orienteering race (Aust Long Champs -Amiens) 1:00:44 [4] 5.5 km (11:03 / km)
shoes: Inov8 Oroc spikes
I'd been looking forward to this for ages; even if a W40 course of 5.5km didn't really seem like a proper long race, it was at least going to be further than I'd run at Amiens as a W16 at Aust Champs 1991, and I'd enjoyed the model event in the nice cool soft pine forest.
Of course, that meant that the first leg was a danger downhill leg through the green and on the rock slabs. Took it cautiously, and the control was where I expected it to be - tick. Then noticed the track option to the next control - tick. Broke down each leg into bite sized pieces while at the same time having a good plan for the entire leg, although on both 4 and 8 started looking a bit too soon among the rock slabs for the control, and in hindsight veered a bit on the way to the last control. Wish I could have been a bit more aggressive running through the junky terrain, but figured that being cautious would pay off, and don't think I lost more than a minute across the course due to misnavigation.
Loved it, wished it was longer, hadn't had so much fun in the forest since the WMOC final in Gothenburg last year. Why can't all orienteering be like this? Oh, and I got a badge for coming 3rd (no easy feat; W40's a tough field) :)