Training Log Archive: Kseniya

I'm off to hike the Desolation Wilderness for the next three days. If I don't emerge Wed night, don't look for me.

C • And if we do look for you? 4

US Classic Champs Day 2: Red, 8.7 km, 225 m climb

Solid but not sufficient. Body just too tired today, no aggressiveness at all. Strategy was just to be clean and so I may have over-read the vegetation a little bit today. 2nd place overall for the US Champs behind Ali, who got me by 12 minutes today.

I'm still fairly content with my performances this weekend. I didn't have any major mistakes, had good contact with terrain and map, slowed down when I needed to, sped up when I needed to, and most importantly, I trusted myself and my abilities. Also, I'm not sure whether it's because of the sickness or not but elevation these past two days have not affected me as much as it has in the past. :)

Analysis:

Pre-Race:
"I have to perform today. No mistakes allowed. I must not get in my own way."

Race:
Earlier start time today and it is a bit cooler, which I appreciate. I jog and stretch as warm-up to the start. Legs are not feeling springy today though. The climb to #1 I already feel heavy. Drop down to trail to #2 and attack from veg boundary but get a little confused in the control circle. Contour around, check off open areas, up and straight to the control, again, relying on veg. for support. Then I wonder off on my way to #4. Have no idea why. I take a bearing and follow my compass past the trail but then I realize I’m way right. Because I’m not sure how far up I am I go in slowly, pick up the trail leading to the control but then I hesitate close to the control circle. Nothing is making sense. I see the flag eventually but this mistake leads to diminished trust and confidence. I sort of aim for lower trail to #5 and then just go straight to the control attacking more precisely from the open area next to trail. The hill prior to #6 is killer and has logged areas that slow me down. Once at the top I hit it no problem though. Easy to #7 but I leave it in a rush and unintentionally get stuck in the green stuff, losing time. Agh.. I eventually drop down to my intended open reentrant and attack #8 straight from there. Trails to #9, feeling slow and lacking yesterday’s fighting energy. Attack from trail cautiously and precisely. Straight to #10, #11, not moving fast. Straight even to #12, not the best idea but it worked. Last section is painful and I execute it with desperation to finish.

I feel a sense of joy once I complete this race because I finally am not fighting myself out there. I finally feel I’m orienteering well. Still slow today but not bad. I’m proud of my performance on these past two days.

Positive:
No blow-ups under pressure

Negative:
Hesitation and lack of fighting energy

Red Classic Day 2 - Splits

US Classic Champs: Red course, 8+ km, and more climb than advertised

Not a bad race, happy with my efforts and my aggressiveness. Totally gave it my all and finished last few controls on auto-pilot. Did make some mistakes but no major ones. Surprised to be first among the females.

Analysis:

Prior to start: Cool as a cucumber.

Good warm-up to the start, I’m calm, no nervousness detected, and I’m focused. I know what I need to do and I want to do it well. I start to trail to #1, hit it no problem. Gradual uphill to #2, hit the trail going up and follow it to the top trail and drop into the reentrant. Minor confusion with the trees but I see the control flag. To the trail and contour around to #3, sort of misinterpret the large reentrant and think I’m higher than I actually am, move down, see boulders, realize I’m low, look up and see the flag. Damn. Annoying mistake. Up straight to #4. Bearing to #5 from vegetation boundary. To #6 I try to read the veg. boundary and go through the corridor but nothing is making sense here. I move based on feel. I encounter a ride and locate myself a little higher than I planned, I drop down on bearing into the control. From #6 I take off fast downhill and get pushed a little left, close to the line but away from the trail in the reentrant. I decide to stay higher and contour around the big hill. No issues but maybe a little slower than taking the trail. Crazy fast downhill to #8, just flying, not reading anything except the big boulders just before my bolder cluster. Straight to #9, leg looks scary but the spur is visible and the veg. boundary helps out. Bearing to #10. Minor contouring to #11. Straight to #12 with minor contouring again. Open area here is sandy and so slow. I’m feeling very tired. I see Ed going up even slower than I am but he disappears left to #13 while I go right. I pick up a ride and attack aggressively on a bearing from the boulder cluster green area. I see the veg. boundary right before the control circle and I dive into and spike the control. Proud of this leg. I tell myself to be careful going down to #14, “follow your compass”, on repeat, but I still falter and end up lower because I misinterpret the veg. boundary in the reentrant. Bah, have to climb back up. Head is getting foggy at this point, I tell myself to just finish. Straight to #15, hit the cliffs, the spur and the open area before the control. On #16 I drive left and then drop too much down to the trail with a control flag, then climb back up cursing. Flying to #17 and #18.

I left my all out there.

Positive:
Aggressiveness! I had it and it did not diminish over the entire course.
Not reading too much detail. When you’re aggressive, it’s easier to let go of reading the map too much because you’re trying to move forward faster. This is the TG technique I’ve been working. It was great to read just the important stuff or follow strictly my compass.
I had trust and confidence in myself. I hesitated very little.
I did not rush as I sometimes do in the beginning. The uphill helped with this.

Negative
I did not execute routes very well. For ex., I had a plan to #7 but I ended up doing something different. This is not an unusual error for me.
I did not simplify enough. Yes, I read less than typically but there is still room for picking even simpler routes and running them faster.
I did not pick safer routes. I chose to go straight sometimes vs aiming higher. #14 is an example of this. I should have aimed for the large reentrant higher and then dropped down to the control, which would have been a safer and faster route.

C • Nice! 5

Red Classic Day 1 - Splits

Event: BAOC: Truckee A-meet
 

Sickness getting worse overnight and after flying (not fun being sick on the plane btw). Nostrils burning in this dry air + major headache.
Balter and I went on a nice hike this morning on our way to the Sprint venue. It was a mellow ascent of Mt Rose but we didn't quite get there. Felt better afterwards.

Sprint at Northstar Ski Resort: part woods, part village
Tried my best to forget about everything and just focus on my Oing, which worked well. Altitude definitely affecting me.

Red Sprint - Splits

Feeling a little better but not by much, just a different stage of sickness..

Feeling like poop