Training Log Archive: PG

Yesterday: 1/6 (y)

I was thinking back to the Route 128 O'Ringen that NEOC put on many years ago. A quick search in my now pretty well organized map files turned up the maps, June 6, 1992, same format as Hollis yesterday, in this case 5 maps all within a short distance of Route 128, Boston's beltway. And here they are, from 16+ years ago.

Stage 1: Regis College, 1980 version of map.
Stage 2: Prospect Hill Park, 1985 version.
Stage 3: Mount Misery, 1989 version.
Stage 4: Estabrook Woods, 1987 version.
And stage 5: Menotomy Rocks, 1991 version. This stage was pretty special -- didn't have to use master maps (on the clock). And I seem not to have drawn in my route.

It too was a fine event.

C • Pretty cool. 3

With Donna and Rob, from the Cushman general store, up to Atkins Reservoir then south to Mount Orient and back. Started about 5:30, had the lights on for the last hour.

Legs not too bad after yesterday, it helped a lot that Donna was claiming to be tired, she'd run a 100-miler with 27,000' of climb (and ditto drop) 9 days ago in a little over 23 hours, so the pace was just a little bit slower than it might have been otherwise. But not much slower, might have been 1:45 otherwise.

Most amazing thing to report -- I didn't fall once. Maybe it was due to the fact that I've now been out at night 5 times in the last 5 weeks, or maybe I learned that if I hold my light real steady I can see the rocks and roots better, or maybe it was the yoga (as Gail suggested), or maybe I was just lucky.

I'll vote for the last one.

Oh, and Phil suggested on the way home yesterday that I ought to be tired because I wasn't doing any training. Yeah, right.

Event: Hollis O-Ringen
 

Hollis O'Ringen -- a few minutes warm-up before stage 1, just a little before stage 2, none before stages 3 and 4, and a very little before 5.

Stage 1, Beaver Brook. I'd been here once before, fall of 2005, heavy rain, also the weekend after after I was lucky I didn't smash my skull in a fall at the Monroe Trail race, took 40 stitches to sew me up but otherwise no further damage other than having to live with the name Cyclops until enough time had passed and folks forget. The main thing was no damage to my good looks.... :-)

Anyway, it was tough orienteering then, complicated forest topographically and on the thick side too. Still was today, even though today's course was on the short side because we were running 5 events today, and therefore didn't get over into the really complicated areas. But still needed to pay attention.

Good run, can't say I really missed anything, biggest loss of time was at #4 where in celebration of old-fashioned orienteering day -- my baseplate compass (does anyone else still use them and not thumb compasses?), hanging on a string tied to my wrist, and the punch (does anyone else still use them and not e-punching?) got tangled up and it took all ten of my thumbs a good 15 seconds to untangle things, while Ken Sr was waiting patiently. The rest was pretty good. Legs were not bad, still had to walk any hill of consequence if it wasn't on a trail. And I remember running up the last hill to the finish, and struggling a bit to keep going, and thinking, this is the best you are going to feel all day.

And it was!

Stage 1

C • compass 7

Stage 2, different part of the same map, not such a good run, starting right from the start -- I'd watched Ken Sr start a couple of minutes in front of me, he'd looked at his map a couple of times and headed SW along the edge of the playing field. So I headed that way too, and got 30 or 40 yards in that direction before realizing that I wanted to be heading to the end of the parking lot. Oops. (Turned out Ken had misread things and was heading around the course backwards, though he corrected after he was out of sight.)

1 and 2 were ok, to 3, an unnecessary zigzag route, and executed slowly too. 4 was ok, to 5 I was unplanned and slow, just not thinking ahead enough. Rest was ok. But on a short course like this, 3 shaky legs is about 3 too many.

On the other hand, I did get to see Fly Bait (aka BP, aka my good friend Phil) at his best, or rather worst -- he hustled in to the finish, but coming from a strange direction. Pete Bundschuh asked if he'd been to the last control. Hmm. Off he went to get #7, and it must have been 3 or 4 minutes (or more?) before he returned, despite the fact that the trip over to 7 and back should have taken about a minute and a quarter. Apparently his soaring adrenaline led him to take the direct route to 7, crashing through the thick bushes, missed it, overran it, crashing through more thick bushes, all at good speed I gather, eventually circling around, relocating, and finding the control. And then at least getting back to the finish the way any sane orienteer would.

