Training Log Archive: PGIn the 7 days ending May 2, 2011:
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Monday May 2, 2011 #
Note
Last of the maps from the weekend --
My route from Saturday morning's middle.
And my route from the afternoon sprint. Not sure I should publish this one. After I took a careful look at the map when I finished, I figured I had gone out of bounds four times, once blatantly, three times maybe yes, maybe no. GPS confirms that.
I had in my mind that the OOB areas were ones where RV's were parked, so I gave those wide berth. The others, well, It just didn't occur to me at the time. I was having enough trouble trying to keep up with the map reading, and the OOB slashes made it hard to see what was underneath them, and of course there were no markings in the terrain. Whatever, if they want to retroactively DQ me, so be it.
Though I don't think we were following the Canadian rule that you are supposed to turn yourself in -- if you haven't already left, and if you heard the announcement, and if you actually knew where you were out there....
Whatever. Main lesson from the run ought to be that my map reading under stress was way too sloppy. Got to be more precise.
And finally, not that it made the slightest difference, but did anyone else notice the finish (the double circle) was mismapped both morning and afternoon? Both showed the finish chutes too long -- look where my GPS tracks stop. I wish I could run 120 meters slightly uphill and stop and punch all in 22 seconds (as I supposedly did for the middle), or 45 meters and stop and punch in 12 seconds (in the sprint), but those days are long gone.... :-)
My route from Saturday morning's middle.
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And my route from the afternoon sprint. Not sure I should publish this one. After I took a careful look at the map when I finished, I figured I had gone out of bounds four times, once blatantly, three times maybe yes, maybe no. GPS confirms that.
QR.jpg){kind=link}
I had in my mind that the OOB areas were ones where RV's were parked, so I gave those wide berth. The others, well, It just didn't occur to me at the time. I was having enough trouble trying to keep up with the map reading, and the OOB slashes made it hard to see what was underneath them, and of course there were no markings in the terrain. Whatever, if they want to retroactively DQ me, so be it.
Though I don't think we were following the Canadian rule that you are supposed to turn yourself in -- if you haven't already left, and if you heard the announcement, and if you actually knew where you were out there....
Whatever. Main lesson from the run ought to be that my map reading under stress was way too sloppy. Got to be more precise.
And finally, not that it made the slightest difference, but did anyone else notice the finish (the double circle) was mismapped both morning and afternoon? Both showed the finish chutes too long -- look where my GPS tracks stop. I wish I could run 120 meters slightly uphill and stop and punch all in 22 seconds (as I supposedly did for the middle), or 45 meters and stop and punch in 12 seconds (in the sprint), but those days are long gone.... :-)
C • Honesty 13
Note
Just because we had left West Point yesterday in early afternoon didn't mean that our orienteering was done for the day.
We were heading for my mom's in Litchfield (CT), and there was no rush to get there, and it was a nice day, so I planned to take a few back roads I'd never been on. Lacking any road maps, I spent a few minutes in the morning looking at Google Maps, picking out a route, and doing my best to commit it to memory.
Here is what the planned route was. Get off I-84 at the exit for 311, take it to 22, a short bit north on 22, right on Quaker Hill Rd., to 37, to 7, cross the Housatonic, and then back streets on the north side of New Milford to miss the usual traffic snarls on the south side of town. I did my best to commit it to memory. Supposed to be 41 minutes, not quite 20 miles, just about as fast as going around via 84 and 7.
Here is what we did. 71 minutes, 33 miles. In the process I --
-- slept right through the exit for 311.
-- got off at the next exit, happened to be route 312, maybe Google just had it wrong?
-- got over to 22 as planned, a quick jog north, the next right, looking good but the street name was wrong.
-- still trying to head generally northeast, eventually came out on a bigger road, but no signs indicating it's name.
-- gut feeling, turned right on it, not a good move.
-- Eventually got to some civilization, a road sign that said we were on the desired road (37), and a gas station. Went in to ask.
-- Clerk said they had no maps of any kind, and she had no idea where any roads went.
