Training Log Archive: iansmith

Event: WCOC Tarrywile Park
 

After a tiring weekend, I went out for some bowling catharsis (also motivated by my access to an automobile). I had two rough games, but made some adjustments to my stance that really help in the last two games. In particular, I moved the ball from the initial position in my right hand further about 10-15 cm to my right away from the centerline, so it starts at about elbow height in front of my shoulder. During the second and third step of my approach, when I wind up my shot, the normal plane of the ball is perpendicular to the lane, so I don't have to apply so much torque at the release. I haven't quite worked out the kinks on the shot, but it's much more comfortable and consistent. The frames in the second game when I couldn't convert after 9-pin and 8-pin shots were heartbreaking.

Game 1: -3 31 X 63 7/ X 4/ 8- 35 6/X = 129
Game 2: 9- 8- 1/ 16 72 -8 71 42 X 9- = 94
Game 3: 7/ 17 X 6/ X 63 9/ 9- 72 9- = 133
Game 4: X 18 X 6/ 6/ 5/ 9- 8- X 9/X = 155

Strike percentage: 10/42 = 23.8% :D
Spare percentage: 11/32 = 34.4%
9-pin spares: 2/7 = 28.6% :(
First ball pins: 6.7

Vetting controls for the CSU A-meet at Lynn Woods. After eating dinner, rehydrating, and showering, I weighed in at 185 lbs. Soon, I will be svelte, fast, and able to fit into Ali's pants.

For the Night-O yesterday, I drove to Kinko's to print the maps. I only had one quarter (= 15 minutes) for the parking meter, so I tried to print the documents quickly. It ended up taking 23 minutes, and remarkably, during that 8-minute window, I got a parking ticket. I'm rather impressed by the efficiency of the Cambridge Department of Parking. I need to carry more quarters.

C • Comments 10

Event: NEOC: Nobscot Night-O
 

Please let me know if you would be willing to send an e-mail to the Nobscot administrators to thank them for letting us have a Night-O there.

This session of setting controls for the NEOC Night-O. I started setting later than I planned, after departing my home at about 2 PM. I arrived at Nobscot at 5, 2 hours before the start, chatted with the ranger, and set out. I set 12 advanced controls by 6:40, and then spent way too long helping with registration set up before bolting out to get the last 4 controls. I set advanced control #1 in dark twilight, and I seriously struggled to see anything (time 1:13-1:20 in my track).

I was surprised at the magnitude and enthusiasm of the response, particularly among beginners. According to NEOC, 30 people went out on the beginner course, many in groups. Thanks to those who copied their courses onto blank maps and to Ed who rushed to save the day with the printer and make additional copies of the beginner map. Since everyone seemed to enjoy Night-O, I plan to schedule two or three next year at the parks that might be persuaded to allow us to hold them. We owe much to the BSA people at Nobscot who graciously allowed us to hold a night event. Ali crushed the competition, and I doubt I could have beaten her time even with my foreknowledge of the course. More training to do!

It turns out that Flashlight is really bright - bright enough to compete with some of the serious Night-O headlamps. I doubt it can keep up with the $400+ Petzls and similar lights, but I'm proud of Flashlight nonetheless. I loaned it to Jenny, an OUOC member Brendan ran into only a few hours before the event and invited to Night-O. Jenny and Alee ran together, and did very well. This is Alee's third orienteering race, and she is advancing very nicely.

Much credit must be given to Pete Lane and Jim Paschetto, who manned registration and handled the throng today. I enjoy setting courses, and I put much thought into their design. However, I really struggle when I'm trying to run a meet all by myself, or even with a few helpers. While I plan to put on more events of ever increasing quality and polish, my focus will be shifting ever more toward training, because competition is far more important to me than organization.

Control count: 129/2000

C • Night-O 2

I planned to go kayaking to give my legs a break, with an objective of maintaining a constant, low intensity effort (140-150 bpm). The weather was drizzly and overcast, however, and Charles River Canoe and Kayak was closed. Instead, I hopped on my bike for a cruise with the objective of maintaining a quick, light, high cadence. I spent most of my time in gear 2x6 rather than the more comfortable 3x6. At two points in my ride, I came across cyclists who were slightly faster than I, and a chase ensued. I listened to the Braveheart soundtrack for part of the time. Given the number of times I had to stop and the state of increasing disrepair of my bike, I am not displeased by my speed and performance today. Also, as I write this, I'm slightly jittery and weary - I pushed long enough to tax my energy reserves. I assert that this has similar fitness benefits to long-ish runs with less stress on my neophyte legs.

Today's activity was an excellent sprint on the Tufts map sandwiched between two street-O legs set by Brendan. I should have reset my watch between legs, but I didn't want to stop.

