Training Log: tdgood

Through the neighborhood.

Event: QOC Intro to Adventure
 

Day 2 West Point: Green X, Lake Frederick

Somewhat unusual layout. I had a 0.4 mile walk from the car to the shuttle. Then a 1500m ride up the road to the drop off, followed by a 700 m walk to the start. Fortunately clothing return was close to the start unlike Saturday.

I was standing at the start area when I realized I had left my glasses in my jacket. I ran back and they were already packing up clothes for clothing return but hadn't gotten to me jacket yet. I was able to get back to the start with glasses without a problem.

#1: Flipped the map over. Dang there is a lot of black on the map. So much that it was very hard to see the contours. I started off slow trying to read the map but decided to just head that direction and pace count. Sort of saw the cliffs I wanted to see and could see the control from a distance. I got there just behind Lazlo who started several minutes in front of me. Not a good start for him. I was wondering if this meant we would be together the rest of the course.

#2: Angled up to the trail right behind Lazlo. he was in the best line so I couldn't get by him initially. Got by him and hit the trail. Down the trail to the bend. I was right on the line but as I got close I saw someone leaving a boulder decisively and thought that must be the control. It wasn't. When I turned around I Saw the control right where I had been. Lazlo was right behind m at the control.

#3: I screwed the pooch on this control. I was too intent on getting ahead of Lazlo and not not enough on where I was going. I made the jump as if I was running to 3-4 and not 2-3. Lazlo angled off toward 3. I got on an animal track that I thought was the trail. Ran this a ways when things just were not looking right. Realized what I had done. I wasn't totally sure where I was at this point so just angled in the direction towards 3. I crossed the road and was able to figure out where I was. I had a opposite approach from everyone else but I was able to navigate to it (Thank John for the map being correct). This could have been a lot worse. No sign of Lazlo.

#4: 2nd time doing this leg. Ran up to the trail, got on the trail and ran to the water stop and just kept going to the control. I had the fastest time on this control. I guess having looked at it earlier saved me time.

#5: Straight'ish but I drifted right. Could see control from way away.

#6: I wanted to make the initial climb up the cliff and run the flatter section at the top but I couldn't see any way up the cliff. I opted for the left route. Ran trail down along cliffs then turned NE. I got on an animal track (which I found out later was actually an old trail). Ran this a ways until it ended. I still wanted to get up top so found a good spot to get up the cliff. In hindsight I should have stayed low all the way around the cliffs. Once I got up top it was slow going through the mountain laurel. I had a good idea where I was and when I saw the small pond (mapped as a marsh) I knew where I was. I was still unsure how to approach the control and picked the wrong slot in the cliffs and had to cut back up and over.

#7: Straight'ish, through the green. Green wasn't too bad. I went right to the control.

#8: Dropped down the road. Red runners coming up the road. Saw Lazlo heading up to 7. Went to 2nd stream and cut up. Then I started 2nd guessing if I had come up the correct stream as things didn't look right. I went back over to the other stream bed and went up. Turns out I was correct initially so had to go back up and over and down to the control. Lazlo approaching as I left.

#9: Straight

#10: Cut down to the road in best path possible. All the roads looked the same but some on map were black road and some the brown roads. They looked the same to me. I hesitated more than I should at the junction to make sure I was good to go. Stay low on road and could see control way up the hill. Stupid control location.

#11: straight. Couldn't see the reentrant on the map but assumed there was one.

#12: Back to the road. Past Kris Beecroft. Kept looking at map and couldn't believe the control was actually on the road.

#13: People were with me to just ran hard. Saw control in field and headed towards it. Realized there was no boulder so angled back to our control. Another stupid control location with other controls.

#14: started off littler off in direction. Relaized I wanted to be by the pond so set off at a good pace. Could see the powerline control so ran to it. It wasn't mine. What the #$#$$%. Had to stop and look what was up. I had apparently run by the control. Could see the control. Two controls in sight of each other on the same feature. BAD BAD BAD.

#15: Still mad at this point. I thought it looked less green on the other side of the stream so I went that way. It wasn't. There were thorns so I had weave. Then I got confused at the road junctions. I though the control was by a pond but it was actually "green" on the map that in the yellow looked like a pond. Lost more time here.

Finish: ran the marsh in.

Green X - Splits