Training Log Archive: Mr Wonderful

Event: SMOC Pontiac Lake
 

Wow, what a difference a week makes! Totally difference experience than last week. Things made much more sense today. Also, I think the fall back hour helped a lot. The furnace being dead did not help, and I almost didn't go.

QuickRoute

1 - trivial route, straight across the valley. Went through #1, figuring that would make it easier

2 - Caught up to Cooper as he exited #2, made for some excitement. He exited south, and I started to, but reconsidered and went north to the trail

3 - Some luck here - I was trying to roughly follow a bearing while dodging thicker clumps, hoping to see the swamp, nearly tripped on it. Amazingly, given the company, very briefly had the lead by six seconds. Ego pumped.

4 - On my route I saw a sweet fat raccoon just a dozen feet away. It stared, then did that fat raccoon scamper off to a tree. Paused for a bearing at the trail bend, and managed to hold it

5 - wanted the west trail, but didn't see it so I took the east trail, then followed a bearing and was trying to count hill/depressions, and nearly tripped over it again

6 - I will be practicing rough speed bearing running in the off season! Not sure why I got sucked west. And doing so, I should've just gone to the trail, and I wasn't running that fast off trail, and the exit to the trail was bad, some fight. Line of rocks was hardly visible on the approach, but the woods were open so I chanced moving south, hoping to spot the swamp at the end, and did.

7 - should been more confident - features made sense but I checked and hesitated a little. I have not been drinking, but I did stop for some water since I was dehydrated a little coming in (furnace debacle, skipped lunch)

8 - Had a hard time moving fast north from 7. The trail I picked up between the two swamps is pretty hard to see! I thought I bore more NE from the trail bend, and then was struggling to make sense of the hills, and was getting ready to look east a bit and then Igor passed and helped me out.

9 - very educational to watch Igor - I assumed he always ran, but he checked up more often than I would've guessed. It makes sense though, and I should maybe do that as well. I was happy that I read the last reentrant and then contoured around and hit it.

10 - almost a big mistake, was on a good line then fell off. Heard Igor and saw two people at the control so I ran over. Doh.

11 - Not a clean exit, and I'm wondering if through the campground isn't faster because of all the climb over that peak on the trails.

12 - the features just made complete sense. I was jumping logs, crashing through the woods, and having a blast

13 - the trail looked faster. I almost think 100% trail would be the fastest - I cut up through the valley but it was a little slow and steep. Saw Igor again converging.

14 - Hard to choose a good line, finally saw the big reentrant, dropped over, a little help from Igor again

15 - Mostly what I wanted, certainly not hurt by Igor's presence.

16 - Dropped immediately to trail, off trail was probably okay, but it seems to have worked.

Finish - Gave all I had, lost maybe 1 second dodging people crowding the table. Missed the win by 3 seconds to Tom - he must've been flying!

Such an awesome time. Mixing it up with Igor was fun - makes me wonder about making a goat event for my spring meet.

Red - Splits

Informal points total for red runners, using (winning time / runner's time) * 1000, then taking the best three for the season so far of runners who have three or more meets:

Mark	3000
Igor	2835
Jens	2484
Rick	2244
Alex	1927
Lew	1874
Sean	1713

Short 12 c on CF. Some silly errors.

Re-did the Spring Mill o course with Jeff and his dog. Jeff had ran six miles yesterday, so we agreed to walk. Everything made more sense at this pace.

Hit #7 this time around dead nuts from two approaches, so I surely would have seen the flag, counting it as a spike.

Did make one mistake at a trail junction - with this leaf cover, it was not visible. So we lost a minute or two while I tried to figure out why the compass didn't match the map. Quickly backtracked.

QuickRoute

Feeling much better - let us see if I can find the fast/slow balance tomorrow.

My wife invited me to join her at a 5K in December to celebrate her return to running. I was originally just going to pace her, since I didn't think I would be in PR shape by then.

However, I reviewed the 2011 results, and my age group is soft. If I can get a few more seconds per mile off in the next four weeks from my time trial the other day, and the group remains soft, I may be able to sneak in for 3rd place.

Tempting.....

C • Do it! 1

Easy base building.

I am wondering if I'm right-thumbed. I have a left thumb compass, but I seem to always find the map in my right hand.

Cold, wet, windy!

Some 29 control sprint on CF.

Just glad to get something.

Later, two rounds of Catching Features.

Easy ride. Well, not the parts into the strong NW wind, but no attempts for world records.

Back at it.

1 @ 4 mph
3.1 @ 5.7 mph (dirt)
1 @ 3.7 mph

Tough to dress for the conditions. We felt cold while walking and then a little too warm when running. Nice to get out though.