orienteering race (Orientshow race 3) 36:12 [4] 3.6 km (10:03 / km)
shoes: new Olways
The much-hyped piece de resistance, at the start of which Neil informed us that the usual rules didn't apply and that controls were in many cases closer than 30m apart (no, really?). Previous intelligence had implied a total of 55 controls in a 1 sq km area, with butterfly loops, and something like 72 possible variations depending on in which order which competitor had been allocated the loops.
Common first control, then the pack split 3 ways. Back to the same control which was now 5 for me. Where's 6? Is that 6 or 9, I can't tell when my map's upside down! Greatest difficulty I had was working out which number the pivot control was meant to be each time (there were 3 butterflies of 3 loops each) and then identifying where the next number in the sequence was on the map and then working out which circle that number belonged to! I spent more time on this process than I did on any navigational issues, particularly as the numbering for control 27 (which was also 32, 35, 39) completely obliterated the detail in the circle at 40 - which, when I got there, turned out to have been the last control on the Hagaby anyway so I knew what it looked like.
Great fun, no idea of my result(s) or whether I will be able to run as hard 4 days in a row next weekend. Totally worth it (quoth the orienteering tragic)!