills down Eden Road, reasonably wide, newly paved, and no traffic while I was on it, so while I was poised to hit the brakes the whole way down, I never did. A little disappointed to not be in the 40s (39.6 was supposed my max), but while I was doing it I saw no need to try and go any faster. Overriding concern, as always, is not crashing.
And then since I was about 20 minutes early, did a loop out in the flats.
Legs tired, as expected, but not horribly so.
4 PM
hike with Gail 1:06:46 [1] 2.71 mi (24:38 / mi) +290ft 22:22 / mi
North Mountain Road, top of Claybrook to power line, and back.
Tuesday Sep 10, 2019 #
3 PM
biking - dark blue bike 1:33:18 25.34 mi (3:41 / mi) +876ft 3:34 / mi
ahr:131 max:160 weight:135lbs
Around the range. Good effort, legs getting tired at the end, and certainly tired afterwards.
Monday Sep 9, 2019 #
hike with Gail 1:00:00 [1] 2.56 mi (23:26 / mi)
Post Office loop.
2 PM
biking - dark blue bike 1:30:13 23.01 mi (3:55 / mi) +526ft 3:50 / mi
ahr:114 max:144 weight:135lbs
Sunday Sep 8, 2019 #
10 AM
biking - dark blue bike 1:59:34 18.54 mi (6:27 / mi) +2432ft 5:44 / mi
ahr:112 max:140 weight:135lbs
With Walter from his house. Lots of hills and lots of dirt roads, but an easy pace, good conversation. Oh, and a perfect day. Seems like the weather has been really nice the last couple of weeks.
Saturday Sep 7, 2019 #
hike with Gail 1:15:00 [1] 2.6 mi (28:51 / mi)
North Mountain Road, top of Claybrook to power line.
1 PM
biking - dark blue bike 1:10:46 19.18 mi (3:41 / mi) +480ft 3:36 / mi
ahr:131 max:155 weight:135lbs
A couple of days in a row I've started out with no ambition (it makes it much easier to get out the door if you are planning on an easy pace), and then before long a switch in my brain would flip and I'd be working hard. And then the rest of the ride would be putting out a good effort.
Recently the effort has gone into trying to up the cadence. Obviously it's a bit more work, but I enjoy trying different things. I'm not sure whether I'm getting more efficient or just working harder. Would be nice if it was the former.
Recently the effort has gone into trying to up the cadence. Obviously it's a bit more work, but I enjoy trying different things. I'm not sure whether I'm getting more efficient or just working harder. Would be nice if it was the former.
Friday Sep 6, 2019 #
4 PM
biking - dark blue bike 1:12:57 20.06 mi (3:38 / mi) +404ft 3:34 / mi
ahr:124 max:155 weight:135lbs
Thursday Sep 5, 2019 #
3 PM
biking - dark blue bike 51:07 13.87 mi (3:41 / mi) +77ft 3:40 / mi
ahr:121 max:143 weight:135lbs
Corn ride to JJ's.
5 PM
hike with Gail 57:33 [1] 1.78 mi (32:20 / mi) +469ft 25:52 / mi
South Sugarloaf on the road, up the steep way.
Wednesday Sep 4, 2019 #
9 AM
biking - dark blue bike 2:04:16 31.36 mi (3:58 / mi) +1289ft 3:49 / mi
ahr:122 max:154 weight:135.5lbs
It's Wednesday, so from Bernardston. I'd thought last night I'd go up to Brattleboro, but there was a decent breeze out of the south this morning and I didn't feel like riding into it for the last hour.
So I headed south, bit of a zig-zag route, plan was to do some hills in the second hour. But the first little rise revealed that my legs had decided to take the day off, so I revised the route on the fly, just make it as flat as possible. And that one I stuck too.
Threatened rain the whole time, but the prediction was that it would hold off until the afternoon, and it did. :-)
So I headed south, bit of a zig-zag route, plan was to do some hills in the second hour. But the first little rise revealed that my legs had decided to take the day off, so I revised the route on the fly, just make it as flat as possible. And that one I stuck too.
