Orienteering race 49:45 [4] ** 6.79 km (7:20 / km) +150m 6:36 / km
ahr:167 max:175 rhr:40 slept:71.1 shoes: Inov8 Road X 230
Marlogue Woods are not very big, so two maps. It had been raining fairly heavily before I arrived. The ground is wet and soggy. I found that my GPS watch syncing is a little temperamental. No route today :( looks like to be a bug.
I was not "in it" from the start, fast downhill to c1, the map is not up to date and went down a trail that was not in it. Hit my handrail and took me a few seconds to figure I was too far to the right of the control.
C2 was a single tree on the beach which I approached from the top. No issue. Along the beach to C3, Guessing that was a 5 min run to that control. The map wasn't great in the area but found it fast enough.The plan was to be fluent on control approach and leaving it. Route planning while running was the second goal.
Planning ahead on the beach, C3-c4. up the trail to the main track and approach c4 from the top, no issue.Down onto trail, following it to c5. Found the map was last updated 8 years ago which made this an interesting training, to say the least. Overshot c6 by 2 meters.
I was gaining in Tony Cotter while leaving c4 to c5 so I was leading into all controls from there on. No issue with c7, I decided to contour back onto the main path from c6 to conserve energy. dropped in early from the main path following the red line to c8 but too slow on approach. Tony took a more direct route from the main path down as he stayed on it longer.so caught up with me. C9, no issues there. C10 I dropped off main track early and found the control to my left. No time lost but there was also no handrail on the map. Tony is still close, Tony took the trail to c11 whereas I dropped straight into the control from the main path, gaining a second or two and had already made a plan for c12 looking to c13 by turning over the map.Tony closed the gap again to C13 as I looked at c24 instead heading in that direction but was catching up with Tony swiftly. C13 was an earth wall in dark green. hitting the first path tony turned left were as I went right onto a smaller trail downhill to a second path. Had to attached my approach as it was not clear where I could beat attach the control, re-adjusted and saw the control, lost a second or 2 here. Long run to c14, no issue and time for route planning .C15 and 16 were just a step up the bank, too easy for a brown course. Downhill to c17 was no issue, contouring to c18, overshoot due to not having clear attack points to C19. Contouring on to c20 before climbing onto the main path to c21.
This point I feel very tired and my legs feel like lead, quick check on my HRT and it confirms that I am running out of steam. Feeling sluggish and slow. no issue with c22 and trying to keep a good running style now since I am running on fumes. downhill into ruin for c23 and uphill, to c24 and finish.
I achieved my goals I set out, fluent running and planning routes ahead.
This included reading control description correctly and keep a good map contact.
I did not get confused by others.
I think if I would have been in better form, a 46 min would have been achievable.