Legs were still pretty decent.

Stage 2.

C • Thanks! 3

Now onto new maps for the rest of the day, at least for me. Stage 3 was a mile up the road, Hollis Elementary School and surrounding forest.

Not a good run at all. Picked up the map, there's not much on it, scale is 1:3,000, but boy was it hard to read, especially hard to figure out where the course went, hard just to figure out where #1 was. And then generally didn't have a lot of faith in the map, knowing it was made with a USGS base didn't help the confidence.

Slow getting to 1, slow getting to 2, very slow getting to 4, nailed by a single strand of barbed wire hanging from a tree on the way to 5. Somewhat crappy woods so I took a way-around route to 7, lost a few seconds to Ken Sr. 8 and 9 were ok, really had to search the map to locate 10, got there ok but had trouble spotting the control. 11 was ok, but then should have gone left of the school to the finish.

And all the way the running was getting more of a struggle.

The excitement happened shortly after I finished, I think it was Samantha came running by, someone's hurt, the hill coming down from 8, Dean is with him, he needs help. So Lex (a real doctor) and Charlie (an EMT) and several others head off to help. And the word is it's Erik who is down, Erik Nystrom, the Swedish exchange student staying with Charlie and Rhonda, just a great kid and a real good orienteer too. And the word is he is hurt pretty bad.

Up at the scene Erik is lying on the slope, clearly in pain. Lex checks him out, off with the shoe very carefully, out with the brace, wraps up the ankle good enough to protect it on the trip out, and then a couple of the strong young guys (Ross and ?) carry Erik the 100 yards or so out to the road. And then Erik is on his back and getting iced, and Lex is worried he may have broken his tibia, and then before long Charlie and Rhonda are packing things up to head home and get Erik to an X-ray machine someplace near home.

And Phil and I head off to stage 4, feeling really bad for Erik, and probably each of us also a little glad it wasn't us. Because there are any number of times in this sport that it could be.

Stage 3.

Note: I called up Erik about dinnertime. He seemed to be doing better, certainly in better spirits. No fractures, a bad sprain, but he said someone had told him maybe two weeks and then he could be active again. Which is a lot better than it looked like it would be. And he also said to thank all the folks that helped -- part of the reason he felt so bad at the time was he was just scared, didn't know how bad he had hurt himself.

Stage 4, another mile up the road, Hollis Town Forest. Getting to be midday, getting warmer. Legs definitely feeling tired, and I hadn't even started yet.

And this run was the worst yet. Missed 2 a little, missed 3, I'm sure something is fishy with the map or the control was in the wrong place, ran up the spur a little less than the distance I thought was needed, then dropped off to the right, no sign of a control. Eventually found it about 40 or 50 meters back. And then 4, nailed the small depression, except no control. Looked back in the bigger depression to the southwest, nothing there, wandered northeast, soon spotted it high on the hillside in a little wrinkle in the slope, by no stretch of the imagination a depression. Oh, well. Actually it would be more accurate to say I was quite pissed, seem to have lost my ability to take bogus controls with a grain of salt....

Onward, and now for probably both mental and physical reasons the legs were totally dead. Got the next few ok, just really slow. Muffed 9 a little, there's an extra small vague spur before the control and I did a careful look around it before heading on to the correct one. And then in and done, and really done.

An hour or so to rest up for the chase, and not looking forward to it at all.

Stage 4.

And then across the road, Woodmont Orchard and Silver Lake SP, chase start for anyone within 35 minutes of the leader (Ross), I think maybe 9 of us. Another 10 or 15 in the mass start?

Not real eager to go, very tired. But not about to pass....

And a better run than expected, did some walking but also ran a little better than expected. And just one mistake.

Ok to 1, ditto to 2, 3, and 4 although there was a good bit of walking as I angled up the slopes. Nailed 5, except, oops, it turned out to be 6, so then had to try a second time, not so easy in the apple orchard, couldn't see so far, unless you realized, which I didn't, that the special object was the little tower sticking up above the apple trees. But I got it anyway, and then weaved back through to trees to 6. To 7 wasn't fun, but I ran all the way up the hill, and in fact ran all the rest of the way, and nailed them all, or pretty close to that. So a better way to finish up the day.

