I had a morning of chopping, cooking up a ton of green peppers and sweet potatoes. I also experimented with new spice combos for mini sausage patties. A good way to use up older spices. By the time I sat down for breakfast it was already 10 and I didn't get out the door until twenty minutes later.
I'm doing this new thing now. Instead of just plugging in the address into my gps and blindly following directions. The night before I looked online the route, studied it drove on memory how to get to the place. I think it's a good warm up for orienteering since one skill to develop is to remember your route with minimal map checks. I did it yesterday and again today and it's a good way to exercise the brain. So strange to say it, since this is how we used to drive anyways, pre GPS. I'm starting to notice ways technology can make us (me) lazy and lose skillsets unconsciously.
I checked in and was off by 10:50 am. This is the second time I thought I was being lazy and getting a late start but accidently (subconsciously?) did the right thing. Usually meets are 10 to noon for check in. And I like to be there right at the start. You're less likely to shadow someone else on the same course. But it turns out today's event was 11 to 2. So I was early, but they were open for business so it all worked out. Same thing Friday. I was on a role with some projects so didn't get into the gym first thing in the morning and by the time I finally got around to it, it was lunch time and I had a hint of guilt it was so late. Except my gym was closed Friday morning for construction work and didn't open until 2. So I ran the rest of my errands and came back. I had known about the scheduled delay for two weeks. The notice was on the door I went through every day. Except I forgot, but maybe my subconscious remembered. Anyways, two times I felt bad I was running late and it turned out I was early.
Today's meet was another gorgeous perfect fall day. Again not too cold that my nose is red but cool enough that when I was working up a sweat and then got to place I could run, the breeze created from running felt really good. The meet was in a DCR park that had a strong smell of manure when I arrived. I kept checking my shoe because I thought I stepped in something. Not sure what the park was about since I didn't check it out, but there was a farm and I heard mooing near the start of the course.
I started off right behind someone else who I thought at first was on the same course, but we just had an overlap of the same control at the beginning. Which I used to my advantage to test out a question. Is it faster to cut through the brush and go a direct route, or take the longer route around, but on trails where you can run faster. We were at control one at the same time and he headed off on the hypotenuse of a right triangle and I ran the two legs of same triangle. Longer distance but we got to the same place around the same time. And I think he was probably more tired fighting through the bush. So I filed that lesson away for later. Just after he popped out of the woods and we were both looking for control number two, along came two ladies on horseback down the trail. By then I was heading off trail in search of my landmark. But it was a nice addition to the fall day.
Fast forward to about control 8, and I'm running along a path and see two more horses heading my way. I had a moment of deliberation in my head. Can I keep running? Or should I slow down and walk so as not to upset the horses? I had no idea, but figured they must be overlapping with other runners so I kept running but tried to provide as much distance between us as possible. And I slowed down a little.
Overall I did ok. I didn't have any one control like yesterday that I really struggled on. But I did have a bunch (around 3-5) where I didn't find them straight away and had to self correct. I did remember having trouble with marker two and thinking, why do I always have trouble with the second control as that was the one that tripped me up yesterday. This time, I was thrown by the guy that started just before me. He pops out onto the trail just before me and I'm distracted with my experiment I think so although I think I'm paying attention, I missed a stone wall and head off trail later than I should. I was definitely influenced by the other runner. It turns out his second control was near mine on the same side of the trail, but several hundred meters farther along. Once I figure this out, I run back and find mine right away. I really need to learn to block out the other competitors because usually they are on another course, or more lost than I am.
Today's forest had a ton of stone walls. I can't remember having another meet where I used stone walls so much as guides for finding the markers. There was one water spot, near a stone wall that I was so happy to see. I really need to invest in a small water carrying device. I was getting thirsty today. And yesterday.
Overall, I had a lot more energy and didn't feel as sluggish or groggy legs. And I could feel I had a better energy source with my hearty breakfast in my belly. I do think I still need to work on my endurance since I did take a bunch of bigger trails I could run on but did a combo run and walking. I couldn't run the whole distance. I did push myself to run most of the last leg home. My eye has pretty much cleared up. But to be on the safe side I wore my glasses again today - no contacts yet. I didn't mention before, but it took some adjustment yesterday. I don't wear my glasses outside ever and this is an older pair so I had to get used to going from looking at something up close to something in the distance. I'm definitely putting glasses on my list of things to save up for once I have an income again. This pair is from pre 9/11, so over 16 years old. Crazy how fast time has gone by.
And when I sprinted to the finish and downloaded my results, I walked around to the screen and saw... I was first again! Again, first out of one competitor - just me competing so far. As I say, take your wins where you can. So I'm enjoying first for awhile. I'm not sure I'll place this time since I think i did decent, better than where I was at last year, and I ran a bunch. But I also walked a bunch since a lot was off trails and I wasn't always spot on finding the controls. There was one control that was by a bunch of rocks, right by the trail. Should be easy, but there were a bunch of trails in the area and it was tricky figuring out which trail you were on. Trails are useful until they are deceitful - usually when they are the tiny ones and not all of the trails are marked on the map, so you think you are on one trail, but you're on another trail. Anyways, I'm learning to keep cross checking the map with the terrain to ensure I'm where I think I am. And I'm standing by these bunch of rocks thinking, wait, maybe I'm on this other trail and I need to head over that way, when I look up and notice the marker just to my left tucked behind the rock I was standing next to. I was right where I thought I was. Opps, that cost me an extra half a minute figuring that out. And I'm learning it's these moments that don't seem like much can add up.
Oh, also, I've been practicing the advise from a fellow competitor a few weeks back. We kept overlapping, doing the same course and he advised me to "always plan my exit." Meaning, you are planning how to get to the marker, say marker three but as you are getting close, also start figuring out what route you are taking to the next marker, marker four. That way, as you come upon marker three you know which way to head without having to stop and take time to figure out what next. It's more graceful, helps with your time and is good etiquette since you standing by a marker gives away the location to other runners. I found myself practicing, "planning my exit". And started thinking that's a good lesson to take to the world at large. Head towards your goal but plan what's next too. I'm not sure of any particular examples in real life yet, but am going to practice planning my exit this next week and will report back. Also no results posted yet, so will have to report back if I placed.
Well Webster is meowing for dinner. He's like my alarm clock, always telling me when 6 am and 5:30 pm are. He really has taken after Winston. Which makes me realize I somehow have inadverntently trained this behavior since I'm the common denemonitaor with the two cats.
No comments:
Post a Comment