Orienteering race 37:18 [4] 6.6 mi (5:39 / mi)
British relays. As defending Champs there should be some pressure. With me Colin and Ant on the team - not really.
I'm giving at least 10 years to the rest of the lap 1 field, "old enough to be yer father" to most. Still, it would be nice to do well.
Trouble is, I can't run fast enough in the initial stampede (and the final dust up). I really need to hit the first control with my gaffle, then pick up as the pace calms down. So off we go: first leg is quite long and I'm hanging on the back, flaying myself in serious oxygen debt. My control description is "reentrant", but in my befuddled state all I can see in the circle is a thicket.
Stuck in an "uncrossible" marsh on the approach, I see people punching on the slope where the control is. Some contour thing, but no thicket: wrong control! I think I'm too far right, but I see people leaving a thicket to my right, rush over to check: wrong control again! Stop and think, but by the time I reach my control the forest is empty. Disaster.
Decision time: run my own race, or leg it and hope to catch the pack.
WTF: leg it. Pass a girl going into #2 (turns out to be Lizzie Adams, who is on men's open). Hit 3, then out into the field and I see the end of the pack spread in front. Flat out through common #4 and #5, and I'm on the back. #6 is tricky, low vis, everyone vanishes. Overshoot slightly, then clear to #7 despite crawling through unmapped grot. Head down for another trivial section, haul past some backmarkers, then 11-12-13 look tricky. Take 11 cleanly, then opt for round route to 12. Good attackpoint, but distracted by another flag. Confused. Gareth Candy appears, finds the flag and we're off again. An excellent long leg finishes the course, As younger legs speed up its another hairy moment of not knowing where I am, but manage to relocate just before the control. Finish 9th 3+ mins down (Barrable first back).
Disappointing to have messed up #1, which makes the rest of the race a struggle, but pleased to be running strongly enough to get back in contact with some decent people. Still, top-10 is not too shabby for a third year M45!
Running 25:00 [3] 3.0 mi (8:20 / mi)
Warm up and down for relays, plus putter around Bath Uni site before bed.