Threatened rain the whole time, but the prediction was that it would hold off until the afternoon, and it did. :-)
Tuesday Sep 3, 2019 #
hike with Gail 1:20:00 [1] 3.1 mi (25:48 / mi)
Gate 33 to the water, and back.
10 AM
biking - dark blue bike 1:36:23 21.85 mi (4:25 / mi) +1380ft 4:10 / mi
ahr:131 max:161 weight:135.5lbs
To Millers Falls with the usual terrain imposed intervals on route 63, then the climb up Wendell Road to the state forest, then winding my way home with about 3 miles of rather ratty dirt road. Decent effort up the hill, about 20 minutes.
Perfect weather.
Perfect weather.
Monday Sep 2, 2019 #
9 AM
biking - dark blue bike 1:29:24 22.46 mi (3:59 / mi) +476ft 3:54 / mi
ahr:121 max:150 weight:134lbs
With Phil, around and about in the valley, so not much in the way of hills. And the rain held off.
First hill we went up Phil busted me, called back as he was pulling away, "Come on, old man." Second hill, I returned the favor.
Having gotten that out of our systems, the rest of the ride was at conversational pace and extraordinarily pleasant. And the aches and pains from last night had mysteriously and completely vanished. At least until I got back off the bike....
First hill we went up Phil busted me, called back as he was pulling away, "Come on, old man." Second hill, I returned the favor.
Having gotten that out of our systems, the rest of the ride was at conversational pace and extraordinarily pleasant. And the aches and pains from last night had mysteriously and completely vanished. At least until I got back off the bike....
Sunday Sep 1, 2019 #
Event: 2019 CMOUSA Corn Maze Champs
10 AM
biking - dark blue bike 1:15:11 20.09 mi (3:45 / mi) +348ft 3:41 / mi
ahr:121 max:148 weight:134lbs
A good workout for the legs but easy on the lungs, no heavy breathing. And continuing a stretch of fine weather, mid to upper 60s, sunny, minimal wind, low humidity.
Continuing my taper....
Continuing my taper....
3 PM
orienteering 8:04 0.58 mi (13:55 / mi) +1ft 13:54 / mi
ahr:144 max:155
Corn maze time! :-)
Had a wonderful time despite lots of butt pain, having a lapse** or two or three, feeling exhausted almost immediately during every running attempt, and feeling rather battered the next morning.
Steve outdid himself with the courses, including the totally brilliant ARDF event. JJ was smooth as could be with all the computer stuff, 4 races, so four times he led us through the cycle of anticipation, despair, resignation, and then joy as each time our dibbler downloads seemed to vanish into cyberspace and then after while miraculously reappear.
Though, personally, I would have been happier if the results from the Classic had just vanished forever....
First up was the Sprint. The maze design looked not particularly difficult, but Steve added a couple of mazes within the maze, and that flummoxed me just about every time. This time it scrambled my brain enough that I headed straight from #1 to #7, realized it just as 7 was coming into view and I was looking at my map to see where 3 was, and, well, what was I doing at 7?
The rest was OK, except for just moving. My last running was a year ago, maybe that has something to do with it. It seemed that I was good to run for about 50 yards at a time, at which point my butt was killing me, and I was exhausted. So I'd walk 20 or 30 yards, and then repeat and repeat and repeat, the joy of being out orienteering being offset, and then some, but the physical distress.
But at least it was a sprint, and in 8 minutes it was over. :-)
* had a lapse -- a term my mother would use to avoid the reality of severely declining mental abilities, used after the fact to explain away some action, such as the excursion to Buffalo.
Had a wonderful time despite lots of butt pain, having a lapse** or two or three, feeling exhausted almost immediately during every running attempt, and feeling rather battered the next morning.
