Training Log Archive: PG

Another road trip with Phil, this time to a place I'd never been, never actually even heard of it, Muscoot Farm, map and course thanks to Geof Connor. This was #5 of the HVO/WCOC winter series. One more to go. I missed the first at Blue Mountain but have made it to the rest. A wonderful thing to have in the winter, especially when Mother Nature cooperates with no snow and temps above freezing. Well above freezing today, mid 50s or thereabouts, and bright sunshine too.

Did the Green, 4.8 km. Not my best, lots of technique flaws but never actually penalized much. So despite not much time loss, it was at best worth a C. (Funny thing was, I was approaching #8 and wondering what sort of grade I deserved up to that point, and it seemed about a C. And then I botched #8. But it seems a little harsh to give a D on a run where I only missed a couple of minutes.)

Technique flaws: Not looking at the clue (#1), not looking around sufficiently (#2, 4), not getting a good image of how the control sits (#4, 7, 8). Only paid for it much at 8, dropped down to the next cliff. At least I looked down, saw the stone wall, realized it was too close both vertically and horizontally, and climbed back up.

Physically, maybe a B+, main problem being one fall. That happened when I was standing still, well, just starting to move I guess, but my foot was stuck and down I went. Seems like no damage, but one more way of f'ing up I need to be aware of. The rest was good, very carefully over the stone walls, and also very carefully avoiding any stumbles.

As far as movement, I'm trying, but it's hard. Ran a good bit, but also feeling more and more beat as the course went on. But it's hard to get down about that because I am still out there doing it, and who would have guessed that would happen again. The tiredness, well, have to continue to try to find the right balance of not too little training and also not too much. It's all still an experiment.

Meanwhile, I'm really enjoying myself. And it's so pleasant to have good company on the drive down and back. Talked about lots of things, a bit of orienteering, a lot of philosophy. I'd read an article in the Times this week about personal pronouns, got myself educated a bit. We talked about that some too, got myself educated some more. Glad to see I'm not so old that I still can't learn new things, even if a bit late.

(Note on #10 -- got to where I thought it should be, nice reentrant with good visibility, but no control. But there was a fresh piece of pink flagging tape. Checked my position relative to the wall to the west and the knoll to the NW. Both seemed right, so I just moved on. Maybe spent 30 seconds there. No big deal. Actually, on looking at my track, I was a little low. Might have looked more if there hadn't been a nice piece of tape right where I was.

And I was thinking, I wonder where Charlie put it. Seems he put it in the right place.)

Route Gadget

Green WS#5 - Splits

Pine Nook Road. Had Charlie with us, and for dinner later. Wonderful company, as always.

Around the bloc, running the ups, very slowly and a struggle just to do that. Feeling wasted.

Map/route from last Saturday at Gay City SP --

Old Sunderland Road, Fosters to Montague Center.

9:33, 8:50. Curious if I could run a mile where the first number was an 8. Don’t need to try again for a while.

Pine Nook Road. Feeling a little sluggish after yesterday's outing. Sunny and 40. Road was a little muddy, a little icy, mostly OK.