Training Log Archive: dlevine

Couldn't really move, but was asked to help some beginners. After a bit of scrimmaging, I realized that they needed to work on their footwork. Alas, that required me to move my legs to set a good example. Fortunately, I only had to do so rarely.

Event: Salomon Dontgetlost.ca Raid the Hammer
 

Raid The Hammer (distance from Bash)

Another great race in fabulous weather going from one end of Hamilton to the other. The result was lots of corridor orienteering which doesn't play to the comparative advantage of my team. The day, however, was best described by a quote that was uttered twice: "How do you explain this to someone who isn't here?" The first time was while running on a flat stretch of the Bruce trail in the sun, overlooking Hamilton and all its beauty. The second was when we were sliding on our butts down to a muddy creek (#19) cramping up and having a great time. Old, Lost, and Far From Home (Mike Ball, Jim Miller, and I) got to run together for the first time in 18 months and it was great.

Long bus ride to the start and a huge pack took off to #1. It's probably not a good omen when one of your competitors is trying to help you by pushing you along (a friendly reverse tow) on the way to #1. Thanks anyway 'Bent. In the pack to #3, we decided to go low and around to #4 as part of a mini-pack.

We split optimally at #4 with me going up hill to 4A, the only one that required nav. Jim was really hot when he got back from 4B so he decided to strip his under armour layer. As he got to skin, some woman said, "take it all off". Little did we know what would await later on the course!

To #5, we went low and across the ski slope, but we got caught badly in the brush/rocks on the far side and lost a good bit of time even as we were dead on.

Low to #6 as we began to notice some teams having trouble. On the subsequent trail run, we caught some teams (to our surprise) and we almost cheated by virtue of not knowing which was the access road. We did continue on the Bruce Trail after consulting with Team Lyons. Into the matrix and we were chasing a team of women who all went to A even as we split up. I did A&D while Jim and Mike split B&C. We met on the trail and I went for the climb to E while they went low. (In hindsight, Jim - who was more tired - should have just walked the road.) We met up well and went on to #7.

Following the women down to #8, we crossed Jolly Cut and kept following them down the hill. Okay, following is bad, but the scenery was so nice (take that every way you want). When they stopped, we also realize the error and corrected - about 250-300 meters each way mistake.

The next excitement was near #10 when we decided to go in along the forest at the edge of the field. Big mistake. In addition to being non-optimal, I got to reenact a Looney Tunes scene. The character is walking along and steps on a rake; the handle flies up vertically and whacks the character in the head. My "rake" was a stick and I didn't see little birdies circling me, but I did go down with a nice contusion and an impressive amount of blood for what would later prove to be a small cut. Talk about being punished for a poor route choice.

For the relay at #11, we sent Mike out to A. While he was gone, we asked and were told we could do them in any order. Jim was tired, so we decided that I would do C, but do it second so I could recover while he went to B. The first 200 stairs weren't bad, but the last 87 were painful. Going down wasn't nearly as bad as I feared, however.

From #12 to #13 we went very low to avoid the OB, but we saw a fence that we thought was going to be between us and the control. We went around, only to find that we had placed ourselves on the wrong side. Five minutes later, all was fine. (Hate that.)

Not much excitement after that for a while. Like many folks, we were taken aback by the falls at #14 and had to adjust - and we were in a good pack through the Walk The Line. At the aid station we were asked if we had seen the naked guy at 15a, but I guess other teams scared him away...

Lots of folks seemed to have trouble with #16. We ended up on the spur to its west, but quickly identified where we were and did fine. Chose to go around the reentrant midway to #17 and spiked it. Spiked all of them up to #20, taking the high road to #19 and the creek beds to #20 where the photographer told us that teams were splitting about 50-50 between attacking from above and below.

By now we are cramping badly and the descent from the parking lot to the creek was an adventure. Saw three deer at the top of the hill above #21 and attacked well from the road. Thought we saw the reentrant, headed in and had the following conversation: Dave: I'm not so happy with this reentrant any more. Mike: I'm not too happy with it myself. Dave: Upon further reflection, I've changed my mind - I'm very happy with it. Mike: Hunh? Dave: I see the flag.

Down the hill, up the stairs to the road, and in - fighting cramps the whole way. Very middle of the pack finish, but quite acceptable given fitness issues. And - as always - nearly perfect teamwork/team dymamics. All that on a beautiful day. Who could ask for anything more?

(Well, actually, I could ask GHOSlow for a copy of the photo he took. My face must have been pretty good because he took several shots. I got it cleaned up in time for US Customs, but I never did see it. What's with no mirrors in the bathrooms, anyway?)

C • Thanks for the story! 4

Payne

15-9 (led 15-4)
15-8 (tied at 6)

A good day with a couple of interludes of sloppy play. Nice way to get ready for RTH, though. Success without strain; should make up for Sunday which figures to be strain without success. Of course it goes without saying that both were/will be fun.

C • See ya Tomorrow 1

Parents vs. varsity end-of-season match (and pizza party). The high level was while warming up with some of the girls - they said I was "crazy" and worked them harder than their coach - while the lower level is the match itself. For the first time, the parents really stunk and the girls kept enough focus to whup us. It's nice to see that they have enough "instinct" now that they do something effective even as they goof off.

Pool was six to seven degrees cooler than normal due to a boiler malfunction. It would have been great for laps (about a normal competition pool) but I skipped laps and went only to watercize. Go figure.