Training Log Archive: maprunner

I was supposed to go to Zumba tonight, but I just didn't want to go. So I didn't.

C • Miles 2

OINK day 3, AJ Jolly Park. Sunny and 3C at the start.

They told us at the start "it's rough at the beginning but it gets better".
I should have heeded the warning and gone around to 1. Instead, I went on the trail until it bent and then plunged into the thicket. It was very slow going, hard to keep a straight line, had to bend over all the time. Somewhere in here I broke off my magnifier, went through the rest of the race without it.

I was very slow to 1, but found it without too much trouble. I had a hard time keeping a straight line to 2, but I knew I had to turn right when I hit the stream. Did OK on 3, then totally missed 4. Walked right past it. I was expecting it to be in the top of the ditch, so I kept going, until I saw the power line and turned back. I did remember to use my system to stop and think before deciding what to do next, so I'm pleased that seemed to work.

Thankfully, the woods opened up after this. After 6 we left the woods and it became a long sprint-like course. I told myself to keep up the pace but not to worry about speed, since I had none today. Three days of racing is still too much for my body.

The only other control that gave me any trouble was 14. First I ran a bit too far to the edge of the parking lot, and then when I backtracked, the woods were really thick and crappy and it was steep drop down to the control. I refused to leave the parking lot until I could see the boulder or the marker. As I slid down on my butt, I was thinking "I hope this control isn't on the brown course" (It wasn't).

http://sprintseries.org/doma/show_map.php?user=map...

I'm generally pleased with the weekend. I wasn't perfect, but I lost much less time on any individual control, which was what I was trying to improve. It helped that these were middle courses with lots of short legs, but it still required concentration and patience not to blow up on any one of them. My speed is till slow in the woods (and due to map reading) but I can work on those this winter season.

Speaking of winter: when I was at the QOC champs, many folks told me they would never go to Cincinnati in December for O. Granted, the weather could have been nasty (instead it was >15C every day) but I was still surprised. I'm even more surprised when I see how many folks I follow on AP were outside this past weekend, and many of them went orienteering (locally). So maybe it wasn't the fact that it was orienteering in Dec that held them back, but the travel? I guess I can understand that.

Those of us who did attend had a good time! I'm glad I went. Thanks OCIN!

OCIN_OINK_Sunday_AJ_Jolly_December_2017_5 Green - Splits

OINK day 2, Camp Ernst

Day 2, trying to have another clean day. I was slow and befuddled a lot today, just not sharp. The controls kept coming up so fast and I wasn't planning well. Lots of little bobbles (leaving 1, stopping too soon on 5, missing 17, stopping too soon on 18) and one big route choice error (12) Used my plan to stop and think when things didn't make sense on 3 controls (5, 12 and 18) so that was progress. No major walk-abouts today. Just wish I had been thinking better.

http://sprintseries.org/doma/show_map.php?user=map...

Nice dinner tonight with Mike's sister Summer and her husband (they live in Lexington) at Farmstand Market and Cafe. Quite good food. The waiter saw us looking at an O map and asked about it, said someone had been in the night before, also had one of those maps, looked at it all through dinner :)

C • Day 2 1

OCIN_OINK_Camp _Ernst_December_2017_5 Green - Splits

Event: OCIN TROL / OINK! (Winter Pig National Event)
 

Note: we started the day by visiting the Cincinnati Art Museum. Nice enough, couple of cool items.
This log entry is for my warm up before the race.

OINK day 1 at Waller-Stephenson Mill Park
Sunny and 50s

My goal was to have a clean race and I did fairly well. A 1-min bad route choice (13, had to go around some dark green), and few minor bobbles (10, 14) when I was getting tired. But the rest of the time I was able to concentrate and read the map well.

Mike thinks the woods were nicer than home (there was less underbrush) but I think the thorns were worse (lots of scratches on my arms).

Kudos to OCIN for getting some cool courses in such a tiny area. They also showed us the blank map one minute before the start, which was a nice touch.

http://sprintseries.org/doma/show_map.php?user=map...

C • Blank map 3

OCIN_OINK_Friday_Waller-Stephenson_Dec_2017_5 Gree - Splits