okansas.blogspot.com

okansas.blogspot.com
Occassional thoughts about orienteering

Thursday, August 01, 2002

4 things to do to get ready for the relays

The U.S. relay champs is coming up soon. The race is September 22 in Vermont. The relays is always one of the highlights of the year for Orienteer Kansas.

This year there are some special challenges. The timing is not the best for us. The local O' season doesn't even start until the week after the relays. I'm still recovering from a serious injury last year -- so I'm still not able to train as I'd like.

Here are four things I'm doing to get ready for the relays

1. Once a week I train on hills and once I week I put in ten minutes at an honest effort. Running up and down hills is a good way to build up some leg strength. It also translates pretty well to running in the terrain. I find that a minimal amount of hard running (at least ten minutes once a week) seems to be enough to keep my legs ready to run hard without getting injured or worn out.

2. I'm spending a bit of time every day looking at O' maps from old races. Looking at O' maps should help make up for the lack of technique training in the months before the relays. There are maps scattered all around the house. I try to take a look at a map whenever I get a few free moments.

3. I plan to spend a long weekend doing O' training. I'll probably go to the H.A.R.T. Camp (High Altitude Relay Training). If I don't make it to H.A.R.T., I'll probably spend a weekend at Harriman. Mary and I are also going to the A-meet in Idaho in a couple of weeks. It won't hurt to have a couple of days of competition to begin to get my mind back into competition shape.

4. I need to think through the different situations I'm likely to face at the relays. How will I react if (when?) I lose contact with the map? What will I do to get my mind back on the race if I fall and sprain my knee? Am I prepared in case I get a different leg than I expect? What is my strategy if I go out together with another runner? There are lots of situations to think about.

posted by Michael | 6:53 PM

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