Training Log Archive: j-man

Event: DVOA Hickory Run
 

Hickory Run

Schuylkill

Hickory Run Blue. A very good course. Met with very bad technique.

Interesting race for split and route analysis. On my three most irksome controls, I committed rather textbook parallel errors.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2460/3762860426_81a...

I knew z-man ran 68. I thought that would be a very good time that day. It would be tough, but possible to match it. I thought it would be close to a winning time, knowing his skill in this terrain.

I was very impressed by Ross's time. I am pretty sure I have never run that well at HR, with a lot of experience there. As it was, I would say Sergei's run was very good and mine a bit below average. I think 65 would have been attainable for me with a quite clean run.

I should not be orienteering this badly. Not there and not now.

Blue - Splits

The day started off terribly. I get to my car and prepare to check Ross's location on my phone, when it goes blank and shows a "543"--the BB equivalent of a blue screen of death? So, there I am at the garage, already late, and no idea where I am going and unable to call Ross. So, I have to go home, print out the email, and call him. I do some quick research and discover the only recommended solution is to attempt to reinstall the OS. Great. And people malign Windows? Anyway, back out the door, to the car, and then further delayed as my normal exit to 90 was closed and I had to meander through Back Bay traffic. Argh.

[Random driving and fun conversation with Ross.]

The plan today was to streamer/verify my control locations for the September night-O at HR. Unfortunately, I neglected to bring an extra map (blank or otherwise) so I was initially unsure of how to incorporate Ross.

Luckily, as we were driving in, I saw Sandy and Bob Fink. We were able to print a nice blank offset map from them. The game is on!

The plan now was to combine streamering with some training (of sorts) for Ross. I would navigate to the circle and he would tell me exactly where I was. We were verifying the first control when Wyatt materializes out of the woods. Weird, but not completely unexpected. So, we now had three. This changed the dynamic somewhat. My streamering is normally undertaken at a controlled jog, but with 2 extra people with 1.5 extra maps, there was an opportunity to approach things differently. Putting three heads together, I was sure we could nail the controls, so I ran a bit harder. Of course, on two of the advanced controls, I drifted significantly to the right (a sign on things to come the next day.)

Anyway, the streamering went really quickly and was much fun. We visited all controls but one, which I am 99% sure is completely usable. Hear me now and believe me later: if you can afford the luxury of having an extra person to come along during this phase of the course design process, especially if they are Ross or Wyatt, you should seize it.

Some residual discomfort in the right toe, seemingly echoed left toe (a sympathy response?)

Left ankle not 100%, back fine.

Sprint training, by Sandy.

Nice, very nice. Also, brutally hot. Did not have much spark, but ran consistently.

The first sprint was pretty clean. While I hesitated a little bit finding the little streamers here and there, I went straight to all the controls and would have found them with stands. 2 route choices were probably not optimal.

On the second I had a bigger problem. There was one route where it was attractive to cut through the forest. I did, but got sucked right into a broad reentrant. But, so did Ross.

Athletic highlight of the day was one-handed dunking the flat basketball on a short basket after the second sprint.

Other highlight of the outing was copious blackberries and raspberries. Nice. Very nice.

Afterwards, we adjourned to Chez Sandy and things got even better.

Ross was put in charge of the kitchen and man! Did he come through. Awesome. My job was to get beverages. Imagine my reaction when I saw a case of these at the beer store. PA liquor laws may suck, but that sure doesn't. One bottle, a Maudite, was sacrificed for a higher purpose. I enjoyed a Fin du Monde, and then a Trois Pistoles. No one else availed themselves, so much of this ark is now in Boston.

Eric came over and told of his experience at the USGA Junior Boys/Girls tournament in NJ.

Level 8 hills, 7mph.

Level 8 hills.

Some nasty javascript debugging meant that my run got delayed, and then shunted to the gym. All the treadmills were full, so I opted for cross training.

Probably a good idea. My toe continues to feel better, and my back slightly better. It is pretty sad that a mini-training camp takes such a toll on an increasingly decrepit body.

Organizing training at Menotomy Rocks. Thinking of O-intervals/relay maybe with calisthenics.

[edit]: training went well. Thin turnout, but understandable. Ross, Audun, and Brendan (who managed to twist his ankle on the first leg.)

I managed to get the maps printed (Gnomon at Harvard Square) and also to pick up map cases (1 gallon Ziplocs at CVS at MGH) and streamer tape at a hardware store in Central Square. However, despite leaving 2+ hours in advance, I just arrived with 10 minutes to spare (a lot of time was consumed by traffic) and had to use that to stuff maps. So, I didn't get to streamer, although I wouldn't have been able to streamer anyway had I not gotten streamers.

Anyway, this exercise should have something at the controls, and ideally, more people.

Level 8 hills.

Between my toe and ankle (and even my back has a few twinges) I've been feeling pretty beat up the past two days. So, I decided to try the pool and Dasha and I went swimming.

Needless to say, I am not a good swimmer, but it was a good workout. No complaints from the toe, but the ankle wasn't great.

I wonder how deep the pool must be to do DWR? I was thinking 5 feet + for me? Our pool is 3-4 feet deep.