-- Another customer started giving me a lengthy set of instructions, starting with head back the way we'd just come on 37, and then going on and on, only confirming how different our minds work.
-- And we did the rest of the route perfectly (I really did remember a bunch of turns correctly).
Orienteering lesson I took away from this.
1. Having a map is a good thing.
2. Looking at a map, assuming you have one, is a good thing too. I've never been a great fan of map memory exercises or map memory courses. That stuff can get you into trouble. Just learn to read the map a lot better, and a lot faster.
3. And don't daydream, which is what got me into trouble in the first place.
We were heading for my mom's in Litchfield (CT), and there was no rush to get there, and it was a nice day, so I planned to take a few back roads I'd never been on. Lacking any road maps, I spent a few minutes in the morning looking at Google Maps, picking out a route, and doing my best to commit it to memory.
Here is what the planned route was. Get off I-84 at the exit for 311, take it to 22, a short bit north on 22, right on Quaker Hill Rd., to 37, to 7, cross the Housatonic, and then back streets on the north side of New Milford to miss the usual traffic snarls on the south side of town. I did my best to commit it to memory. Supposed to be 41 minutes, not quite 20 miles, just about as fast as going around via 84 and 7.
Here is what we did. 71 minutes, 33 miles. In the process I --
-- slept right through the exit for 311.
-- got off at the next exit, happened to be route 312, maybe Google just had it wrong?
-- got over to 22 as planned, a quick jog north, the next right, looking good but the street name was wrong.
-- still trying to head generally northeast, eventually came out on a bigger road, but no signs indicating it's name.
-- gut feeling, turned right on it, not a good move.
-- Eventually got to some civilization, a road sign that said we were on the desired road (37), and a gas station. Went in to ask.
-- Clerk said they had no maps of any kind, and she had no idea where any roads went.
-- Another customer started giving me a lengthy set of instructions, starting with head back the way we'd just come on 37, and then going on and on, only confirming how different our minds work.
-- And we did the rest of the route perfectly (I really did remember a bunch of turns correctly).
Orienteering lesson I took away from this.
1. Having a map is a good thing.
2. Looking at a map, assuming you have one, is a good thing too. I've never been a great fan of map memory exercises or map memory courses. That stuff can get you into trouble. Just learn to read the map a lot better, and a lot faster.
3. And don't daydream, which is what got me into trouble in the first place.
5 PM
trail running 8:44 0.84 mi (10:27 / mi) +75ft 9:38 / mi
ahr:116 max:126 shoes: pegasus
A little warm-up.
road running 27:09 2.12 mi (12:48 / mi) +1037ft 8:45 / mi
ahr:142 max:157 shoes: pegasus
Twice up and down South Sugarloaf, up the road, down the trail.
It seems I am just as uncoordinated as ever. Second time coming down, and it is a fairly steep trail though not very rocky, I nicked a rock or root with one foot and went sprawling forwards, first continuing down the trail (which was angling diagonally down), then off the edge and down the slope. Fortunately I got stopped pretty quickly by a fairly small tree -- the slope was steep enough that I would have gone quite a ways (though not off any cliffs).
The usual cosmetic damage, this time re-opening the wounds on my left hand from yesterday, plus a few assorted other scrapes, plus a right quad that feels like it hit something, but I don't think anything serious.
What with stopping and then climbing back up to the trail, it did mean my descent, which had been proceeding quite quickly, was a bit slower than the first time.
Obviously I shouldn't be doing this stuff. But I'm going to be like my mom soon enough, better enjoy things while I can.
Splits: 9:58 up, 3:31 down, 9:55 up, 3:43 down. Vertical is about 450 feet.
It seems I am just as uncoordinated as ever. Second time coming down, and it is a fairly steep trail though not very rocky, I nicked a rock or root with one foot and went sprawling forwards, first continuing down the trail (which was angling diagonally down), then off the edge and down the slope. Fortunately I got stopped pretty quickly by a fairly small tree -- the slope was steep enough that I would have gone quite a ways (though not off any cliffs).