And won an award, for the oldest finisher. Certainly one I'd prefer not to win.

Don't know why the legs felt better on this one. Even afterwards, didn't feel nearly so beat.

Thanks to Lex and Pete Bundschuh for their great inspiration and execution, also to all their helpers, and also to whoever arranged the perfect weather. A day not to be missed, as predicted.

Stage 5.

Stopped at JJ's on the way home. Actually stopped at DD first to get a couple of bagels, and I was surprised how loose my legs felt. Not that I wasn't tired, but I didn't feel so bent over and sore as usual after a race (or 5).

Got to JJ's, Phil had 45 minutes or so of work to do with him on the Mt. Tom map for the A meet in two weeks, so I, and this may be hard to believe, pulled out the yoga mat from the car and retreated to an empty room and had a very pleasant 20 or 30 minutes of a variety of loosening and stretching and posturing, though no attempts at balancing, and all with the added benefit of no one watching. Felt great. :-)

C • But this is a note - should... 2

#3 Hollis Elementary School - Splits

#2 Hollis Brookline HS - Splits

#1 Beaver Brook - Splits

#4 Hollis Town Forest - Splits

#5 Woodmont Orchard - Silver Lake SP - Splits

Leverett loop. Such a nice late afternoon I couldn't not go out, and couldn't also put out a little more effort than I intended to, even though I have 5 O' races planned for tomorrow. But have to take advantage of today, never know what tomorrow will bring.

Pumped up the tires, felt better.

River road - Old Deerfield loop. One of those days when it felt like the wind was always in my face. Although I think I need to put a little more air in the tires and that might have something to do with it.

Went by the entrance to Sugarloaf, everything is blocked off.

Yesterday: 5/6 (ygoec), all the maps for 2007 are now organized, progress little by little.

Then to the gym, stretching, then the Stop & Shop for a couple of things, including a book to read, figured it was time, Dreams from My Father.

And I also had a chance to evaluate the effects of the current carnage on Wall Street on the local population. At the office they were all talking about it, the statement I remember was, "I haven't lost much because I didn't have much." And at the Stop & Shop, well, they may be selling everything on Wall Street but here they are still buying, loading up on the only "investment" they ever make, lottery tickets.

And then finally back home, where Lena has called. Lena takes care of my mom, and my mom has had a bit of a tough week. Her "boyfriend" came to pick her up for dinner Tuesday evening in New York, no answer, finally he went downstairs to get someone to open the door to her apartment, she was on her knees hanging onto a small table a few feet from the door. So they got her off to the local hospital and got a hold of my sister, who lives in the city, and mom ended up spending the night in the hospital, they finally concluded there was a urinary infection that can throw things out of whack. And through all this my sister was much more together than what I expected in helping to take care of things. For which, in our several phone calls, I gave her many compliments, trying to reinforce good behavior.

Got mom back to Litchfield, Lena spent the night, at some point mom said, "I'm a very difficult woman," but Lena is very together and has things under control. For now.

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Today, so far: 2/6 (yl), where the "l" is learning how to cook salmon on the grill. At some point I will have to try cooking dinner, maybe soon, as Gail seems to be coming down with the cold that I only had a light brush with.... :-(

Bridle loop on Mt. Toby, late afternoon. Beautiful afternoon, almost a little on the warm side, but run was a struggle, muscles just seemed to ache. Contemplated various short-cuts or deviations but eventually did what I set out to do. I suppose there is some virtue in that. But given the pleasant conditions, run should have been more enjoyable.

Saw Frozen River last night, got Gail to come along (sprung it on her about 2 minutes before we had to leave, she didn't have time to say no). I really liked it, I think she mostly liked it. Nice to see a film where the budget for special effects and gratuitous violence and a dumb script is pretty close to zero. Almost had the really small theater (capacity maybe 40) to ourselves, just 3 other women.

Yesterday: 3/6 (yec), the problem if I don't put the score down until the following day is that I can't really remember what happened.

So, initial reading for today: 4/6 (ygec), with plans for some organizing this evening, maybe. Managed to put together the Team's budget, at least a tentative version.

Oh, and I got my flu shot yesterday. :-)

Plus 5 minutes on the bike to loosen up.

