Tracking my wanderlust need to get out of town once a month

Track my O progress here

Well, June has certainly been a slow training month so far. But I made up a lot of ground this past weekend. I had a training camp in the DC area, in preparation for the US champs in November.

FRIDAY 14 June 02

MORNING at Great Falls MD

I ran a 5K course that Peggy set for me. I tried to concentrate, and treat it like an O race. My goal was to anticipate: look at the map, then know what I expected to see in the terrain. On my good days I do this very well; on my bad days, I am just reacting to everything I see, trying to locate myself on the map. I'd say I met my goal half way. I did a decent job on anticipating and map reading. I had a few small bobbles, and one big one executing a trail route choice. Halfway through the leg, I wasn't sure where I was, and I took a while to relocate. I spent 77 minutes on the course; Mike took 43 minutes.

MT = 77/770

AFTERNOON at Putuxent MD

Another 5K course set by Peggy. I knew I was tired form the morning (in fact I napped in the car while Mike hung streamers for me) but I should have spent more time warming up, both physically and mentally. On this training, I asked Mike to shadow me through the shortened course (3.5K). I was very nervous having him right behind me, and I made no effort to concentrate at all. I had no idea where I was for most of the first leg, made a major boom, and only relocated when I happened to find the marker. The next two legs were not much better. But after the third control, I calmed myself down and started to concentrate better. I was embarrassed that Mike saw my big booms; but maybe it was better that he saw me at my worst, to make comments and help prevent bad days in the future. His two main comments were to 1. pay more attention on trail runs, and 2. not to try to micro-navigate through thick stuff. (On the other hand, he was surprised at how fast I walked!)

On the trails, I would tend to just go fast, not really knowing what was ahead. When I came upon an intersection that I wasn't expecting, I stopped and had to relocate. If I knew what to anticiapte, and thumbed my way along the trail, I could avoid booms and save time.

On compass bearings or long treks through woods, I would bob and weave around thick stuff. But it never saved me time, and I veered off the compass bearing.

Mike took 35 minutes to hang the streamers; I found them all in 62 minutes.

MT = 139/770


SUNDAY 15 June 02

Beer Chase at Jug Bay MD

QOC has a race every year where the participants have to drink beer before and after the course. Fortunately, you have an option to drink soda or water instead. I did only one of the two loops, since I was tired from the day before (and I drank the water, of course). It was a mass start event, with following encouraged.

I was one of the last people in the woods, since I drink and walk slowly. I soon found myself with Suzanne Federer and a man from QOC. We were together the rest of the course.

I tried to concentrate on pushing straight through vegatation and staying on a compass bearing; and keeping track of where I was on a trail. The vegetation part was pretty easy, since the woods were fairly open. I only had one long trail run, but I knew where I was, and Suzanne asked for help since she had lost her pace count when we stopped to help a family. Overall, it was a decent run for me, but nothing special. I just enjoyed myself.

I spent 61 minutes on a 3.3K course.

MT = 200/770


posted by Mary 8:13 PM [edit]