Bike O race 1:19:24 [5] 11.55 km (6:52 / km) +182m 6:22 / km
ahr:120 max:151
Long Distance today. My start time was at 9:03, so I got up nice and early to be really awake for orienteering. Slight drizzle started at the start, then we were told that the start times were pushed back by an hour!! Oh well. Somehow killed the time and stayed warm as I was dressed for wind and rain. But eventually actually the sun came out for a very little while which lightened up everybody's mood, because the start times were again moved back by 10 min (no problem), then 30 min, then for sure to 10:45. It was tough staying warm and I was really glad when I was finally off.
Long first leg on a country road, quite easy, then control quite close to the edge of the map and it was hard to see whether a trail that was barely visible at the edge was actually connecting to where I came from. As it was allowed to go cross-country, decided to cross a meadow with a horse in it and down through the woods into a re-entrant smack to a trail intersection which was very close to my flag. Yipee, that was great and fast foot-O with a bike.
Eventually, we dipped into a deep valley with a fast-flowing stream which was at this stage quite high.
I couldn't believe we had to cross it, Searched for another way, but had to cross it, and again and again. Tried to ride through, but it was a real creek with rocks in it and up to over my knees sometimes and the current was strong. Oh well, wet is wet. We eventually crossed it 5 times I believe. Quite an adventure. Riding through deep puddles was a piece of cake by now.
When I came to #6 I saw no flag. Checked around a bit to be sure I was really at the correct place. But it was such an obvious river bend, so crossed the creek to the position I would have put the flag and found streamers. Another one missing?? What IS this?? Continued and pushed towards the finish and was quite happy with it.
Could win again, though I had 8 min at the place where I searched and maybe here and there a minute.
PS: the organisers admitted that the flag-setters simply forgot to put out that flag. the same happened yesterday. What a shame!
Later back at the event center (I was one of the first ones in) it started to rain again and the rest of the day remained grey, foggy and very wet.
I waited for the award ceremony which was supposed to be at 2 pm and continuously got pushed back until I left by 4 pm. There were less and less people in the room, I felt sorry for the organisers who must have put so much work and hours into organising and then the weather and the water and the mud and the missing controls can put such a damper on the outcome.