running warm up/down 6:00 [1] 0.9 km (6:40 / km)
warm up to the start of the midlands champs national event at beaudesert old park. only just made in time as ruth decided when i was nearly there that "the destination is not on a digitised road" ie "i am going to take you somewhere else!
orienteering race 2:13:20 [5] 9.5 km (14:02 / km) +405m 11:34 / km
M40L course. A nice area and a good long tough run; really got my money's worth. Took almost double the time of the leader. Really messed up 7 and 18; apart from that navigated pretty well, and felt strong too. 2+ hours of meditation - can't beat it.
Fell over in the mud within seconds of the start, but fortunately kept the important bit of the map clean.
1 was fine;
didn;t take the best route to 2 and only found it cos I saw the blue controllers tape!
3 was fine.
not sure 4 was in the right place, or the map was a bit funny.
5 i went too far and came back to it.
6 fine.
7 disaster - couldn't work out where i was on the path went off it at the wrong place and came back to it, up and down it a couple more times til i worked out where i was, then it was easy.
8 went past it and came back;
9 - 12 fine;
13 was too high but was pleased to work out where i was and didn;t lose too much time;
14 - 17 fine;
18 rubbish, don;t ask;
19 to 22 fine, although 21 was a bit lucky - wasn't quite sure where i was.
second half of the course was deserted apart from a few walkers - guess everyone else had finished, so had to work it all out for myself! there were a few elephant tracks to help though.
had the luxury of a shower after finishing and got my shoes de-mudiffied too!
actual distance ran: 12.36k