The usual cosmetic damage, this time re-opening the wounds on my left hand from yesterday, plus a few assorted other scrapes, plus a right quad that feels like it hit something, but I don't think anything serious.
What with stopping and then climbing back up to the trail, it did mean my descent, which had been proceeding quite quickly, was a bit slower than the first time.
Obviously I shouldn't be doing this stuff. But I'm going to be like my mom soon enough, better enjoy things while I can.
Splits: 9:58 up, 3:31 down, 9:55 up, 3:43 down. Vertical is about 450 feet.
Sunday May 1, 2011 #
Note
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8 AM
trail running 5:00 [3] 0.4 mi (12:30 / mi)
shoes: pegasus
Warm-up, some on and off jogging on the way up to the start.
9 AM
orienteering 55:21 3.99 mi (13:52 / mi) +833ft 11:35 / mi
ahr:146 max:155 shoes: pegasus
Day 2 at West Point.
I think I'll start out by saying that it's been another first-class operation by the West Point cadets. Good organization in all aspects, and good courses for the orienteering. They've moved up a lot in quality over the last half dozen or so years, with large credit due to Jon and Torie Campbell (the previous officers in charge) and Mike Hendricks, the current OIC. And I talked to a number of the cadets, mainly just to compliment them, and they are an impressive group. Good for them.
Today was longer courses, not really so long for the old folks but it seemed just right. The GreenY course (5.9 km straight-line, 190 meters climb advertised) I ran (M60) was excellent, several nice choices, controls on appropriate features placed appropriately, nice variety. And the woods were nicer than yesterday, none of the deadfall from the ice storm. A very fun course.
My own orienteering was pretty decent. Not much in the way of mistakes, the biggest time loss was two faceplants on the downhill to the last control, one removed some skin and flesh from my left palm, the next some skin and flesh from my right palm. Both accompanied by some cussing. But I found all the controls right about where I was heading, and the legs had some life in them, so a good day.
Today's course.
My route.
I think I'll start out by saying that it's been another first-class operation by the West Point cadets. Good organization in all aspects, and good courses for the orienteering. They've moved up a lot in quality over the last half dozen or so years, with large credit due to Jon and Torie Campbell (the previous officers in charge) and Mike Hendricks, the current OIC. And I talked to a number of the cadets, mainly just to compliment them, and they are an impressive group. Good for them.
Today was longer courses, not really so long for the old folks but it seemed just right. The GreenY course (5.9 km straight-line, 190 meters climb advertised) I ran (M60) was excellent, several nice choices, controls on appropriate features placed appropriately, nice variety. And the woods were nicer than yesterday, none of the deadfall from the ice storm. A very fun course.
My own orienteering was pretty decent. Not much in the way of mistakes, the biggest time loss was two faceplants on the downhill to the last control, one removed some skin and flesh from my left palm, the next some skin and flesh from my right palm. Both accompanied by some cussing. But I found all the controls right about where I was heading, and the legs had some life in them, so a good day.
Today's course.
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My route.
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Saturday Apr 30, 2011 #
Event: West Point A-meet
10 AM
road running 6:30 0.63 mi (10:19 / mi) +69ft 9:21 / mi
shoes: pegasus
A little warm-up on the way to the start.
orienteering 33:35 2.4 mi (14:00 / mi) +413ft 12:02 / mi
ahr:151 max:160 weight:132.5lbs shoes: pegasus
M60, Green Y, middle, straight-line distance 3.5 km. A struggle physically but no serious mistakes.
2 PM
orienteering 16:34 [4] 1.42 mi (11:40 / mi) +154ft 10:35 / mi
shoes: pegasus
Sprint, straight-line distance 2.1 km. More difficult sprint than usual. Botched three controls, total lost about a minute, too much of the chicken with his head cut off.
Maps later, dinner first.
Maps later, dinner first.
