Training Log Archive: Mr Wonderful

I am going to buy some new shoelaces for my Cascadias because those things do not stay tied! It makes me timid in swamp crosses, or I stop to tie them all the time. Maybe the New Balance sausage style.

2011 Crooked Lake Fall SMOC meet

I felt good at the start, but then just wasn't reading the map well. I "AR'd" too many of the points - get close, and get lookin'. Not the best method with the amount of vegetation.

1 - Stupidly troublesome. I missed the trail turn off after the pond, and turned up after the swamps, but was too far west, so I ended up looping back from the west.

2 - tried to find trail east of green, but missed it and went somewhat green. Had to go west to punch the flag.

3 - Came a bit over the top to the east and dropped back down

4 - went south to the contours paralleling the feature, and followed them right in. After picking up this control, I think the pro line would be between the swamps, more straight.

5 - I wasn't feeling confident off trail, so I jumped on the road, and picked up the trail east of the pond, then attacked in a NNW direction, following around the little swamp. Was mildly east, but not too bad

6 - I was unsure of the swamps, so I went down to the road. I took a drinking break while walking, and panicked when I saw the parking bump out, but it was the first one, which I hadn't noticed, so I turned up earlier than planned. I ran into the swamp near the trail junction, so I had to go east to pick up the main trail. I missed the bridge and cut through the creek. I seemed to pick a more northerly log to cross out to the island than the others passing through that area at the same time

7 - Not too much trouble, just wasn't efficient, zig zagging over the creek to it.

8 - misread the contours, had to climb up for it a bit

9 - Just followed the valley right to it

10 - Make me question my participation in the sport! I was trying to avoid hills, so I ended meandering to the trail WSW of 9, and taking that up most of the way to 10. The and the big swamp pointing at it, I took the SE side, and was doing well, except I wandered too far east, and skirted around. I walked too long before reacclimating, and by that point I had no clue where I was - it's flat, there are swamps, it's flat over there, there's a swamp, so I just high tailed it west to pick up the trail again. Turns out I was far enough north to hit the horse camp. Argh. then I went back down, but overshot the swamp and repeated my attack, but this time I made sure I hugged the swamp, and found it without much difficulty. If only I could stop making stupid mistakes. I need to monitor time or distance so I can bail out and get my bearings earlier, before things get desperate.

11 - I went right there, but I didn't see the flag so I poked around a bit. :(

12 - Easy enough, went to rock pile to the south along a faint trail, and it was easy to spot

13 - I screwed up at a trail junction and wound up on the road farther east, but recovered okay. Worked through the ditches to the east and then went to it, although I misread the circle and though it should've been more SE. Then I tried to spring to the finish, but we'll see how that worked out. I was pretty beat!

C • The area near 10 is tricky,... 4

Control pickup. It is so much insanely easier when you walk 2.5 mph than when you try to go fast!!