Training Log Archive: Mr Wonderful

Things are looking worse for me - I'm now outnumbered 4:1.



The small white thing on the left, Betsy, is related to our beloved Bartleby.

C • New Arrival 1

And.....chain's done.

I wish I had not discovered that on the Poto, which has its share of hills. By the end, any significant pedal effort had it jumping. I wonder if the cassette is hosed now too? Whatever I do should involve a full tune up prior to Le Rage.

Good stuff, now I can check the contentious ones via QR. Subjectively, they look okay, but we shall see!

Bike drop o is fun, trying to switch between "bike speed" (I should really put my board on!) and then foot o hiking pace. It helps that the map is generally awesome.

My apologies to anyone who didn't use the trail almost directly to #94. I had no idea it was there - the danger of visiting only from one direction. Ditto #70.

Bike drop o. Hot as blazes. It seems my orienteering penmanship could use some work.

C • Better than ours 1

I often have grand visions of doing things like riding my bike, and then my alarm button hand hits snooze until I accumulate eight hours of sleep, regardless of what plans that ruins.

tl;dr Nitrogaine returns in 2017, details tbd

Nitrogaine II went well. Great group, super helpers (esp. the incomparable BNM, and pickers Igor, Ati, JK). Also, I cannot stress how great it is to have an audience that is something like 99% positive about everything. I had one good natured angry fist shake and re: one cp: "t'was impossible". Both taken under advisement (not my favorite parts of the course, totally fair criticism, wouldn't use either again (at night)). So much positive attitude really warms the soul.

Improvements over round one:

* Reduced scope I think was better (45 km->35 km beeline)
* Increased density near start/finish was better for most teams and gave more routes
* First to find cash prizes
* Silver Lake finish has better amenities
* Switch to scrambled over omelettes improved speed

Issues:

* Well the sticks only hold 50, so hanging 53 was silly (didn't think to check SI-9 spec until it stopped beeping during my dining room test on Thursday). Only have 44 next year anyway, shouldn't be a problem.
* Midterm! I'm soooo going to bomb
* Key co host racing (makes Saturday a crunch)
* Woods not as nice, should scout better - school didn't help but could be accommodated with superior planning and discipline

Considerations for next year:

* Move or stay? PRA is super easy to work with. I have at least one more trick to expose more terrain and vary the experience
* pre hang reflective material during scouting for speedier setting
* Different weekend - avoid SCAR (for more BNM time) and avoid potential school overlap - August is no classes at either campus, and isn't the "shortest night", but is still short ish. Could be warmer and buggier?
* Add a quarter? Could add a two hour version w/minimal extra effort.
* Stipulate that the worst score gets a free lesson. :)
* Study the Top Routes, which heavily converged around the same potential distance, and cater it more tightly to that (maximum density, minimum unused areas - not many went to horse trails (also 'cuz of bad point balance))- should be easier to set up
* Late reg was a boon to attendance. Just need to spec the guaranteed swag cut off for sure so I don't sweat about it
* pre hang truly remote earlier? Probably would be okay, and make weekend of less stressful.
* I think I can cajole another 1-2 to people to hang around next year and help which would be helpful.

Interesting quirks:

* Racers are camels! I drank a liter per hour in setting, so I provided, roughly, 3 liters per racer at the water stops, which is like 32 gallons dispersed between the six stops (with 5 more gallons at HQ). Total gallons used by competitors? 6-8 or something. Crazy low. How weren't they thirstier?! It was warm and muggy in the woods! I think Sarah drank 3L during just the Half, but the full folks didn't do much. Oddly, the Patterson Lake stop was hit hardest (and not many teams went there), but it was visible to cyclists so I'm not sure of the Nitrogaine vs. Poto split, haha.
* Bike setting is fun. One wonders if there's a bike drop o event format that would be fun. Other than the first there really sets a good idea of where to bike drop, but maybe if you cluster it a bit, that only gives an AP for the first c and the rest are fair for everyone. EG, look at Waterloo - some areas look alright but are too far apart to be anything but boring slogs on foot, and you'd need to cluster in each section anyway to give some off trail.

C • re: Water 4

C • Don't tell my mom. 1

Event: Nitrogaine II
 

Bike O for the dead lake section.

I came out of the 68 / 88 / 104 section back onto Poto right as some trail runners came by. They looked at me, in my helmet and pack, haggard, as though I might murder them there. And I was then going their direction, so lots of nervous looks back.

They encountered the trail coordinator for this section of the trail, and she explained to them that I was trimming branches. I wasn't, which I clarified with her later (BNM knows her, of course). Trail coordinator was very nice - we both confessed to occasionally biking a bootleg exit from the trail (me for nitrogaine, her for house proximity).

I'm always impressed how much ground the Nitrogainers cover - this took a long time to bike!!

Nitrogaine registration up 25% over last year, thanks to a late surge. (now at 21 full, 9 half)

C • hey, that's great! 8

so....hot.....

BNM was kind enough to join to scout the bulk of the southern points. Perhaps more green than ideal, although most landings remain nice.

While I sometimes cringe thinking about something dumb I said six months, some people have no qualms about RV cheating their way to an across-the-USA-on-"foot" record.

https://www.reddit.com/r/running/comments/4nc18o/r...

Letsrun.com reader tried to meet up with the guy, only found an RV moving slowly, and then speeding off. No runner. Then someone found security footage also of an RV driving at running speed with no runner in sight.

People lodging questions on FB are met with, "Hey, he's a nice guy, stop hating." Deny deny deny.

