Training Log Archive: Gswede

I have fallen to the sickness that took down a large part of the US and Spanish teams after the Classic Champs. Hopefully a few days in Miami will help me recover.

Nothing worth commenting on here. I tried to start this one-man relay but I was already starting to feel sick. My mind wasn't working and I could hardly run. I'll have to return sometime for a rerun.

Event: US Team Fall Training Camp
 

Really fun terrain. I thought Riley set a great course and I would love to go back to this area. Not many issues. Broke my compass halfway to #7 and didn't have a spare. Had to accept it and move on. It would have been nice to have one on 8, 9, and 13, but you work with what you've got.

I did have some issues that were out of my control this weekend and tried as best I could to adjust to them. But even so, I was performing below what I was capable of. Going back to Thierry's pyramid of performance--consisting of diet, rest, and training--I feel that the missing piece was rest. I did take a few days off prior to this championship, but not enough to really peak. My training was quite good and I was also happy with my diet. So rest will be the key for future events.

No GPS review since my watch wasn't picking up a signal.

A good crew out for this one, about 7 or 8 people after the craziness of finding out where we could actually park.

Very green and very fun. This session was a good reconnaissance mission. I'm looking forward to going back.

Day 2 - Blue - Splits

Event: QOC Quinquagenary @ Quantico National Meet
 

A few issues in this course. I was rushing far too much at the beginning. Somehow my watch stopped immediately after the start and I had to start it again at 7.

The main incident that took me out of this course was at #16. I allowed the green to push me to the right and onto the eastern spur. I relocated at the boulder and artificial X and took a bearing into the control from there. But when I made it to the two knolls, the control wasn't there. I assumed I had swung too far right and decided to backtrack: nothing. Then I followed the spur north and eventually found it, although it seemed a little off.

After checking with my GPS track and the tracks of four other blue runners, it looks like 16 was misplaced. I think this contributed to my mistake on 17 afterwards also as I was out of contact with the map from the start.

It seems that if you attacked it from the south, there was no problem. Perhaps most people assumed they were running slower than normal because of the green. But my attack from the east lost me time there. Looking at the two-day totals, it looks like I lost the championship there.

I certainly don't mean to badmouth the organizers. I thought the terrain and courses were excellent. They did a great job putting on a fun weekend. But it's still frustrating to lose a championship on a control like this.

It also didn't seem like a good idea to lodge a complaint since who wants to throw out a championship race, particularly when it's in its final year.

So, there it is; a misplaced control and a lost race. It's not the first and likely won't be the last. Take it in and move on to what's next.

Once again, I want to express my gratitude to QOC for the weekend. There are so many things that can go wrong in orienteering. They did a great job making everything run smoothly.

Day 1 - Blue - Splits

Event: 2017 OUSA Convention
 

Easy morning in Rock Creek with Boris and Luis. Beautiful area.

Getting out onto the Prince William model map. Super fun woods. Excited for this weekend.

Finally had a chance to rerun the sprints I helped set this summer for DVOA's sprint series. This one was at 80% and had a two minute rest.



Second sprint. This one done at 90% with no break. There was a deer at #5, took about 15 seconds to scare it off before punching the control.

Another easy day in the WIss, but this time with Luis. Left foot is much better, but still slightly bruised.

100 pushups, 20xpedestal, 5 minute calf raise, 10 minute plank