Training Log Archive: kissy

Today was the rest day, so Mikell and I decided to head for the coast. We first made our way to Stonehaven, a picturesque little town just south of Aberdeen. We walked down to the beach and touched the North Sea. It was not so warm. Then we headed a little south to Dunnottar Castle, our first castle of the trip. We opted not to pay to go inside because...ruined, but we circled it the best we could from the outside, and it was spectacular.







Then we headed to Aberdeen to take a look. We started out at the harbor to look at the big ships and some odd looking supply ships for the oil platforms in the North Sea. We walked around the city a bit after that, but it was not super exciting. Then we made our way home, but not in the most direct route.

C • I looked at the photos of D... 7

Day 3 2017 Scottish 6-Days. Birsemore Hill. W55S

Another good day. I came in 5th again and remain at 6th overall. The final calculations are made on your top 4 days, so there's still hope to move up. We now move away from the Aboyne area, and on to maps around Braemer. The terrain seems like it will be different; hopefully I can keep up my good finishes.

I thought today's course setting was the weakest of the 3 days, so far. The navigation was very straightforward and pretty easy. The next to last control was ridiculous. You ran on a trail, popped into some bracken to find the control and then out the same way, back to the trail. The last bit was a .5 km run-in to the top of the finish chute and then in to the finish. Not very imaginative. The only hesitation I had was taking the trail down to #6. I wanted to make sure I didn't lose contact on the trail. Other than that, I hit all of the controls dead on.

After the event, we went to the local fish-n-chips shop for lunch. It was amazingly good. Then we went to see the Tomnaverie Recumbent Stone Circle, something we pass each way as we go to the events. It was kind of cool, but a little eerie. The best part was the raspberry plants on the path leading to the circle.







Then we stopped at the Queen's View which offers a view of many iconic Scottish features: beautiful green pasturelands, the Cairngorm Mountains, cows, and clouds.

C • Not cows. 1

Day 2 2017 Scottish 6-Days. Balfour Forest.

Today went much better. I came in 5th in my category! And I'm 6th overall for the two days.

My luggage arrived yesterday afternoon, so I had my contacts in today. What a difference it makes to be able to see! The orienteering was, once again, pretty easy, but the footing was not so nice. It seemed like we were either running through "open" fields covered in rocks, downed trees, and knee-high heather; or in the woods that looked beautiful, but once you were in them, you found out that it was just moss-covered rocks and knee-high blueberry. I fell a lot today! But my navigation was fine, with just one small problem at #7. I thought I had contoured on the same contour line (as needed), but I must have dropped down a couple of lines. The other problem was that there are several old logging "rides" in the woods, not all of them mapped. So while I thought I was at the one that was mapped right before my control, I must have been at an unmapped one. I knew I hadn't gone far enough, so I kept going, hesitating a bit. Once I got in the right area, enough things matched up that I knew to climb the hill, and then I found it.

And now we're home again at the farm, waiting for some swampfox pizza to be made.

C • Knee 5

2017 Scottish 6-Days. Day 1 - Glen Tanar

This day could have gone quite badly, but it did not. I was a little hampered by the fact that my luggage did not make it to Scotland with me. I had smartly packed an O-kit in my carryon, but I neglected to pack contact lenses. So, the question was should I run with or without my glasses, which are for long distance. I can't read at all with them, so there would have been a lot of flipping them up. Without the glasses, I can't see very well -- enough to not run into trees but not enough to pick up terrain subtleties. I chose to run without, and I think it did hurt me in a few areas. I ended up in 11th place, out of 43, but I'm running the W55 short course, so maybe the competition is not so fierce.

Other than the vision issue, I did fine. I found all of the controls, but maybe with a bit too much hesitation on the way to a few of them, and a few bearings that went too far from the straight-line. The woods were pretty open; we haven't gotten to the bracken yet.

It was nice to see some Americans here - Rick and Eileen Breseman, Charlie Bleau, Ron Birks, Rob Wilkerson, and Jim Eagleton. And it's so nice to be back to my third Scottish 6-Days. I am wildly in love with Scotland, so it felt good to be back. Mikell and I are staying in a loft apartment on Wark Farm. We are surrounded by banded cows, Hebridean sheep, and geese. It's lovely.