Training Log Archive: Kat

This was the Denmark "championships" race on the last day of the training camp. On the first leg, I ran off the map so it took me 20:50 to finally get to #1. After that, however, I took it nice and easy (since my legs and brain were dead). I took safe route choices and tried to be as clean as possible. For the most part, it worked.

To start.

A route-choice exercise with Isabelle. We would choose two different routes to each control and then execute them and see whose route was better. We would wait for each other at each control, then plan the next leg. I actually only spent 55 minutes running and the rest of the time planning/waiting. This was quite a good exercise because I didn't really make any major mistakes today at all. The rest in between each control allowed me time to gather my wits together for the next one. A fun exercise!

This was called a "change of pace" exercise. The course consisted of several long legs (mostly on trails) and then short loops of 3-4 controls. Isabelle started first and I went 30 seconds after her. After she did the long leg to the "start" and the first loops of controls, she waited for me at the last one (since I hadn't managed to catch up) and then we started the next round. The point of this exercise was to practice concentrating on short technical legs while being tired. And I did indeed feel the effects of the long legs when navigating to the controls...After the first loop (when I messed up number 2), I did ok on all of the others and I caught and passed Isabelle on the last one, when she ran too far past number 14. I think we were quite close in navigating ability, so we made good partners =)

To start, from finish to car.

A line-O on a 1:15,000 map. I find small-scale maps difficult in general and since this was a line-O that went through the woods as well as on a few trails, it was quite challenging to be constantly reading the map and keeping track of where I was. After one loop, there were 5 controls to navigate to. The first two were quite good, the others were a bit more messy.

To start and to the car from the finish.

This was a "middle distance" course. On this day, I decided I simply have to get a new compass that has an orange north needle and white on the other side. I love my compass but since it has orange on both sides (and just a little white circle on the north side to indicate north) I do 180-turns way too often. I did one going to control 11 on this course, headed through the green in the opposite direction, and then continued to mess up the control very badly. All of the other controls were ok, though.

A very easy jog with Sandra and Christine on the trails close to our Silkeborg cabins.

Today's outing went more smoothly than the first one. We got the boat in and out of the water much more quickly this time. Amazing, really, what one hour of practice can do! It was fun, but I really should be getting some work done considering I'm not going to be doing any while in Denmark...

Today was rather easy since half of the team is going to the BUSA meet this weekend and need their rest.

200 choice
300 IM (50 drill,25 stroke of each)
8x25 IM order

3x50 free
12x100 IM on 2 minutes (every 4th was dril on 2:10)
6x200 pull (bleh. I definitely did 250 less than everyone else)

Total: 3,250 (I did 3,000)

Running to and from the boathouse.

I decided to try out rowing this morning at 6:30 AM instead of going to swimming practice. It was cold and still dark when we left, but got lighter as the day started. I found out all types of new things today. I never knew the rowboats were so long! And the process of getting the boat from the boathouse and onto the water is quite tricky. I also learned about the different types of strokes. Since I was on a boat with other people who were new to rowing (except for Nicola, the cox) we didn't do such a great job of staying in rhythm. For example, I would follow the stroke's pattern (the girl who sat all the way in front) and the girl in back of me would follow the girl in front on her side. But even though we were both looking ahead and following the people in front, the problem was these two people in front weren't synchronized! So the girl in back of me (Kate) ended up jabbing me in the back with the oar several times. Sigh.

Rowing was quite fun and hopefully I'll have time at least once or twice a week to go out and practice some more.

C • and I am doing this because?... 17