Training Log Archive: tdgood

Got up early again so I could eat well before the race.
It was a rainy day that was suppose to stop around start time (but it didn't).
As usual, there was little in the way of administration. Fortunately i had done my homewood and researched it all on the web. My GPS got me there ok. i was there an hour before the race and was the only one there besides Vlad who had a pile of stuff but no car or other help. Vlad then went out to hang controls so no one knew what was going on. Fortunately, someone knew where there was a bathroom (had to drive to it).
Race time was delayed only 10 or so minutes this time. For the first time this weekend, I didn't have the first start. In my heat was me, Toril Nes, Mikkell Conradi, Francois Leondard, i had the same course as Francois. I knew Francois and Mikkel were faster than me.
The race started badly. Once again I had trouble finding the start triangle so was last off the line. I followed to the first control. Because there were forking I made sure I was navigating to the 2nd control. The problem was once in the woods it was too dark to read the map. On top of that the control line hid a crucial trail junction/bend. All of our group got misled as a result. It took me longer.
In the middle of the course there was a mess of controls, some of which we had to go to multiple times. This was total crap. It wasn't about orienteering but trying to figure out where the next control was. Was control was 5 and 15 which meant there were two '6''s lines out of it (6 and 6/16). Another horrendious example, control line for leg 16->17 went through the circle edge of 4/7 on the way to 8/17. On quick look 4/7 has a /7 which looks like 17 with the next contol having an 8 in it. I lost a boat load of time just standing at the controls trying to find what direction I was suppose to be going. Twice I had to run back to control to confirm which control i was even at because with all the numbers it was confusing to where I had just come from. By now, people from the heat behind me had passed me. I was still with Toril off and on. She was just ahead of me going to the final bunch of controls. There was another really stupid course design with 3 controls right next to the finish circle. The circles overlapped each other. I apparently skipped one in my haste to beat Toril. Despite not being able to find the finish control I barely finished ahead of Toril.
There were several people who mispunched with the middle section or the final control (bad course design).
Because of the sprint format, if you ran faster in your category per K then people in the higher heat you got to move up. Because of the mispunches several of us were dropped down to a lower level allowing slower people to move up. since results were screwed up and haven't been posted I can't compare per K times. The other unfair part is the people that moved up were on the shorter course and didn't have same bunched controls at the end where I mispunched.

GPS watch said I went 2.38 miles and 373 ft ascent (120m)

I was dropped down to short/slow division. The good news is the people who also dropped down were all the same speed as me.
My heat was Toril (agan), bill Pullman, Werner Haig. Once again the start was delayed. this time an hour. Everyone milled around or hid in their cars to get out of the rain.
The bad news is the Division 2 people started first. So for the 4th time (out of 5), I was the first starter. I started off strong and for a change was able to find the start triangle. I led to control 1, only to find that I had to wake up all the control units yet again. Everyone at the start also got to see where the first two controls were by watching us. Led to control 2. hesitated at fence by road so was behind going to control 3. Toril went left to control 4 so I went right. She got there just in front of me. Led to 5 and 6. Control to 7 was illegal. Line crossed an uncrossable fence. It wasn't clear where we were allowed to cross. I thought about climbing it but ran around instead (at least one person was DQ for climbing it). After running around the fence I got confused which control I was at again. After punching it I started off the wrong way so was back in fourth again (it was a very tight group). There wasn't a convient way to pass them on the way to 8 so I let them lead. going to 9 the group split. I went left and moved back into the lead. Lead to 9 and 10. Going to 11 I lost time decided whether to cut though the rough open or go around. I follwed toril around so she was ahead of me. going to 12 I passed them all again (they dropped down low to small trail) where I stayed high in the rought open. I thought I was looking for a single tree so whenI spotted one I dropped down to it. the single tree wasn't properly mapped and I was supposed to be looking for a thicket. So while I dropped down they climbed up. and got ahead of me again. I was back in fourth again with two each uphill controls. I decided it wasn't worth it push it in hard and take the lead so I took it easy. They hesitated at control 13 which allowed me to catch back up. Still running easy I pasesed Werner on the way to 14. Torvil decided to sprint it in so he passed me back. Toril and Bill were already sprinting so had pulled ahead again.
All 4 of us had the fastest times on the short course.

GPS distance 1.73 miles. 80 meters of climb.

C • head to head 1

Stage Five: Division Two - Splits

lost time at the start by running by the start triangle. It wasn't well marked and i was given no indication of how fa down the trail it was. I also had to wake up most of the controls so lost another 20+ seconds.
Generally did ok, just don't have the speed anymore.

There were just two in my heat, me and the fast guy out there. I kept him in sight sort of up through control 4.
I made one mistake because hikers were blocking a trail so I ran by it. I was then penalized extra when I approached the control from a different direction. It wasn't mapped correctly. You physically couldn't get to the control. I ended up backing out and doing a full circle around the control to approach from the trail side.
Except for the first few controls I ran the entire course by myself.

For the third race in a row, i was the first starter or in the first heat. this race I finally got to run with people. Started off slow but was able to stay with the people for about 1/2 the race. then the 2nd heat of people caught me so I had people most of the course. It motivated me to run harder even though I was really tired and sore.

Stage One: M-21+ WRE - Splits

Stage Two: Division One/Two - Splits

Stage Three: Division One - Splits

Event: Sprint the Golden Gate
 

Another night on the treadmill. Had stomach problems so I only ran 3 miles.

1 miles: 7:30 pace, 2 incline.
2 miles: 7:30 pace 2 incline.
3rd mile: 7:30 pace 0 incline

mixed incline and speed. some
1st mile: 7:30, incline 2
2nd mile:8:00 incline 1
3rd mile 8:00 incline 0
4th mile 7:30 incline 0