Training Log Archive: BigWillyStyle

RMOF Day 6. RG

Blast, another close defeat. Bonesaw and I were both clean so it was close throughout. I took 1:30 from him in the first 20min, he took a minute from me in the last 10min, and our speed was even for the middle 25min, so the difference was the fact that he got me by 1:30 on the long leg. We had similar routes though slightly different at the beginning; his was less rocky and used a trail, so seems to have been faster.

Western States Day 3 Blue - Splits

RMOF Day 5. RG

Nearly got the Bonesaw today, a great battle. We were never more than 76s apart, though unlike yesterday there were a number of legs where there was a clear winner whether due to route choice, speed, or execution, and we were frequently seesawing back and forth within a minute either way. 10 was the worst control for both of us (naturally, a rocky cliff on a rocky hillside), while 14 was the decisive point where he got me by 63s with a superior route and took the lead. I was surprised because I had thought my route was solid - drop down from 13 to a flat, fast streambed for several hundred meters before climbing back up the hill - but Bonesaw's choice to stay high and save climb was apparently much better. I forgot that, hey, it's *all* runnable. I lost about 2min on 10, and ~20s in three different spots in the control circle in the rocks. Always the damn rocks.

Western States Day 2 Blue - Splits

RMOF Day 4. RG

A good race except for 13, where I lost more than four (!) minutes. The deceptively tricky thing about the terrain here is when controls are located along the very rocky linear ridges and hillsides - if you're not careful it can be easy to lose track of where exactly you're entering and consequently where your control is among all the giant rocks. In this case I wasn't even close; I attacked about 100m too low and was completely baffled for a good while.

I had a couple other ~30s errors, but was pleased that Bonesaw and I had essentially the same speed and I might have gotten him if not for 13. I was holding a pretty steady 1-2min lead through 12.

Western States Day 1 Blue - Splits

Rocky Mountain O Fest, Day 1 (or Day 3). RG

Had the speed to match the Bonesaw and was in the lead at 10, but I was way too sloppy. Hooked 3 for 10s, took a totally wrong exit from 10 for about 45s. Dumbest one - 15-18 was a butterfly loop, and out of 15 I headed for 17 instead of 16 (i.e. started going around the triangle the wrong way) which cost me a minute. Also lost 30s at 19 when I was a bit confused by the rocks, 30s at 22 for being lazy, and 20s at 23 when I was too low. Pretty poor orienteering - to wit, Bonesaw covered 5.9k, I covered 6.6 - but really fun. The terrain here is, as always, glorious.

Middle Blue - Splits

Me -> Denver -> Laramie!

Event: 2018 Rocky Mountain Orienteering Festival
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rF5SSa29O8

REI contacted us a while back about doing a feature on orienteering for their "REI Trailheads" video series, which eventually resulted in them sending a crew to one of our events last month. Pretty gimmicky and over-produced but still kinda cool. Cameos from Bob Forgrave and (I think) the Jonesaw.

Surprisingly, their video already has substantially more views than all of my Willvision series videos combined. I will have to retool my marketing strategy, and possibly rebrand.

C • Get your views up 5

Ye olde Bridle Trails loope.