Noooo

Forgot to charge watch, but did charge down Hines. Ride had PR potential, other than no luck with the lights.

Speaking of lights, I have one intersection of concern. Today the oncoming drive motioned for me to do the Jersey left when the light turned green (Hines to Outer). I wish there was a cut into the Dearborn Heights subs from Hines so I could go straight and turn at a better spot. Some days it's interesting because there's enough traffic and you have to move from the shoulder into the traffic to make the left, but won't be going anywhere near the 4x mph they are doing.

C • The struggle is real 1

C • The struggle is real 1

Well, I did not know that would be possible so soon!

Helped that I tried to reel in a cyclist right after getting onto Hines. I couldn't, for a long time. Finally tried to make a pass stick, but she was too fit, and caught me within a half mile, so we chatted until her turnaround. Nice lady.

Hammered through the Old Village when I saw the possibilities.

Imagine if you didn't have to do 12 mph average on Paul in Detroit.

C • Wow!!! 2

Should make for some sweet long rides when finished - something like 70 miles in a loop of paved rail trail style biking - I 275 + downriver metroparks + new trail up to ~River Rouge, then a new River Rouge Greenway to Hines, and Hines to 275. Or backwards, etc. Plus you could add in Grosse Ile which is pretty benign traffic wise and is ~15 odd mile scenic affair.

https://95795ca1-a-88bd8a27-s-sites.googlegroups.c...

http://www.downrivergreenways.org/home/our-partner...

Doing a yellow -> orange terrain sample, mostly trekking out to a valley / saddle and trying to explain how that can lead you to where you want to go. Nice people, both the family and the two Windsor area residents doing SCAR.

Note for next lesson: specify a check in time and location (perhaps my identifying attire or car) and then specify a solid departure time. I hear a 30 minute late arrival was "disappointed" to have missed the start.

I naturally forgot to start my watch, so I'm fudging the time and distance.

Thankfully the temp was good, and the biking must have a little carryover as I ran it with less duress than previous outings.

Road to 2 and 3, except I stuffed up the end of 3, even with Steve Simpson also in the area. Had fun chasing Kevin at 5-6-7.

Met Tizoc near #12 as I hosed that one, which looks super easy but it easy to miss north for some reason - I need to watch for sneaky ones like that.

Fun times, thanks to Mark for hosting a last forest one for a bit.

Congrats to Igor for smoking it - the gap's gone back the other way since grad school - have to do something about that!!!

C • I saw you 2

Flag pick up with BNM, focusing on a sample approach to #11. She was soo close.

Barbara was kind enough to accommodate a schedule influenced by new tires and a new windshield. Skipped a couple to meet our evening commitments but maybe I can pick some up looping to Brighton.

I was off like three solid times, not sure what was wrong with me.

I did not expect to be back on my bike so soon.

But I woke up to find one of my Escape tires measured this many psi:



I could either fix it or bike in.

So I biked in.

Only when I got to work, I learned that the power was out, and I found recent texts from the boss saying, "work from home".

Good news, I hadn't even gotten in the door, and hadn't showered.

I did have a 9:30 conference call, so I started back and found a picnic table.

Now this is a meeting.

Then as I was quite tired and still recovering, seat wise, from Wednesday, this was sluggish. Also I wanted to keep knee efforts in check to prevent overuse. So I did get passed once (but passed two others).

My longest bike ride ever. The objective was straightforward - ride out to Pointe Mouillee, then ride home, almost entirely via MUPs or rail trails.

I started the day right:



Then puttered about a bit until I was finally locked and loaded.



It's a flat ride, with the exception of the occasional train bridge.



And I got to wait for a train



Finally crossing the Huron



One of the tribes that operated in the Flat Rock area was fond of bears.



Leaving Flat Rock, I finally rode on the first long stretch of road, S Huron Drive, which wasn't too bad, and it ends right near the entrance to Pointe Mouillee.

PM was much harder riding than I anticipated. It's accessed by a gravel road. Not too bad, a little lose. Then kind of a crushed gravel bit - really fine. Then up onto the proper outer ring - loose stone. Picture that Belding race where you cursed the old rail bed - yep. My triceps ached from the chatter. I went slowly.

But there were some nice views.

There are rollers to scoot your boat from Lake Erie into the inland ponds.



Looking upriver towards Grosse Ile



Presumably Jen's house, although the windmills are hard to see. This is about as far east into Lake Erie as you can get.



Obligatory squinting selfie



Okay, so I shouldn't try to wade the gap.



But it's sooooo close!



Okay, off we go



And NOW we can finally head for home!



Springfield! (or rather, Fermi II)



Around now I briefly stopped to resupply - gatorade, snickers, trail mix.

One day I'll paddle here - to the end of the Huron River.



Which means it's probably up hill back...

To access the Oakwoods Metropark Downriver Greenway Trails system, you must cross this island, which is pretty cool. Note to self: When you do paddle the Huron to its end, there are a couple portages here.



I really didn't need any more bike leaning pictures, but holy crap I'd been on the bike a long time and needed a break. This is where you jump off the I 275 trail to get into the Metropark system.



I under fueled, because it was pretty casual and cool in the morning. Also I forgot food. So I stopped in....Belleville? for a little rest, water, and finally eating the trail mix. I dumped some remaining water on my head. How soon until the next gas station? I was empty!



Finally a little picnic just south of Canton to get the fuel and kick to finish up the trip.



I was never so happy to see Ford Road, which means just a few more roads until Plymouth.

Everything is very tired now. Although I'm the only person not currently taking a nap!

A stuffed burger harkens.

C • A+ 12