C • HR 3
Friday Apr 29, 2011 #
7 AM
road running 35:42 4.31 mi (8:17 / mi) +79ft 8:08 / mi
ahr:134 max:152 rhr:49 weight:132.5lbs shoes: mizuno
Short run before breakfast on a beautiful morning. Though the legs felt like crap. Oh, well. Off to chase the little white ball in a while.
Listened to two stories from The Moth. One by Andy Borowitz, a very funny guy, about his experiences having part of his intestines removed (not funny, but very well told, and quite sobering). The other by Salman Rushdie, lasted about 15 minutes and I made it all the way through it, something I certainly couldn't say about my experience with anything he's written. And it too was well told.
Listened to two stories from The Moth. One by Andy Borowitz, a very funny guy, about his experiences having part of his intestines removed (not funny, but very well told, and quite sobering). The other by Salman Rushdie, lasted about 15 minutes and I made it all the way through it, something I certainly couldn't say about my experience with anything he's written. And it too was well told.
Thursday Apr 28, 2011 #
treadmill 36:05 [2] 4.0 mi (9:01 / mi)
rhr:51 weight:130.5lbs shoes: pegasus
Feeling quite dehydrated, so waited until mid-afternoon to get some exercise, by which time it was raining away, so the treadmill was an easy choice. Slow and gentle.
Fresh Air interview on plastics, somewhat interesting, but better than the first one I started, an interview with a woman who wrote a book about bugs, and the interview, or at least the part I heard, was mostly about the strange mating habits of strange bugs.
Sex sells, I suppose. Perhaps I'd cut FA more slack, but not long ago there was an interview about life on a coral reef, and again the subject kept coming back to mating habits of the creatures there. Neither interview was one of FA's finer moments.
Fresh Air interview on plastics, somewhat interesting, but better than the first one I started, an interview with a woman who wrote a book about bugs, and the interview, or at least the part I heard, was mostly about the strange mating habits of strange bugs.
Sex sells, I suppose. Perhaps I'd cut FA more slack, but not long ago there was an interview about life on a coral reef, and again the subject kept coming back to mating habits of the creatures there. Neither interview was one of FA's finer moments.
C • bugs 5
Wednesday Apr 27, 2011 #
11 AM
trail running 1:19:07 8.71 mi (9:05 / mi) +1342ft 7:56 / mi
ahr:137 max:161 rhr:48 weight:132lbs shoes: pegasus
Back roads in the hills west of Greenfield. Didn't feel very energetic starting out, and it only got worse. I think the warm weather (mid-70s, dew point low 60s, both high for this time of year) had something to do with it, as I was sweating profusely. Was feeling week, stopped at about 25 minutes to pee, ended up taking an extended break (10 minutes?) to consider my options, none of which were appealing.
So finally I continued on. Except of course I was continuing on in the wrong direction, having taken the wrong turn at the previous intersection. I realized it before long, there was a steep hill that didn't belong there, and got back on course. But still the one long climb to go.
And that took a lot of willpower, but no stops and no walking and eventually it was over. And then a little later the whole run was over. Felt quite depleted.
The usual phrase applies, I guess -- good training.
So finally I continued on. Except of course I was continuing on in the wrong direction, having taken the wrong turn at the previous intersection. I realized it before long, there was a steep hill that didn't belong there, and got back on course. But still the one long climb to go.
And that took a lot of willpower, but no stops and no walking and eventually it was over. And then a little later the whole run was over. Felt quite depleted.
The usual phrase applies, I guess -- good training.
3 PM
mountain biking 35:55 7.02 mi (5:07 / mi) +217ft 4:58 / mi
ahr:129 max:146
On the roads but using the mountain bike. Home to UMass to put out controls for Alex's UMass sprint. First bike ride of the year, I had forgotten that four-letter word that can rear its ugly head when biking -- wind. 15-20 mph out of the south, and I was heading south. Hard work to go slowly. And I was already tired when I started.
orienteering (mountain bike) 36:48 3.0 mi (12:16 / mi) +10ft 12:14 / mi
ahr:101 max:117
Putting out controls on campus. Not too agile getting on and off the bike.