The first leg of the street-O was basically a warmup, and I cruised it at 5:00/km. While I was running aggressively on the sprint, my average speed slowed to 5:28/km - measured by actual distance, not race distance. I started alone, spotted Stephen charging to 7 while I was running to 3, and caught up to him after he made a mistake at 13. The leg to 15 was a long straightaway, and he blazed past me. I had him in my sights until I passed him at 20, when he slowed to a walk for some reason for a few moments. He started up again and beat me to the point, but was delayed when he ran into Lori after charging down the hill to 22. I got ahead and stayed in the lead until after the finish, when we passed Ali stretching. The spike in my speed at 39:25 - when I accelerated briefly to 3:06/km, was my desperate but futile effort to stay ahead of him. My sprint time was 25:22.4 or something (and I was apparently nemesis'd).

I gingerly cruised around on the second street-O until I heard Ali closing from behind. She has a much quieter step than Stephen, Ross, or the usual suspects, so I didn't realize how close she was. I immediately kicked back into high gear - not because I'm so blindly competitive that I can't tolerate the thought of Ali beating me, but because competition with peers is exhilarating. I stayed ahead of her, and we ran into Stephen at 47:45 in my track. He grabbed on to us, then the three of us kicked it up another gear. I am quite sure Stephen was being playful - that he could have bolted away without much effort, but I was fighting as hard as I could to stay up. Those two minutes that we charged up Summer St were sublime; nothing mattered, nothing was real to me but the three of us and our mutual goal. As turbulent and tiring as it was, there was a stillness, a moment free of thought or feeling. Had I resources to spare in that moment, I would have thought of the soundtrack to Chariots of Fire. It was beautiful. This is the purpose for nemeses, for peers of the shoe, for the challenges we set ourselves: to motivate us to excel. (Naturally, it would have been great to excel at faster than 4:00/km, but speed will come.)

Running with Ali and Stephen in that moment was a delight, the magnitude of which was matched only by my catastrophic demise moments later, as we turned onto a steep incline on Porter St. I had nothing left; my pitiful fitness had been stretched to its limit, and with my waning strength, I could only flail in vain at the edifice of concrete before me. Just as my heart rate inched past 190, I failed. Stephen and Ali cruised ahead, and the moment was gone. I scrambled up the hill, then ran back down to the finish.

Brendan had prepared a scrumptious dinner, and Alex joined Lori, Stephen, Presto, Ali, Dean, and I for food, company, and good cheer.
Control count: 113/2000

Tufts Sprint - Splits

At the gym at my office, I hopped on the treadmill for a 45-minute, controlled pace run (threshold, I guess). I ran for 5 minutes at 5 mph, 6 mph, 7 mph, and 7.5 mph, 20 minutes at 8 mph, and finished with 5 minutes at 7 mph, all at 1% incline. The spike in my heart rate is due to an experiment trying to tuck my headphone cord into the strap, not some physiological problem. I also started the garmin about thirty seconds late and forgot to stop it for a few minutes after the workout. It looks like the contact of my HR strap was poor, especially after I took off my shirt at 15:00. The strap slipped somewhat during the workout, so I am unsurprised.

My legs felt good this morning after a day of rest, and they didn't feel particularly bad after the exercise. I did note a small pinching sensation in my lower left calf which seemed to subside after stretching.

Currently thinking about scalability of orienteering. I have many thoughts about the three A-meets CSU has organized in the past three years, some of which I may record publicly in my log soon.

Also, are you @&#$ing kidding me?

I only had time (barely) for one circuit of:
3x10 squats, +60 lbs barbells
3x10 calf raises, +60
25 tuckups
3x10 one legged leg press, 40 lbs (IMA of < 1/2)
3x10 seated leg curl, 80 lbs
3x10 seated leg extension, 80 lbs
1:00 plank
3x10 dead lift, 60 lbs

Registered for the SLOC Night and Relay Champs. I worked on the 2011 Traverse course today. I am considering running the 2010 course this Monday to get perspective. While I have spent much time in the Blue Hills over the past few years, running a Traverse before designing the next one should give insight.

In looking at the routegadget data from last year, there was insufficient route choice. My course design leans toward short to intermediate length technical legs rather than long legs. I find it challenging to set long legs in the Blue Hills that I don't think are stupid, but having more long legs is one of my goals for this year.

On the WHNO: I came across this amusing criticism of my disastrous run out of the start at Pawtuckaway.

I like that the first video hit for "Kikkan Randall" is her victory at the Sprint Final in Liberec. Pro. She's a tank in the finish chute. Also, consider the difference between competition in the US and world, as reflected in Kikkan's results.

I also stumbled across Alex's blog (how is AP not good enough???), and found a picture of canoeing team Gimpy Giggles. Also, behold the hotness.

C • Traverse run 1

Soccer with CRA. We only had 7, so we rotated teams at halftime. We played on a short field (maybe 50m) with small goals and no goalie, so while the distance was not substantial, there was lots of short bursts of speed and sudden changes of direction. Sarah Noel and Ross Eaton in particular are very good. Someone planted a cleat on top of my right foot during the game, and it turns out Inov-8 skimped on the protection for the top of the foot against spikes when they designed the X-talons. I might get a bruise, but it's nothing serious. Fun times.

Running to the soccer field.

Easy late night run to clear my head. I felt a twinge in my right leg, so I will take it easy for the next few days.