Training Log Archive: kissyIn the 11 days ending Aug 9, 2015:
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Sunday Aug 9, 2015 #
Note
After the 6-Days was over, we made our way to Aviemore for a few days. What a cute little town! We spent today in Edinburgh, mainly with the idea of seeing Edinburgh castle and the Royal Mile. As we were heading up these Hogwartsian stairs:
we heard someone yell, "Mikell!" It was Dave Yee, along with the Hammer clan and Izzy. So we followed them to their very cool place for a cup of tea. Quite amazing that in a city filled to the brim with a Fringe crowd, we found some other orienteers... or they found us.
We went on to the castle, which was amazing, and on to the Royal Mile, which was packed, and then home again to our quiet little town.
we heard someone yell, "Mikell!" It was Dave Yee, along with the Hammer clan and Izzy. So we followed them to their very cool place for a cup of tea. Quite amazing that in a city filled to the brim with a Fringe crowd, we found some other orienteers... or they found us.
We went on to the castle, which was amazing, and on to the Royal Mile, which was packed, and then home again to our quiet little town.
Saturday Aug 8, 2015 #
Orienteering 1:29:25 [3]
Day 6 at Glen Affric.
This was even more fun than yesterday, but my ankle was pretty sore so that I couldn't do much running. Plus, the word for the day was "wet." Every route choice involved some kind of water, mapped or not. I enjoyed it.
This was even more fun than yesterday, but my ankle was pretty sore so that I couldn't do much running. Plus, the word for the day was "wet." Every route choice involved some kind of water, mapped or not. I enjoyed it.
Friday Aug 7, 2015 #
Orienteering race 1:55:40 [4]
Day 5 at Glen Affric.
This was very physical, and yet still fun. It took me way too long to get through the nasty bits, but the orienteering part, the navigation, kept it interesting. My biggest mistake was staying too long in an "open" area and slogging through the wet, hummocky, downed tree parts. It was there that I also hopped over a stream and crunched my ankle. It hurt for a bit, but I could keep going. It ended up swelling that evening.
This was very physical, and yet still fun. It took me way too long to get through the nasty bits, but the orienteering part, the navigation, kept it interesting. My biggest mistake was staying too long in an "open" area and slogging through the wet, hummocky, downed tree parts. It was there that I also hopped over a stream and crunched my ankle. It hurt for a bit, but I could keep going. It ended up swelling that evening.
Thursday Aug 6, 2015 #
Orienteering race 1:08:43 [4] 5.1 km (13:28 / km) +135m 11:54 / km
Day 4 Scottish 6 Days at Darnaway
Our second day at Darnaway, this time on the west side. Another beautiful set of woods; I thought much like yesterday. The courses were longer and the map was 1:10000, but it still felt like yesterday's area. I didn't have too many issues, just a few bobbles again, but the other women in my category must have been flying because I'm much further back on what I thought was a good run. Stupid women.
Here's the entrance to Darnaway Estate:
And then we went out for a simply scrumptious dinner:
And to cap off the day, we found a wild gooseberry bush. Yum!
Our second day at Darnaway, this time on the west side. Another beautiful set of woods; I thought much like yesterday. The courses were longer and the map was 1:10000, but it still felt like yesterday's area. I didn't have too many issues, just a few bobbles again, but the other women in my category must have been flying because I'm much further back on what I thought was a good run. Stupid women.
Here's the entrance to Darnaway Estate:
And then we went out for a simply scrumptious dinner:
And to cap off the day, we found a wild gooseberry bush. Yum!
Wednesday Aug 5, 2015 #
Orienteering race 41:46 [4] 3.3 km (12:39 / km)
Day 3 Scottish 6 Days at Darnaway.
Today was a short day on the same map as the WOC Middle races, and I really enjoyed it . It reminded me of the cat maps in Wisconsin with a lot of kettle moraine terrain. The woods were also wide open, so it was really beautiful running. And the map was 1:7500, so what more could you ask for. I had a few small bobbles, but nothing too significant.
I started at the same time as the WOC relay, so I missed the first leg of the women's race, but I was there to see Ali and Emily fight it out in the finish chute. So exciting!
Here is the typical view on our back porch:
The queue to the loo:
Today was a short day on the same map as the WOC Middle races, and I really enjoyed it . It reminded me of the cat maps in Wisconsin with a lot of kettle moraine terrain. The woods were also wide open, so it was really beautiful running. And the map was 1:7500, so what more could you ask for. I had a few small bobbles, but nothing too significant.
I started at the same time as the WOC relay, so I missed the first leg of the women's race, but I was there to see Ali and Emily fight it out in the finish chute. So exciting!
Here is the typical view on our back porch:
The queue to the loo:
Monday Aug 3, 2015 #
Orienteering race 1:31:20 [3] 4.4 km (20:45 / km)
Day 2 at Strathfarrar.
So, this was pretty much a disaster. Missed horribly on two controls: the first one due to the bracken hiding the features and the other was just me being stupid. I also was pretty wiped out halfway through, so not a lot of speed going on. Running down steep hillsides covered in bracken hiding rocks is not my favorite thing. I fell many times today. Tomorrow is another day.
