Orienteering race 1:05:22 [4] *** 7.3 km (8:57 / km) +160m 8:04 / km
15c shoes: Icebug Gryllo
QOC Manassas Red. Fast course, controls mostly visible on the approach. I kept up a good pace, not all out, but running well, and never lost my wits, it seems. I thought the terrain was a lot like Shawnee Mission Park last week -- a mix of open, rough open, and forested land with an abundance of features (but not as hilly). If there was route choice involved, it was pretty subtle -- aiming off on the linear features, picking the right way to run around the wet spots, that kind of thing. Plenty of opportunity to think ahead, and by and large I did it. One fumble on the control at the forest corner (note to self: learn the control description for forest corner), saved from a larger time loss by aiming for the huge power line pylons towering above the tops of the trees. And on the control after that, I ran all the way around the green slash. I knew it would be faster going through, but it was impenetrable downfall wherever I looked. Other than that, it was straight-line orienteering. Now that I see the splits, it must have been one of my best runs ever.
I ran in the Gryllos because my ankles have been giving me trouble and I was after more support today. Early evidence indicates that worked out OK. They're heavy and warm, but neither of those was a problem today.