Training Log Archive: jima

Back at Ahern before the showers pushed in.

Ahern LIDAR - so much easier than the first time around, but sill plenty of moments of confusion and frustration.

Oh, and Garmin watch tracks aren't perfect

C • Confusion & frustration 2

Trail Race at Gunstock was postponed, but the trails were still there.
Certainly not done at race pace, but maybe this is what would be considered to be race pace for me at this point.
Had 2 GUs at about 45 minutes and again at 1.5 hours. Carried enough water with me - just ran out of steam on the final stretch once I came down off Rowe.
Meet Kathy Aldridge, who had the same idea, but was reversing the course.
A fair number of folks out on the trails - a nice day to be out in the woods.

Ahern run - N mtn bike section first, the XC trail, then some back and forth around the old bldgs

Blue Course at Pawtuckaway, set by Paul Regan. Nice course, looked pretty straight forward, but I got sucked into a parallel error on 5, then was looking too low on 7.
Temps in the low 60s and the mosquitoes were only fierce when you stopped, or slowed down. Swallowed a few bugs, I'm sure.
Had a good fall going across the E end of Big Island, right shoelace loop escaped from the tongue pouch and got snagged on a log, so I face planted and smacked my left leg on a rock.
After the run, headed to the beach to rinse off and cool down - as I was changing into shorts noticed blood on my shin - pretty good gash. Went to the ER when I got home, a couple stitches to close it up.

Stopped at Merrymeeting Marsh on my way home. Water is very high - able to cut most of the oxbows. Took a left donw what I thought was just a second channel of the river, but it ended up snaking its way to and along the S edge of the marsh. Followed it all the way to a small beaver dam where it got narrower - a good turnaround point. Checked the map afterwards - Coffin Brook - family name, or the site of a mill supporting a coffin-maker in times past?
A lot of ducks, red-winged blackbirds, king birds, a hummingbird, a couple beaver and I think a water snake.
A fun outing.

Kayaking around on Opechee - sun in my eyes at first. Headed over towards the dam, a lot of churn as it opens up into the lake - quite a bit of water coming through.

Water St Boat launch, up river to just below the bridge, then out onto the lake. Headed N around the 2 small islands and back.
A kid was out kayaking with his parents - he somewhat exasperated - "my family is such slowpokes"
Nice and cool out on the water - otherwise hot.

Ahern run - it had stopped raining, but there is a lot of water out there.

RV Farms Nice evening run. Feeling slow, but started loosening up and feeling better towards the end.

Event: Billygoat 2017
 

Billygoat - A fine day and an OK race.
Knowing the shape I'm (not) in, decided to focus on not trying to blaze out of the start and hang with a group that would leave me gasping and broken somewhere in the first half. Following the train to 1, assessing who was around me that would be comparable speed. Slogged up the hill, walking at a fast but not draining pace. A bit right of most of the pack to 2 on the first half, then got sucked into staying low and left up into the reentrant, then had to climb up, not seeing where my feet should go because of the horde right in front of me. Pack stayed high to 3, then reacted to a shout and dropped to it.
Had contemplated skipping 4, but just felt to early - considering 10 and 14 at this point. Stay right of the pack, not dropping quite so much and was in good shape up onto the knoll. Started taking the route to the right to 4 just E of the other knoll, right beside the marsh, then up and in - however, took a quick look back to check on the competition and saw Peggy and Ken heading to the trail to the left. Quick check, trail most of the way, seemed like a reasonable attack. Executed first part ok, joined by Dave Yee, Peggy in the lead. Right onto the small trail, Ken kept on it down into the reentrant, Dave and Peggy hopping off it and staying high. Opted to stay high, figured to drift off the hill to the S, but forgot that part working through the mtn laurel. Ended up staying too far N, dropping down through some really rough stuff - steep, loose rock and think mtn laurel. Finally hit the larger reentrant only to see the pack I thought I left in the dust at 3 coming across in front of me. Tucked onto the end of the train - punched 5, then off to 6.
Skirt the marsh, up the trail, left turn, trail to the first stone wall, then angle up. Middle of the pack into 6 - congestion around the water, quick refill on my bottle, punched, then scooted out of there. Looser pack to 7, chatter back and forth. Got 7, then started down the reentrant with the group, then realized I should have doubled back up the hill to go along the marsh, but felt like I'd gone to far downhill for that to be reasonable. Picking a line through the mtn laurel, most of the pack uphill from me. Got through it OK, then looped around the S end, and doglegged up and in. Just beat the pack there. Back down the hill, angle right onto the trail, cut the next junction, Peggy and Dave back with me. Saw J-J coming back out in an obvious skip of 10, hmmm. Ok to 9, decided to skip 14, then W through the marsh, hug the far shore of it and onto a trail. Got disoriented a bit after the tr junction, headed off the wrong way, but the notable absence of a pack behind me alerted me quickly. Reoriented and angled up the hill to 10, but stayed too low, meeting back up with Peggy, Dave and a few others. Pack seemed to be heading more S for a more right route to 11 than I wanted - almost reversed my track to the trail, across it, skirt to the left (S) of the knoll, around the marsh, then up the hill. Some one ahead of me, then Peggy coming up from behind. I angled over the top of the hill, while they went straighter to the trail then left. Short trail run, then cut down hill - saw the control and water jugs from a ways out. Opted to not get water, still plenty in my bottle, so gained some time on Peggy up to 12, and over to 13, Dave Yee hot on my heels.
Dropped into the large reentrant headed N, then angle over the S should of the ridge with Peggy and Dave. Drop on the other side right into the trail we wanted. Peggy was pulling ahead of Dave and I. We all took the trail just N of 2 & 3, I should have cut the corner and saved some climb, but was just easier mentally to stay on the trail. Peggy and Dave pulling away a bit and they went right up to the saddle near the first leanto. I decided to stay left and avoid the few contours climb - but pulled into 15 just behind Dave, with Peggy not in sight. Down the trail to the water stop, see Peggy heading out just as I come in. Refilled my water bottle and got out of there before Dave. OK, but slow to 17, 18, 19 and saw a bearded guy not too far behind me. Up out of 19, found the intermittent trail, then got confused by the cliffs. Headed up too early, got to the top, then had to work through the mtn laurel - probably a couple wasted minutes looking for 20. Got there just after bearded guy.
Looked at 21, and wished I saved the skip - not really interested in dropping down, but then saw the R option on the fork also stayed low. Down the bigger reentrant to the right, saw a lot of tracks, then cut left once the rocks thinned out. Saw bearded guy standing there, something about the control not working - no beep. Punched anyways, said we could vouch for each other then took off just as Dave came in. Was going to drop NE to the trail, but it looked thick and saw the route staying above the green hatching - Kept ahead of bearded guy to 22 - mostly walking. Trail route right, then left of the line, angled over and in using the stone walls. S across the trail, dropped straight down to the trail by the river, cross the bridge, and head up, bearded guy in the lead. Slogged along just uphill of the stone wall, angled over the corner, trail to the road, across , then up the field and in.
165 minutes on the nose.

Map and route -

Billygoat - Splits

NEOC Upton State Forest - Green.
Wet to varying degrees - some major and minor bobbles.
Took it easy with the Billygoat tomorrow

Random meanderings in Ahern with new LIDAR base map - this is going to be fun!