Race Evaluation
QOC: Little Bennett: Blue
Nadim
| 1. |
Read map too late Bad compass work +00:30 | I started around 1:18pm and knew Ted Good would be starting close behind me. Out of the start, I did the usual thing and strated running up the hill--I'd seen some other green course runners do that and figured the Blue course was going to too. I got part way up before realizing it and turning around. A bit flustered, I didn't set a good bearing or make a real plan. I somewhat contoured across trying to avoid the downfall. Eventually I got on the trail but was much higher than needed. Avoiding some of the mud on the trail and reaching an intersection, I ran in. | |||||
| 2. | Straight down the ridge to the trail, I noted some things with the trail not matching-up. For the most part, I kept going a steady pace. | ||||||
| 3. | Trail and road to the control. I was surprised how easy the course was so far. | ||||||
| 4. |
Confused parallel features +01:30 | I cosidered using the road for a second but didn't plan it out. Instead I climbed on the trail to a bend then on the side of the reentrant. To avoid downfall, I climbed a bit high. I almost missed seeing the big reentrant junction. I went down a bit but stayed above the reentrant junction. I climbed the hill pretty well but did walk a short bit. Hitting the trail, I lost my place on the map. I saw a trail intersection ahead and should have kept going but thought I was already near the next intersection. I cut in on the wrong reentrant and went to the bottom. I probably scared a hiker as I approached him willy-nilly from off trail. After a pause I realized what I'd done and climbed out of the reentrant on the trail, passing the already nervous hiker. I cut in to the left, went to the bottom of the reentrant and cut right another 75m to the control. | |||||
| 5. | I set a pretty good bearing going straight and did not overcorrect when I ran around downed trees. | ||||||
| 6. | +00:25 | I crossed the ridge and plunged down. On the way, I noticed that the control was not in the reentrant (I didn't read the clue). I was set to keep going but at the stream confluence I stopped and presumed the control to be on an intermittant trail between the streams. I soon realized I needed to go futher and did. | |||||
| 7. | +00:12 | I should have analyzed this better. At first, contouring across didn't seem a good choice. I started to climb and soon reached the yellow ride. I cut left on it and ran the flat part before leaving it to the right. I climbed again, crossed the stony knoll on the big spur then dropped down. I did lose a little time when I got distracted by the sight of something white behind a downed tree. It turned out to be trash and I went on. | |||||
| 8. | I used the field and the trail after that. I started to get confused about the trail being further over on the wrong reentrant so I left the trail early (rather than use the white woods I'd planned on). I climbed the deadfallen ridge, then dropped down. I spyed #4 to my left 40-50m, pausing for a second before cutting right. As it took longer than I thought it would, I got worried. I looked over to my right and saw the shallow reentrant which told me to keep going another 100m. I angled up and spiked it. I suppose if I ran it as planned that I'd have been faster but this was fairly quick. | ||||||
| 9. | I crossed the reentrant and angled up. Hitting the trail, I stayed on it looking for the bend to be sure about where I was. It seemed that the trail had been modified. After going farther than would have been necessary to hit the bend I cut left and down a bit to run under the deadfall. Seeing the field, I climbed and got there just before Tom Strat did--he was coming from the other direction. I didn't know it but Ted Good was just behind me too. | ||||||
| 10. | Down the field past the green island with Tom close behind. It seemed like he'd gained on me but maybe it was Ted. I cut left on the trail, crossed the creek and punched. | ||||||
| 11. | I ate a Gu, drank and left. Tom had gotten there but I didn't see Ted. I ran down the trail, noting the re-route to higher ground. I had planned to go around. I almost always go around when we have a control in this valley and we have them a lot. I didn't think the climb would be worth it and I'd have a poor attack point. At the field, I hesitated and widthstood the temptation partly caused by knowing that Tom Strat was close behind. Going up the reentrant was not bad. I've gotten used to running through deadfall from vetting in Prince William Forest though I'm still not in good shape. I hit the control well. | ||||||
| 12. | I kept telling myselft two things. First to get out quick and second that short legs aren't worth making mistakes from rushing--I found a reasonable balance angling up carefully after leaving in a hurry. I got a bit left at the top but seeing the reentrant, I only needed a few more steps downward before I could see it ahead. | ||||||
| 13. | I remember being burned before by people staying high on similar legs. I stayed high angling to the saddle. It was a bit greener than mapped just before it. I cut right and saw the trail intersection. Going left on that, the trail wandered enough to make me doubt whether I was on the right trail. I kept checking the map and missed seeing the trail intersection before the reentrant. Fortunately I saw the reentrant and stayed on the trail going around it. Attacking from the bend, I crossed the wall and expected to see the control on a cliff ahead. It seemed much further down than mapped. I paused at one point, took exactly one more step and saw it practically at my feet. | ||||||
| 14. | I took off angling to the road, hitting the trail and crossing the bridge w/o drinking. I cut left and reasoned that the left most trail would be better than using the right one since it went much further right. I saw later that Peggy and Ted used the right trail but cut off it before it went out of the way. I guess I hesitate using that trail since I dont' think I've ever been up it before and had heard some bad stories about the nearby thick green. On the trail that I took I kept running albeit slowly. This wouldn't have been possible 3 weeks ago but the recent training I started has helped. At the road, I cut right, the left after rounding the reentrant. I was worried about being too low. I climbed enough to go past the cairn with the deadfall on it--fortunately I recognized it. I didn't set a good bearing and just ran on. I had to climb just a little bit more at the end and got there ahead of one person of a two person team. | ||||||
| 15. | I drank water. This was 15 seconds or so that probably wasn't necessary which had I thought about it, I wouldn't have done. It turs out that this was one of several opportunities which could have saved me a place. I was tempted to dogleg back but rushed out too quick. Once a few steps down, I felt committed so I went straight. I kept close to the line and saw Kris Beecroft in the field. She attacked before me. Our paths crossed so one of us was not right. We both converged well enough with Kris ahead. | ||||||
| 16. | I ran out fairly straight, staying high but eventually crossing the bottom of the long reentrant. I kept a run up except at the small rise at the road. I got on the trail to cross the campground area, hitting it just a few steps off to the north at the road. The control seemed a long way down... | ||||||
| F. | Rather than having looked well enough before hand, I took the time to look at the map. I could see the ampitheatre through the trees so I ignored the bearing and went off at a good pace. I hadn't done much fast running so I was happy to have kept it up going uphill. I went around the right side of the building. Except for ealy on, this was a fairly clean run for me. I guess the navigation was not all that difficult and visibility was pretty good. I think I got 5th behind Jon Torrance, Ken Walker Jr., Ted Good, and Chris Gross. Chris got me by 11 seconds so that unnecessary water stop or a couple other things made a difference. |
Total Time Lost - 00:02:37