Training Log Archive: Linear Ice

Event: MNOC - Nerstrand Woods
 

As always, a great park with some of the best white woods around... open, flat and then big features gaping in the ground. No real chance to practice "what's in the control circle" because there's not a lot of detail in the circles in this park, other than maybe on a few. Which made me realize that THAT may be why I seem to have so much trouble on the harder terrain.... just don't get enough practice at this particular skill.
Spiked 1, 2, 3 (slowed down a LOT when I got close because I always seem to fumble in this part of the map), took a goofy route to 4 -- trying to avoid the areas I always seem to get lost and also (somewhat) following the route that one of the Laraia boys was running... even though he was not on Red.... regretted my route following choice but it worked out as I followed the map. Saw BP running the lower (better route), so figured i was ok.
5. Made a boneheaded error when I saw the big bridge and somehow thought I was by the FIRST crossing (which doesn't even exist) and then took an EAST for unknown reasons, recovered quickly though considering. I'm a pretty good relocator, through years of practice.
6. Spike. 7. Spike, with lots of slow contouring 'cause I'm bad at contouring so I was cautious.
8. Spike, and fun, and then stopped to retie shoe laces.
9-11 Spike. 12, hated the slog across the very tall meadow, started crawling practically and somehow ended up by the x instead of the gaping re-entrant. Corrected slowly because I couldn't imagine I was so far off. But I was.
13. Cautious spike, so slow and a bit surprised.
14. Too far north, but with the clear woods I could see the swamp 100 m away and adjusted.
15. Noticed I crossed TWO trails, which meant I really went way too far East, but at least I knew where I was and mostly followed the second trail then to control.
16. Slow and cautious, went to N/S trail since I had no idea how dark the green would be, then contoured and up to 16
Finish.... map was a big hole, literally (no map bag, slid down from 8 and ripped the map at this spot) so just headed off in the right direction and tried to follow Steve but he was moving too fast, so knew I'd be fine 'cause the finish area is huge.
I felt I ran pretty well, not super fast but good navigating, so i was surprised to see how slow my overall pace was. Now that I look at my splits, it's really the last couple that killed me I think... slowed down a lot maybe felt like I was done. Gotta learn to push it home.

Red - Splits

Lost the kiddies and just hit a few control spots and did map work with Robin. I think maybe it's beginning to click.
Ty had two soccer games and just wasn't up for more outdoor stuff I think. But he and his friend seem enthused about trying the White/Yellow course tomorrow at Nerstrand.

Took Robin, son Ty, and friends Matthew and Mason to Lake Elmo to permanent course and did a number of controls.... lots of fun (after one of the friends took off, despite that I TOLD him to wait at the first control, and then he got lost probably a mile away. I finished the first loop before I got worried because he tends to do this stuff all the time, and I then waited in the parking lot, yelling his name w Robin before he finally showed up. I gave him a very stern warning which made him behave. Luckily some woman had run into him and showed him the way back to the trailhead but not after I'd already phoned the parents to inform them I had lost their child. They didn't seem surprised or worried, and then I saw him already, wandering back.)
OK.... and then we kept going, on some of the harder controls, and the kids opted to take interesting routes across terrain and they had so much fun doing that. Big success. We'll go again tomorrow, and then after two short training sessions, the kids and Robin will surely be ready for Nerstrand Woods.

Ran by myself again; my parents are making a surprise layover in MSP, so Robin went to pick them up. I think my altitude training helped, and I was able to keep up a slightly better pace up the mile hill and pulled it through to the end. First part was a little slow due to stiff legs, tight stretched healing blisters, dah dah dah, both of which loosened up well enough. This was the run I was supposed to have yesterday.

Robin and I thought we might get interested in running if only we put on our shoes, went to the park. Nope. Came home.

I just spent a frustrating amount of time trying to download my Garmin track from yesterday..... because I wanted to look at the Vortex from just before Control 17..... the one that pulled me in for 40 minutes before spitting me out, and then finally allowing me to find the control with still enough time to spare to get 18 and 19 and then finish within the 3 hour time limit.
But the Vortex also stole the track, and replaced it with 13 hours of driving and walking around Colorado.
Summary. Great course. I really enjoyed it, despite having spent the hours of 7 AM to 9 AM wondering if upset stomach, generally altitude tiredness, blah blah blah would even allow me to run. As I suspected, the ailments all pretty much disappeared once the map was turned over and my concentration went to other more productive activities. Wonderful map and terrain; I really like running through the sagey areas and the woods, and down the slopes. Lots of changes in orienteering skills needed/fast running/slow climbing, peeking around big boulders or running confidently into reentrants. A very fine event and I was very glad to receive a DF (did finish) despite apparent reports that there was a wild woman making a home out near 17.