Steve outdid himself with the courses, including the totally brilliant ARDF event. JJ was smooth as could be with all the computer stuff, 4 races, so four times he led us through the cycle of anticipation, despair, resignation, and then joy as each time our dibbler downloads seemed to vanish into cyberspace and then after while miraculously reappear.
Though, personally, I would have been happier if the results from the Classic had just vanished forever....
First up was the Sprint. The maze design looked not particularly difficult, but Steve added a couple of mazes within the maze, and that flummoxed me just about every time. This time it scrambled my brain enough that I headed straight from #1 to #7, realized it just as 7 was coming into view and I was looking at my map to see where 3 was, and, well, what was I doing at 7?
The rest was OK, except for just moving. My last running was a year ago, maybe that has something to do with it. It seemed that I was good to run for about 50 yards at a time, at which point my butt was killing me, and I was exhausted. So I'd walk 20 or 30 yards, and then repeat and repeat and repeat, the joy of being out orienteering being offset, and then some, but the physical distress.
But at least it was a sprint, and in 8 minutes it was over. :-)
* had a lapse -- a term my mother would use to avoid the reality of severely declining mental abilities, used after the fact to explain away some action, such as the excursion to Buffalo.
4 PM
orienteering 21:27 1.45 mi (14:49 / mi) +2ft 14:48 / mi
ahr:146 max:158
The Classic.
Physically the same negative experience as the Sprint, only it went on a lot longer. Mentally I navigated mostly OK, except I had a lapse at #1, didn't punch. Not the first time I've done that -- I remember at some event where the first control was a gimme, just run down the trail a ways to get people away from the start, and I cruised right past the control without it ever occurring to me to stop and punch.
Anyway, I did remember to pick up my map at #1, but the punching requirement just escaped me.
So I got the well-deserved DNF (and I was not the only one), with the added penalty, as if that was not enough, of being labelled a pariah for the Night. :-(
Physically the same negative experience as the Sprint, only it went on a lot longer. Mentally I navigated mostly OK, except I had a lapse at #1, didn't punch. Not the first time I've done that -- I remember at some event where the first control was a gimme, just run down the trail a ways to get people away from the start, and I cruised right past the control without it ever occurring to me to stop and punch.
Anyway, I did remember to pick up my map at #1, but the punching requirement just escaped me.
So I got the well-deserved DNF (and I was not the only one), with the added penalty, as if that was not enough, of being labelled a pariah for the Night. :-(
5 PM
orienteering 4:00 [3] 0.25 mi (16:01 / mi)
The ARDF. WTF, ARDF? I figured we'd had enough years of making fun of trail-O, time to make fun of something else, but ARDF? So I was not enthusiastic about doing this, and in fact, given how battered I was already feeling, and it was going to be a relay, and seemed like it would drag on for a long time, so I had decided to bag it.
But I asked Steve how long the courses were, and he thought for a moment and then said he thought the winning time (with people running normally with a map) would be about a minute and a half.
That got me a bit interested. Steve said there was a separate maze around the corner and I was curious to see what he had set up. So I recruited Charlie for a partner and we all marched off around the corner to find....
Another real-life corn maze. This was really WTF. A second real maze? Yup. Turns out there's been a second maze the last couple of years but no one knew. Well, none of us. It was for the beer weekend at Mike's, and all the beer was served in maze #2 (a good bit smaller than the main maze), so all the drunks would trash it instead of the main maze.
But for us, this was nirvana, and suddenly corn-maze ARDF was cool. Except the electronic gizmos were just cell phones, so just minor-league nerdiness unlike ARDF which is real major-league. Teams of 2, one directing the other where to go. A course of 3 controls, then change roles and a different course of 3 controls.
Charlie and I had moments of brilliance and moments of confusion, not bad overall and good enough for 5th place. And I think we beat Alex and Ed. And since I think I nipped Alex in the sprint, and we both DNF'd in the Classic, it seemed I didn't even have to do the Night to win for the day. Not that I'm competitive anymore, unless, it seems, if I'm ahead. :-)
Though I may have my facts wrong....
