Orienteering race 22:00 [4] 2.1 km (10:29 / km) +105m 8:23 / km
ROC Meet at Mendon Ponds - Sprint course
Started off well - not real fast, but right on the flags. Then started screwing up. Going to C6, I took the trail partway up the hill, then went straight up. Tried to keep the hilltop to my left, since the flag was on the other side, but I misread the spurs and followed the wrong one down - didn't correct until I got all the way to the swamp.
C8 was a huge disaster. I ran out to the trail on a rough bearing, but was on the trail to the east of the desired trail, so I didn't see the flag (or the small pond). I thought that I knew where the pond was, but it was taking awhile to get there, so didn't seem right. After I got to the end of the marsh, I realized there was no pond there, relocated and had to retrace my steps all the way back. A solid 3 min error. It took the wind out of my sails, so the later slowness was more lost enthusiasm and speed, rather than poor navigation.
Eyesight bummer of the day: in the woods, I was unable to read the control codes that were on the clue sheet that was printed on the map. I could read them when I was back in the clear daylight at the parking lot.
Running warm up/down 3:00 [2] 0.33 mi (9:00 / mi)
Very short w/up, anxious to get out on the Sprint and avoid time pressure.