Training Log Archive: mikeminium

Mapping updates and planning courses for March 5 at Mounds SRA. There have been a few significant changes to the map. Flushed two woodcock while I was mapping, and at dusk there were several of them doing courtship flights near where I had parked.

Event: OCIN / TROL Middle Creek
 

shadowing on white course

shadowing on white course at Middle Creek. Total time 55 minutes. Split between running/ walking estimated. I left 10 mins off the log for standing/map reading.

control pickup at Middle Creek.

Event: ORRRC Frosty 14 Trail Run
 

Frosty Fourteen Trail Race at Ceasar Creek.

One word says it all: Mud. I had hoped the ground would have frozen last night and stayed that way, but alas the morning warmed quickly, and in the shelter of the woods, the trail had never really solidified.

The route was an out-and-back, and the trail definitely seemed much sloppier, and the sucking mud more viscous on the return than on the way out, especially after every single runner had trod it at least once, and the 90 or so ahead of me had mucked though it twice!

I made a mistake in going out too fast early, and by the 3rd mile, I knew that I was going to, in the favorite words of my junior high history teacher, "suffah immensely" as a result. Partly, there was a large pack, well over 100 runners, and the distance across open field to the start of the trail was only 100 m or so. Given the muddy conditions, I figured I wanted to be ahead of anybody who might not be as confident in their footing, especially knowing that my greatest strength in trail runs is on downgrades. As it turned out, when we entered the woods, the devious race director had set a half to 3/4 mile loop on the wide mulched nature trail before we actually turrned back onto the narrow path. I allowed myself to be swept along in a state of euphoria with the faster runners, and kept a faster pace than I should have for at least the first mile and a half.

I got passed by quite a few people over the next few miles, but by mile 10 had settled into a place which I managed to hold onto at the finish. One guy passed me just after mile 10, and I did not see him again, but half a mile before the finish another victim came into sight, and I managed to pass him on the last little uphill only two or three hundred meters from the finish. A group of 3 runners passed me briefly at the final water stop just under 3 miles from the end, but they were cautious on the downgrades, and I managed to pass them back within half a mile and stay just ahead for most of the remainder of the race. Until the final half mile, they were constantly nipping at my heels, like poorly trained snappy little lap dogs, but I must have had a little more kick left than I thought and managed to pull away from them at the end.

Splits (miles), such as they are:
9:33, 10:38, 11:12, 11:47, 11:12
11:58, 11:16, 11:47, 12:51, 12:34
13:18, 13:19, 13:59, 9:57 (for .82)

C • Well, not a bad showing con... 7

Miami University Western Woods. Mostly minor updates.

Scioto Trail Section of Buckeye Trail. My 3.5 mile segment was in very good shape and only needed very minimal work, so I mostly attacked greenbriar that hasn't yet encroached on the tread, and opened up a few drainage channels that were clogged with leaves. Its obvious that this section gets regular use and that someone other than me is also periodically doing maintenance.

C • Scioto Trail 2

Scioto Trail Section of Buckeye Trail.

Scioto Trail Section of Buckeye Trail.

checking control locations and minor map updates in Peffer area.