Norwegian EOC Tests - WRE Long- 32nd, +15min D:
Had all the ingredients for a good race but I blew it. Physically, pretty much no problem today. Still not running as fast as the locals but there's not much to be done about that on the day. Was satisfied with my performance until number 7 but then there were no more technical shortcuts or easy ways out after this. The contrast to last week is severe. (The terrain most notably, but for another: 22 controls - fewer than the middle race - a real classic course).
Spotted a few people on the hill at number 7 and managed to send myself in a spiraling, distracting thought process that couldn't be ignored. Not helped by the control being in the pit behind the one it was meant to be on, but it was enough to end my focus. I panicked out the control and lost a further minute on the next one as one extended parallel mistake, plus not seeing a path somehow. Banana to 9 and 10, still not on it completely.
Thought I refocused on the path to 11 but as I was approaching I switched off, thinking surely I would see a drinks station control and so took out a gel. Missed the control by 100m and exploded my gel over everything in a 5mile radius. Another panic ensued and lots of time was wasted running in a line with more twisters than the freezer section at tesco. I made that up as I was racing. That's how focused I was.
Two further, larger mistakes followed to 13 and 14, hesitating too early and too-in the wrong place respectively; 2mins each. A roar of frustration followed and I ran the rest of the race, maybe about 6.5km, only losing a further 3mins, probably half of which was in the final 2 controls. So a strong finish on a pair of legs which were working quite well, and going through some fairly complex controls. Not too bad.
Last few were however quite poor and I think I was just ready to finish. Parallel mistake to 21 and a very rare species of mega-banana to the last control. Shocked to see Thomas finish not too long after me, but overall the time down on the winner is as expected. 8mins of very avoidable mistakes on maybe 5 controls. As Oleg said after, if there was more at stake I probably would have been cleaner and faster. Not orienteering offensively enough today, but an awesome experience on a very cool area. Like Peter, could also bizarrely read the map a lot easier today, even on 1:15. Probably mostly due to being a more relaxed race though. Norwegians not big fans though, of neither map nor area, so I'm looking forward to run on what's considered a good terrain now.
R -
http://obasen.orientering.se/winsplits/online/en/d...
GPS -
http://www.tulospalvelu.fi/gps/20180408H21/
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