mountain biking 2:00:00 [3] 30.0 km (4:00 / km)
my legs weren't feeling very energetic, but adrenaline and frustration made me push the pace. at the first route choice i opted against my original route when i saw that the county road was paved. it was about 1km longer, but i took it. i started and ended that route right behind Reeder's team, so likely not much to be gained either way.
i was impressed with everyone's work rate - Reeder's team looked really strong ahead of UNE. natalie and james (i think that's his name) clearly had better fitness than me and were maybe annoyed that i drafted them a bit, but i didn't have the gas to push the pace.
i managed to blow right past CP3. i thought the CP was right before a bend in the road - i guess i didn't read that right. so far navigating was weak. back to playing catch up after this 5min error.
i used this chain lube that i got from a prize table at a frontier race a few years back - either i put too much on or it was garbage, because my chain was badly gunked and sluggish, but there wasn't much i could do about it at that point.
into the transition to the second orienteering leg i think i was only behind natalie's team. i tried to transition quickly and in doing so took off down the trail without my pack. a couple hundred meters down the trail i realized this and made the embarrassing jog back to transition area to get my pack. just enough time for the Toms and another guy to catch me - awesome.