So, this was pretty much a disaster. Missed horribly on two controls: the first one due to the bracken hiding the features and the other was just me being stupid. I also was pretty wiped out halfway through, so not a lot of speed going on. Running down steep hillsides covered in bracken hiding rocks is not my favorite thing. I fell many times today. Tomorrow is another day.
Sunday Aug 2, 2015 #
Orienteering race 1:19:00 [4] 5.25 km (15:03 / km) +105m 13:41 / km
Day 1 Scottish 6 Days - Achagour, north of Nairn
Not a totally clean run, bobbled 1, 2, and 8, and a poor route choice to 10. But nothing too bad, and I'm holding onto my goal of top half.
It was a beautiful day while we were at the event. I was first out in our group (me, Mikell, Peter, and Gail), so I jogged to the start by myself. Somehow, the three of them all start close to each other each day, and I am the outlier. I'm also the slacker in results...the three of them are all in the top ten in their categories. I can't do that, but I can definitely move up.
Not a totally clean run, bobbled 1, 2, and 8, and a poor route choice to 10. But nothing too bad, and I'm holding onto my goal of top half.
It was a beautiful day while we were at the event. I was first out in our group (me, Mikell, Peter, and Gail), so I jogged to the start by myself. Somehow, the three of them all start close to each other each day, and I am the outlier. I'm also the slacker in results...the three of them are all in the top ten in their categories. I can't do that, but I can definitely move up.
Saturday Aug 1, 2015 #
Running 1:10:37 [3]
The trip over was not too bad, except I got little to no sleep. And it still amazes me that I paid $1200+ for my ticket and all I got besides the space in the plane (which wasn't that large) was 2 cups of water. I long for the good old days of trans-Atlantic flying.
When we got to Glasgow, we picked up the rental car and began another harrowing first day of driving on the left. Not as bad as the last first day, but still pretty stressful, especially doing the four hour drive on no sleep. I resorted to eating carrot sticks to try to stay awake. We also stopped at The House of Bruar, where I stopped last time. A wonderful place full of sweets, food, coffee, tea, various shops. I only got a latte to try to hold off the sleepiness.
After quite a delay through Nairn, we finally made it to our cottage in Dyke. It's quite cute and quite perfect for our stay here. We dropped off our stuff and headed to Forres to watch the Sprint qualifier. Unfortunately, we missed most of the women, but did see and cheer for Ali finishing. Hung out with Peggy and Nadim and kids. Then ended the evening by heading to the Tesco for groceries. I have to say it's nice to know my way around and not be totally bewildered by everything. It makes a big difference.
We slept in today...until 10:00!! I guess I was really tired because that was 10 straight hours of sleep. Had a light breakfast and then headed to Culbin Woods for an easy shake out run. I had the map from the race here in 2013 and let Mikell take that; I was happy enough with just a run. I did go off trail once, though, and that was enough to get me a little turned around. I went through some thick woods, thinking I'd hit a trail, turn right to another trail, and then left to the car park. I did all that, but then I hit an intersection with the wrong numbered post. My first reaction was the trail map I was carrying was wrong and started going in the wrong direction, but after about 50 yards, I told myself that the map can't be wrong...it was me (good lesson for the week). Went back to the intersection, figured out what I had done, and aimed for the car park.
This run felt so great. I felt like I was moving well. I felt light and smooth. And, at the end after my mistake, I ran especially fast to the car park because it was a pay lot and we had only paid for one hour. We didn't have any coins with us, so I basically had to mooch a pound off of a man in the parking lot when we got there. (I was quite happy that I still can sweet talk a man into paying my way.:-))
When we got to Glasgow, we picked up the rental car and began another harrowing first day of driving on the left. Not as bad as the last first day, but still pretty stressful, especially doing the four hour drive on no sleep. I resorted to eating carrot sticks to try to stay awake. We also stopped at The House of Bruar, where I stopped last time. A wonderful place full of sweets, food, coffee, tea, various shops. I only got a latte to try to hold off the sleepiness.
After quite a delay through Nairn, we finally made it to our cottage in Dyke. It's quite cute and quite perfect for our stay here. We dropped off our stuff and headed to Forres to watch the Sprint qualifier. Unfortunately, we missed most of the women, but did see and cheer for Ali finishing. Hung out with Peggy and Nadim and kids. Then ended the evening by heading to the Tesco for groceries. I have to say it's nice to know my way around and not be totally bewildered by everything. It makes a big difference.
We slept in today...until 10:00!! I guess I was really tired because that was 10 straight hours of sleep. Had a light breakfast and then headed to Culbin Woods for an easy shake out run. I had the map from the race here in 2013 and let Mikell take that; I was happy enough with just a run. I did go off trail once, though, and that was enough to get me a little turned around. I went through some thick woods, thinking I'd hit a trail, turn right to another trail, and then left to the car park. I did all that, but then I hit an intersection with the wrong numbered post. My first reaction was the trail map I was carrying was wrong and started going in the wrong direction, but after about 50 yards, I told myself that the map can't be wrong...it was me (good lesson for the week). Went back to the intersection, figured out what I had done, and aimed for the car park.
This run felt so great. I felt like I was moving well. I felt light and smooth. And, at the end after my mistake, I ran especially fast to the car park because it was a pay lot and we had only paid for one hour. We didn't have any coins with us, so I basically had to mooch a pound off of a man in the parking lot when we got there. (I was quite happy that I still can sweet talk a man into paying my way.:-))