Here is my Harriman/Hogencamp '04, M21 Day 1 map.

Here is my Harriman/Rockhouse '04, M21 Day 1 map.

Winning time was right in the middle of the proscribed range day 1, and just a touch short day 2. It was good to feel tired at the end of the races. I certainly enjoyed the races, especially day 1.

Day 1 Hogencamp/Surebridge is possibly the hardest map in North America, physical and technical. I had, for me under those conditions, a fine run. Did not like my route choices, but at least I executed them pretty much flawlessly. No more than 2 30 second booms, and my speed wasn't too bad, considering the terrain. The problem with my route choices was that I either did not see the trails on the map (they are too faint on the map, I think), or when I did see what I wanted, could not find them in the terrain. I did alot of intense navigation doing basically line O on those long legs. I was in contact enough to look for those trails where I thought they should be, just didn't see them sometimes. Exceptions were exit problems on #7 and #13, where I didn't get out the way I wanted to go, and ended up with awkward and partially costly routes.

There was some debate on whether the road run on #12 was the best; from my point of view I was mentally shot, and did not feel up to handling another leg of intense navigation, so I was sort of forced down there. Looking at the map, straight looks pretty brutal, but the climb into #12 was also brutal -- more stacked than the climb out of the valley going straightish (and burned me out for the rest of the race). Straight or a little left was probably the way to go, but I was following the strategy of safe route at the end of a good race.

In the end I was happy with my race, especially since I usually do terribly in real physical terrain. My technical skills (navigation and contact) where there, route planning and execution may never be there.

Day 2 wasn't so great. Day 2 was easier, but was rockier than I expected. I hurt my leg again, turning the ankle and all sorts of other problems. I'm not sure if that is why I was slow, or just thinking about the injury was why I was slow. My navigation wasn't particularly good either, I made a huge error on #7 (a case of thinking the right things, but ignoring my thoughts in order to try to make up some speed (gambling in frustration of my slow pace)). More frustration on the way to #8. Just didn't have it in the middle of the race.

I expected a good race on Rockhouse, and a bad one on Hogencamp, and it ended up the other way around. I think I was mentally locked down for Hogencamp, and not for day 2, whether it was because I was thinking about my leg, or other wrong thoughts. Well, both days were still better than the team trials last year on the same maps, so I guess there is still marginal progress.