Training Log Archive: jtorranc

Event: QOC Balls Bluff
 

QOC Balls Bluff blue - clearly not running on fresh legs after yesterday's 5K, although the slopes at Balls Bluff are steep enough to reduce me to walking regardless. I was sloppy in places but not enough so to pay much of a price until near the end - confusion as to which trail I was on coming around the parking lot at the next to last control had me go the wrong way, most of the way to the go control before I turned around. The useful but not stellar, especially given the passage of time, vegetation mapping also made me hesitate in some of the early going in the vaguer north end of the park than would have been necessarily if I'd really been on top of my navigation. No particular issues with the contours, although they could also stand to be improved in our current LiDAR era - simply swapping unedited Kartapullautin output for the current contours, as I did at Mason Neck, would probably be an improvement. Should have worn studded shoes or made different route choices - I ran down a stream bed for a few hundred meters on one leg to save energy compared to alternative routes with more climb, and slipped on a nearly flat bit of exposed rock. One foot and one hand soaked - fortunately not in a way that got any water inside the map case.

Regardless, a pleasant run on a crisp, sunny fall day through mostly quite pleasant woods. Can't complain about any part of that .

Blue - Splits

Race for every child 5K at Freedom Plaza, downtown DC - 14th overall, 2nd 45-49 (not that any 40-44 beat me, so not a consequence of the generous 5 year are groups). I believe my perspex award is intended to be used as a coaster so props to the race for not entirely useless prizes.

Time/chip time slower than the race a week before in pretty much equivalently favourable weather on another dead flat course but this was at least a slightly better physical performance since due to my poor time management skills plus a brief but unexpected delay imposed by the organizers (really, who requires the contents of bags to be emptied in front of the bag check volunteers for security reasons then repacked to check? - until today, no on ever at any race I've run) I didn't start the race until 2:58 after the gun (if there was a gun - I didn't hear anything but I might actually have been far enough away at that point to have missed it and whatever verbal announcements were made leading up to it after the 5 minute warning which I did hear) and must have lost easily more than 10 seconds to the difficulties of weaving through the at least several hundred if perhaps not quite a thousand or more much slower runners my lateness allowed to start ahead of me. At least I apparently managed not to trample any small children, of whom there were many on the course given the theme/charitable purpose of the race.

Jogging warmup and cooldown.

Silly walks of the usual sorts. Did this mostly to get some easy running and running-like movement out of my legs prior to 5K tomorrow.

Run to Carodozo track/warmup.

The workout - a descending ladder of 6 minutes running, then 5, 4, 3, 2, 2, with 2 minutes rest (unlogged jogging and walking) between each part.

Cooldown lap around the track with the whole group, then jogging home as people peeled off to their respective daily routines.