Training Log Archive: dlevine

Event: Salomon NavStock 6-hour Raid
 

Nav Stock Raid - with Andrew Wisnewski (Team name: G'day Mate)
Excessively warm and somewhat humid.

After letting everyone else take off down the trail so that Andrew could video the start, we took off. Went to #1 via the lower trail; it was a bit more climb, but on a trail and all at once and the trail led us right to it. Then to #6 over the hill and using the trail that led straight into the ride that went into the control. Back up to #5 where lots of folks were leaving. Over to #4 where we found too many raspberries, but the control was straightforward. On to #3 through the woods, leaving bunches of folks behind as they took the trail. In a pack of two as we headed towards #2, but the other guys went low and we stayed high until the trail just N of the control. Then in. On the way in, we saw two teams coming down the hill and were passed by one team that was (formerly) behind us. We figured that we might have gotten up to 20th place or so and were stunned to hear that we were in 10th.

On the long road to #8 we were passed by two teams and passed one. It is clear that Andrew and I both like to walk, but with long purposeful strides so that we lose little time. Straight to #8 and with some confusion, also basically straight to #9. (Extra trails cost us some brain cells.) Out to #10 at a bit of an odd angle and were "outsprinted" in. Now in 12th.

The matrix. Here is where I tried to screw up our whole day. I went off to #10A and found "the trail" near the control. Alas, it was an unmapped trail and it led me to the wrong hill. The wrong hill was way too close to the road, but I never processed this. After about five minutes, things sorted themselves out as I saw other folks leaving the control. On to #10C where I once again found too many trails. Again lost time sorting thi
ngs out. Off to #10B where I got lost in the clearings and had to go out to the trail, losing more time. Then in. Andrew had been waiting about ten minutes and had gotten #10B "on the way by" anyway.

Down the trails to #12, though we probably took "too confusing" a route and ended up at the junction just downhill from the control. Other teams clearly "walking the line" made it obvious what to do.

Walking the line. Trails were easy and we and another group were careful to turn at the edge of the field, ensuring that we got the first one. Second one at the top of the hill was exhausting and predictable. Third one was straightforward, but heading down the hill, we took the first trail too far before "jumping over". Thus, we finished the section with only three flags. Memories of the team we had seen doing the section backward haunted me until I realized that we should have hit the second track at the corner. So, back to the corner and "presto" fourth flag.

Down the hill to #13, we took the second trail to the right instead of the first and climbed the spur on the other side of the gully. Worked our way back to the control very slowly as we were only beginning to really reestablish map contact. Took the trail to 14, but missed our turn off and hit the trail to the development instead. Long way around, but an easy attack.

Road rash. Out to the road, through the development, down the interminable trail and out on to the road. We left behind the team that was behind us and caught another team just before Horseshoe Valley road. As we slogged up Horseshoe Valley road we could see another team in front of us. We slowly reeled them in as well as we went into the "Photo section". Slowly through this section (as if we had any other speed at this point) and back to the chalet.

E=MC^2. Otherwise known as "Curse you, Mike Waddington". Andrew took off to C1. The idea was that he would do that, I would do M and then we would see about C2. While he was gone, I recovered a bit and felt guilty so when he handed me the card, I surprised him by going straight up the hill to C2. It was as bad as I feared, though Mike Waddington swears that I was smiling on the run back down. Andrew off to M and then we start the Rogaine with about 70 minutes to go.

We chose to do 31 and 65 and did so without incident. We also got back almost half an hour early. In retrospect, 52 to 41 to 31 would probably have taken only a little bit longer and would have been worth more.

The best part of the race may have been the hose showers at the finish although that comment is truly unfair to Barb and Mike who did everything right for this race except arrange for cooler weather. (I'm already working on that for this weekend's rogaine in Allegany.)

2nd masters, 8th overall. Actually much better than we had hoped for.

Event: NavStock Weekend
 

NavStock middle course

Ran down trail and decided to attack #1 through woods rather than up trail (didn't see quite how close it bent toward the control, but got a good feeling for the mapping style with a minimal cost). Got overconfident and mistakenly tried to follow yellow clearings on my way to #2; cost myself at least four minutes. In a pack to #3, but as we went up the hill, it thinned out. At the top, folks chose various routes to #4; I decided to try the straight line, hoping that white woods would indeed be open. They were and I more or less spiked it.

I've seen rides like the one between 4 and 5 before and I know that the green is often not mapped well and that the whole idea is to get across and then worry about things. So, I went high, found a nice opening and went scampering down the reentrant to it. Walked the hill to 6 using the three-trail crossing as an attack (hit the second trail right at the depression). Saw a pack of people near 7 so went to them, but they were all lost (and low). I didn't pay much of a price though as my split was 1:36.

Angled up the hill to the trail and saw Barb Campbell and another guy running down it. Tried to take take the angle through the 3-4 woods again, but keep going left and hit the trail at the depression just in time to see Barb running by ahead of me. She and the other guy disappeared around the corner that I was planning to attack from. When I got there, I saw the flag and them coming in from the side, but never saw the fence (control description). We all took off to #9, but I got distracted by an unmapped distinct tree 50 m shy of the control. We all took off uphill to #10, but the guy got pulled right and I punched behind Barb. 90 seconds later at #11 we all punched in and then popped over the hill to #12 where we were still together. Somehow we got split going to #13. I stayed low, contouring in, but they both went up to the trail. (Later, Barb said she went off to the left instead of the right.) I crossed the reentrants and got to the flag first, joined a new runner. He and I contoured around and took the trail to 14 and then sprinted in; okay, he sprinted and I sort of ran.

Decent race considering the heat index. Beat some folks I don't normally beat, but could have been better.

Nav Stock Sprint

At the start triangle, I thought about going across instead of down the hill like everyone else, but then I decided that the road must be worth the extra distance. Stupid. I also blew the control, coming in on the lower track and turning up too soon, overshooting and ending up on the upper track short of the control. After that, #2, 3, and 4 were all good. I dogged the hill to 5 and 6, but tried to make it up on the way to 7. Going to 8, I saw the problem with the fence later than I should, but early enough that I didn't have to climb it. I cut through the field and found it. 9 was easy, but almost blew 10. 11 and 12 were straightforward, but I almost took the track to the toilets instead of to the campground for #13. Fortunately I saw Andrew do it right and saved myself a 10 second error that would have been embarrassing in front of the spectators.

Not a great race, but once again, heat conquers all.

World 3-Legged String O championships with Andrew Wisnewski. (First run)

First off, wearing sandals is not a good idea. We sort of got things going after a while, but then it all came undone on the stairs to the finish. Of course, we lead the "International Division" anyway.

World 3-legged String-O Championships with Andrew Wisnewski (Second run)

Much better this time until the stairs. We agreed to go up two steps at a time with the outside leg, but never agreed about which leg we would start with. Arrrgh!

Our time was originally announced as 38, not 48 (I wasn't taking splits) and given that the timer had stated that it was necessary for a Canadian team to win this year, we are very suspicious about the record keeping.

Skipped the swim this morning to rest a tired hamstring before NavStock this weekend.

Thought I was moving, but Theresa said that I was dogging it the last few laps. Pool was warm so maybe there's a connection there.