Interesting that I was expecting to feel conspicuous, and very self-conscious, but nobody -- and there were lots of people around -- seemed the slightest bit interested in what I was doing. So I had a pleasant time riding around, and occasionally figuring out ways to hang the controls. I had brought along duct tape plus extra twine and a knife to cut it just in case, only had to use the duct tape once, a building corner with nothing to hook a string onto.
Got back before Ali finished, but not with a lot of room to spare (5 minutes?).
560/1000
Interesting that I was expecting to feel conspicuous, and very self-conscious, but nobody -- and there were lots of people around -- seemed the slightest bit interested in what I was doing. So I had a pleasant time riding around, and occasionally figuring out ways to hang the controls. I had brought along duct tape plus extra twine and a knife to cut it just in case, only had to use the duct tape once, a building corner with nothing to hook a string onto.
Got back before Ali finished, but not with a lot of room to spare (5 minutes?).
560/1000
orienteering (mountain bike) 14:53 1.48 mi (10:03 / mi) +16ft 9:57 / mi
ahr:100 max:114
Picking up half a dozen controls. Event seemed to be a success.
mountain biking 26:31 7.02 mi (3:47 / mi) +92ft 3:44 / mi
ahr:117 max:138
And then back home, this time with the wind, a lot nicer, though I was pretty wasted. Weight was 128 when I got home.
Tuesday Apr 26, 2011 #
6 PM
trail running 15:11 1.7 mi (8:56 / mi) +95ft 8:29 / mi
ahr:127 max:145 rhr:48 weight:133lbs shoes: pegasus
Warm-up before the Northampton 5K XC race. It felt warm because it was warm (mid 70s). Legs felt heavy, but that seems normal whenever a race is on the schedule. Must be a psychological thing.
trail running race 22:14 3.11 mi (7:09 / mi) +184ft 6:46 / mi
ahr:161 max:176 shoes: pegasus
About what I expected (I had predicted 22:20), so I can't be too disappointed. Plus it was definitely warm. Splits were 7:01, 7:01, 7:32 (uphill), 40.
Took a bit to try to find the right pace, I guess that comes with not having raced for a long time. I was a little nervous about the ups on the third mile, so I think I held back just a little on the second. And then was really surprised to see my heart rate at 170 after the short but steep climb at about 2.4 miles, because 170 usually only appears when the finish line is very close. So my legs were a bit wobbly, and the pace not so good. Picked it up the last bit, passed Dave Martula at the top of the hill and ran the last couple of minutes from there as hard as I could. Pulse was 176 at the end, so I wasn't dogging it.
So a good effort, but got some work to do. Age record is 21:5x, but even if I get there Dave, also 66, may get lower.
And looked up Alex's time from last summer, 21:06. I though I could stay within 45 seconds of her, but that will be a struggle.
Took a bit to try to find the right pace, I guess that comes with not having raced for a long time. I was a little nervous about the ups on the third mile, so I think I held back just a little on the second. And then was really surprised to see my heart rate at 170 after the short but steep climb at about 2.4 miles, because 170 usually only appears when the finish line is very close. So my legs were a bit wobbly, and the pace not so good. Picked it up the last bit, passed Dave Martula at the top of the hill and ran the last couple of minutes from there as hard as I could. Pulse was 176 at the end, so I wasn't dogging it.
So a good effort, but got some work to do. Age record is 21:5x, but even if I get there Dave, also 66, may get lower.
And looked up Alex's time from last summer, 21:06. I though I could stay within 45 seconds of her, but that will be a struggle.
trail running 16:28 1.77 mi (9:18 / mi) +92ft 8:52 / mi
ahr:141 max:154 shoes: pegasus
The outside loop with Ali, Phil, and Dave. Very pleasant.
And then saw local writer John Stifler afterwards. He's involved with organizing the Mt. Washington race. His advice on training -- train like you're preparing to run a marathon.
As I said, got some work to do.
And then saw local writer John Stifler afterwards. He's involved with organizing the Mt. Washington race. His advice on training -- train like you're preparing to run a marathon.
As I said, got some work to do.