Keeping Ffit

It's been a while since I updated this blog. Sorry of you've been here and with nothing to show for it.

Winter is over and I'd be lying if I said I missed the snow. The last holdout in the lawn melted today. I did manage to have one last snowball fight with my son before the snow just disappeared. It was fun chasing each other around tossing very wet snowballs at one another while wearing shorts, a t-shirt and bare feet. It was a great ski season and spring here in Vermont has actually been fantastic. Warm days in the mid 60s, bright sun and best of all; no bugs! If global warming means snowy winters and springtime like we've had for the past three weeks I'm letting the engine run and leaving the lights on.

At the beginning of April I began running with the hopes of slowing the rate I lose fitness. My cardio was pretty good after skiing and the plan was/is to run to remain fit and get the muscles in shape for the summer season. I really enjoy summer biathlon races and hope to do well this season.

I've been shooting live rounds on a regular basis. I built a snail type bullet trap on the property which has been great. I'm shooting five minutes after leaving the door. Instead of just shooting paper targets the size of biathlon plates I've been shooting for scores and drills.

One on my favorite drills is just shooting at a blank piece of paper. With nothing to aim at the natural position arrives and the group shows where your position points the rifle. It's pretty cool to see a group appear and they do. What the group tells me is how consistently I re-mount the rifle after rebolting.

Shooting at a 1" wide line both vertical and horizontal is also very helpful. The goal is to hold in one direction only which allows me to focus. After running a few drills I'll shoot for score and see how I'm doing. Scores are creeping up so I'm improving but there is a long way to go.

During shooting I try to replicate the same range procedure used during races. I also try to shoot with a steady pace of of breathing. I also try to make each shot perfect and call where the impact the target. I'm getting better at seeing what's happening as I shoot. Maybe you've heard the saying "perfect practice makes perfect."

I've also decided to enter a few pure shooting matches this summer. The goal is to meet some really good shooters and pick up a few tips on my own form and technique. Just for grins I went and shot at 100 yards instead of 50 meters. The Izhmash sights required 40 clicks of UP to get onto the bull at the longer distance. Makes sens as the sight is 1/8 minute of angle (MOA). One MOA is equal to 1" at 100 meters. The 40 clicks makes sense. To see where the bullets impacted I shot a 5 round group onto the 100 yard target with the sights set at 50 meters. The impacts were 5 inches low. I needed 5 MOA and with the sight being 1/8 per click the math worked. After shooting at 100 I dialed out the UP and re-zeroed at 50 meters. All was fine.

After I work my way to 5 km. runs I hope to start training with combos on the home range. There is an 800 meter trail which passes the range point before winding around the property.

Enjoy the rest of spring.