Poet's Seat ridge to Mountain Road and back, out white trail, back red one. I had in mind to do the full loop, 55-60 minutes, but had enough soreness stlll to convince myself 30 minutes was enough. Did manage to run the last few minutes reasonably hard.

And then a blissful 15 minutes in the sauna, careful stretching. Walked out of the gym feeling great.

A possible plan for the weekend under the general theory that life is short, squeeze in all you can -- Joe's Du-O on Saturday and the Hollis O'Ringen on Sunday. Wonder who I can get to carpool.

C • Fotos 9

Yesterday: 3/6 (yge), first e (for answering e-mail) in a few days :-( but kept at it for a while, made a lot of progress.

The regular instructor was back in town. Surprisingly strenuous. Plus my balance is abysmal. But still good to go.

Monday 4/6 (yglc), including jointly installing a new light fixture in the bathroom without any disasters (either relationship or electrical).

Whately - South Deerfield loop, not as relaxed (i.e. slow) as Saturday, but still not pushing it. Sore places felt reasonably OK, quite encouraging. Perfect day, sunny, low 60s.

And a side trip just before the end up to the top of South Sugarloaf to check on the progress of the movie set. Was in my very lowest gear and breathing pretty hard by the last part, and it was only just over a 10% grade. Much more and I wouldn't have made it.

A little quicker than running up, 9:19 last week with Dave.

As far as the movie set, well it looks pretty strange....



The little wooden structure that's usually there is sort of visible on the left, with the new stuff added wrapping around it and way out to the right. I chatted up an electrician, all the stuff above is to be used for lighting. Strange. It's supposed to be a mountain top retreat and a missile silo in the movie. Mel is still hanging out in Northampton. They don't move up here until Thursday.

The electrician is in a movie union, gets $32 an hour base pay plus hotel room and food (he's from eastern Mass.), seemed quite happy. I passed on trying to interest him in orienteering....

Nice view from up there. This is looking south, Connecticut River, southern part of Sunderland on the left, Holyoke Range (and O' map of Mt. Norwottuck) in the distance....

Valerie posted the new USOF rankings and I went and had a look and I saw I'd run 17 Green courses in the last 12 months, and then I thought I'd look a little closer to remember which those were, and it was pretty easy because Valerie has all the info right there. And I found the following events, and my ranking points for each one:

US Champs, Quatico, sprint -- 93.28
US Champs, Quatico 1 -- 113.51
US Champs, Quatico 2 -- 100.73
Flying Pig, middle -- 85.11
Flying Pig, sprint 1 -- 76.45
Flying Pig, sprint 2 -- 77.95
Flying Pig, long -- 95.29
ROC, middle -- 91.60
West Point, middle -- 105.53
West Point, sprint -- 89.83
West Point, classic -- 98.96
US Champs, Laramie, 1 -- 98.00
US Champs, Laramie, 2 -- 91.20
NAOC Sprint 1 -- 76.83
NAOC Sprint 2 -- 73.39
NAOC Middle -- 103.63
NAOC Long -- 104.40

Now, I would venture to say that I am one of the more consistent orienteers around. Maybe the difference between a real good day and a real bad day is about 10%. But my ranking for individual events range from 73 to 113. WTF, you might say (or certainly I would say it). But the rankings are not a measure of how well you did in an absolute sense, but how well you did in a relative sense, relative to everyone else on the course. If you do rather poorly, but everyone does terribly, then you get avery good ranking.

The other factor at play is the course difficulty. And here there is a clear pattern. The simpler the orienteering, the worse my ranking, because lots of other folks do well. See, for example, all the sprints. And for the longer events, those held in easier terrain.

If I cared, or if it mattered, I'd be well advised to notify Valerie before every sprint, and maybe before every trip to the Mid-West or West, and tell her to not include my result in the rankings. But I don't care (well, maybe just a little) and it doesn't matter (well, maybe just a little, the ego and all that...).

But if I was running in M21 and running in the Team Trials and wanting to make the WOC team, then I would be very well advised to do exactly that because one of the four things used for scoring is your ranking.

I wonder if anyone is doing this. Or maybe just avoiding events where they suspect they may get a bad ranking.

Not that there is anything wrong with that, sort of....

C • rankings 10