And then off to Bub's to carbo-load for the Night (though the term "carbo-load" must surely date me?).
But I asked Steve how long the courses were, and he thought for a moment and then said he thought the winning time (with people running normally with a map) would be about a minute and a half.
That got me a bit interested. Steve said there was a separate maze around the corner and I was curious to see what he had set up. So I recruited Charlie for a partner and we all marched off around the corner to find....
Another real-life corn maze. This was really WTF. A second real maze? Yup. Turns out there's been a second maze the last couple of years but no one knew. Well, none of us. It was for the beer weekend at Mike's, and all the beer was served in maze #2 (a good bit smaller than the main maze), so all the drunks would trash it instead of the main maze.
But for us, this was nirvana, and suddenly corn-maze ARDF was cool. Except the electronic gizmos were just cell phones, so just minor-league nerdiness unlike ARDF which is real major-league. Teams of 2, one directing the other where to go. A course of 3 controls, then change roles and a different course of 3 controls.
Charlie and I had moments of brilliance and moments of confusion, not bad overall and good enough for 5th place. And I think we beat Alex and Ed. And since I think I nipped Alex in the sprint, and we both DNF'd in the Classic, it seemed I didn't even have to do the Night to win for the day. Not that I'm competitive anymore, unless, it seems, if I'm ahead. :-)
Though I may have my facts wrong....
And then off to Bub's to carbo-load for the Night (though the term "carbo-load" must surely date me?).
8 PM
orienteering 25:57 1.37 mi (18:56 / mi) +5ft 18:53 / mi
ahr:148 max:163
And finally the Night. I got 5 skips, could have used about 5 more. I was one of several pariahs, so penalized a bit at the start. Another case of mental overload, discovered on the way to #1 that I still had my regular shorts on over my running shorts (the coins in one pocket were making a racket), discovered on the way to #3 that I hadn't started my Garmin. Oh, well....
But me skips were pretty good -- 6, 11, 12, 15, 16 -- and my orienteering was fine, except now I remember it sucked right at the end. I was with Pia and one of her boys for the last few controls, and trying to keep up with them, and had my plan for the last mini-maze, and it was a really good plan (entrance on the right, turn left, left again, hug the edge of the corn, first left when out of the mini-maze. Except I didn't see another little opening in the mini-maze.
I was fast, but I was exiting in the wrong direction. Looked back and Pia was about to go out of sight and there was no catching back. And when I did get back on track there was Kristen now just ahead of me and there was no catching her either. Oh, well.
But my pulse did it 163, max these days is 170. So it's not like I wasn't trying. I guess running just once a year, well, you pay the price.
Hung around for quite a while afterwards. Talked with Mike's son Dave for a while, helped clean up a little (fortunately the young ones were out retrieving controls), and eventually off to the car for the drive home, a very enjoyable 1.4 miles.
And a full 365 days to recover for the next one, 2020 being a leap year... :-)
But me skips were pretty good -- 6, 11, 12, 15, 16 -- and my orienteering was fine, except now I remember it sucked right at the end. I was with Pia and one of her boys for the last few controls, and trying to keep up with them, and had my plan for the last mini-maze, and it was a really good plan (entrance on the right, turn left, left again, hug the edge of the corn, first left when out of the mini-maze. Except I didn't see another little opening in the mini-maze.
I was fast, but I was exiting in the wrong direction. Looked back and Pia was about to go out of sight and there was no catching back. And when I did get back on track there was Kristen now just ahead of me and there was no catching her either. Oh, well.
But my pulse did it 163, max these days is 170. So it's not like I wasn't trying. I guess running just once a year, well, you pay the price.
Hung around for quite a while afterwards. Talked with Mike's son Dave for a while, helped clean up a little (fortunately the young ones were out retrieving controls), and eventually off to the car for the drive home, a very enjoyable 1.4 miles.
And a full 365 days to recover for the next one, 2020 being a leap year... :-)