Training Log Archive: dlevine

US Nationals Middle Course

Made the same error to #1 as yesterday - should have made a beeline for the trail that passed near the control. Misread the description for #2 (read second symbol down which was #1 as the start had a symbol) and was searching for a depression, not a spur. Found it with a small pack, but was confused and let them run away so I ended up credited with a small error at #3 as well. Overshot #4 and had to double back a bit. With no confidence (and recalling big errors in this area many years ago), I was tentative and slow all the way to #5. By now I "knew" that I had errors on four of my five legs (true, although I was counting #1 and not #3, unlike the analysis), I decided just to "go for it" with whatever energy I had and let the chips fall where they might. Picked up the speed to #6, was mostly clean to #7 except for the "over the knees mud" I stepped in and had no other issues except the hill to #10 which was purely physical. I got up it by telling myself it was the last hill (but for one contour at #13). Leaving #11, I was surprised by the uphill - though less so when I saw that the control description was "top of hill"; bobbled #13 a bit and tried to run in. Goal of top half finish was "missed by this much" as I came in 12th of 23. Not a great run, but many others had worse ones.

Control pickup right in the area where I had so much trouble. Not sure whether I should thank Lindsay or not. Even had to get my own #4 although I did better this time.

Middle Green Y - Splits

US Nationals Long

Bad route to #1, taking way too much of the green. Should have run the edge of it to the deer trail at the top of the hill. Spike next two and then made three errors to #4. Kean Williams "caught me" there (although he had started ten minutes earlier), but I realized that we were in the wrong, albeit unmapped, green and ditched him. Overshot #5 and he caught me again. Long slog all the way up the hill to #6 more or less with Kean, but again we separated in the circle and I got there first. He caught me as I drank and we were then togther, him a bit ahead, to #7 and #8. Angled to the trail to #9, hitting it just before the road bend. Spent the road trying to catch Rob Wilkison and Kean and sort of succeeded. A train of four of us attacked #9 and then took #10 in stride. Kean and I were somewhat together most of the way to #11, but I saw the depression to the right and dove in again and got it. Crashed out to the trail and took it to #12 living in fear that Kean - who had shown that he was moving faster - would catch me and that there was no more real nav. Fear is a great motivator as he got to the trail (so he told me later) only to find that I was out of sight. Slight bobble at #13 and in for a decent, low middle of the pack run.

Control pickup. The skies opened as we were divvying up assignments, but I got to drive to mine and it was dry again by the time I headed out. Picked up one control that I had seen on course (not mine) and didn't even recognize it until I studied my map later.

Long Green Y - Splits

US Nationals Sprint

Solidly boring race. Mistook the tunnel symbol for bridge at #2 and lost some time (WinSplits says 17 seconds) and basically repeated the error at #14, but caught myself soon enough. Low middle of the pack finish.

Control pickup - and unsuccessful radio repeater pickup. Time discounted for time spent searching all the wrong trees for the repeater.

Sprint Green - Splits

Mini Mayhem course. Strong, tiring ride as I really tried to crank it. Top 5% overall, but just missed top 10% for age group. Also missed the all-time Y mark. The guy who has lately been just in front of me did it again, beating me by three seconds, but some other guy took me by 12. P: 278; C: 58

Rabbit Run course - Good ride; easily top 10%, but missed the all-time Y record (which I did not know) by one second! P: 258; C: 55