Training Log Archive: TomN

Flying Pig Sprint 1 (Urban). This was a lot of fun, but I sure stunk it up. I just don't know how to deal with these urban sprints. Something's wrong with my approach. I don't see the traps, I can't recognize buildings, I lose count of streets, and don't even talk to me about multi-level structures.

The first 2 controls were between a building and a pond, and I ran the wrong way around the pond twice, basically circling the pond 4 times. Great start. Other errors ensued, but that was enough to kill the race.

Flying Pig Sprint 2 - Parkland. This sprint was more my style. The navigation was easy -- much of the time I could see the next feature on leaving the control -- and I just ran. A few route choices (like which side of the circular pond) but I'm not sure there was much difference either way. I was in the lead for the entire course. Attackpoint credits me with no time lost, which may be the first time ever.

OCIN_Flying_Pig_2017_Sunday_Urban1_4 Brown - Splits

OCIN_Flying_Pig_Sunday_MillRace2_4 Brown - Splits

Flying Pig Long Brown. I was looking forward to this race, in open woods with big, steep hillsides, and I ran it pretty well. My navigation was good all the way through, and I kept up speed in the hills.

The only thing I did wrong turned out to be better than if I had done it right. Leaving #1, I planned a good route and executed it perfectly, only to find when I got there that it was actually #3 I had been aiming for. But in fact, going to #2 from 3 was a much more straightforward approach than straight up the many-headed reentrant, and I only lost about 10 seconds on the leg that way. Then I picked up 20 seconds flying back on the return trip to 3. Good deal all around.

Attackpoint shows me losing a 1:36 on #5, and it was because I was being extra careful around the low spurs near the river junction, and slowed down a little to be sure of my approach. A lot of people lost time here.

A really nice area and a fine day to be out in the woods.

OCIN_Flying_Pig_2017_Saturday_Long_4 Brown - Splits

Flying Pig Middle - Brown. I can't believe how brainless I was at the start. On the second control, I crossed the first road and headed north toward the second road. When I emerged from the woods I was back at the same road I started from, having run a complete circle in the woods without knowing it! Unbelievable. On the third control I got onto the wrong trail, and only figured it out when I passed a pit with a control in it, and couldn't see any pits along the trail I thought I was on. Not so bad but, hey.

After that I started navigating. There was an interesting area in the middle, flat and featureless except for about a dozen pits. I had 3 controls in the pits. You really couldn't see them until you were on top of them, and although I wasn't too crisp, I led several other people to each one.

Squeaked out a win by running fast at the end.

OCIN_Flying_Pig_2017_Friday_4 - Brown Middle - Splits

Hill repeats. My regular 4-mile run, but after about 1 mile I did 6 short hill runs, 35 sec or so, with a jog back down. Then ran the next 4 miles easy.

GSFC perimeter road and antenna range. Pace was pretty fast.

The pulmonologist told me today it was the first time since I started seeing him that my breathing test was normal. Lungs are clear and asthma is under control. So that's a new milestone. But it doesn't mean I can stop taking the drugs.