Orienteering race (Djouce LL) 1:27:27 [3] 9.73 km (8:59 / km) +505m 7:08 / km
shoes: OROC
Body was achy in morning after the efforts of yesterday, so it didn't look positive for good run. Ankle was giving out a lot going across slope where right foot was lower than left which was the case for most of the first 6 controls. Contemplated retiring quite few times until crossing river to 8.
Very little of the troublesome slopes from here on and I started to enjoy the fantastic day, the woods and the course. At the pace I was going I had no trouble lasting so decided to complete course. Great planning, made good use of area, got us into an area not used often. Had a bit of banter with Conor as well. More later.
#1 contoured round, ankle sore, was sure I'd see clearing and kite from above...but no, so overshot and had to come back. Won't bother with time loss as soft body and ankle were main reasons for slowness.
#2 direct through the wood, mixture of walk and trot.
#3 Up to carpark, along road, entered wood after open, paced along ride, which was unnecessary.
#4 Down through wood towards bridge. Slow over the brashings. No issues getting to kite
#5 Had my eye on pat above 4 but didn't find it. Its clear now I should have taken path leading from 4 but ended up going stream to track. So lots extra climb. Easy to find 5 though.
#6 Direct through open. Continue to struggle with roughness and ankle.
#7 Ankle troubles mainly gone once off the steep slope but still only in trotting mode to 7.
#8 direct across river
#9 Up to road, contour across gaining a little height. Not travelling quick but enjoying it more now on slope the other way.
#10 Along path beside out of bounds and drop into re-entrant.
#11 lovely little spot that planners don't make regular use of. Direct to 11.
#12 along road and up re-entrant. Conor just behind walking. As I dropped back down, told him he should be running.
#13 Dropped to road, Conor I thought went direct. Was looking up to see if I could see him. Couldn't see detail of re-entrant at 13 with lack of circle cutting and went in to soon and climbed up and then down to kite just ahead of Conor who seemed to drop from path above.
#14 Walked up to 14 with Conor. Told him nice to see the fast lads walking as well. Conor cut up through the Rhododendrons, I went round and up and there was little between us.
#15 Walked up to road and then waited for Conor to climb the embankment in case he sent stones down. I took an angled walk towards 15 and actually got ahead of Conor on the path which he quickly closed down and I tailed him into the control.
#16 Conor disappeared down through the wood. I thought the last I'd see of him. Along the track, which I thought was the short route but actually I took the long route around the re-entrant. In too soon for boulder as it was only a few steps from path.
#17 Up the hill and then along earthbank.
#18 to road to carpark and then along path. Heard fast approaching steps behind so was about to say that Conor is not far ahead, only to see it was Conor!! What?? Conor said "oops" and mentioned he put in extra climb.
#19 Made no attempt to keep up with Conor. Down the hill to bike path and then to road. Wasn't sure where in relation to re-entrant I wqas, but looked down wood to see kite!
#20 Got to bike trail which took me towards control. Checked first boulder before going to correct one.
#21 Uphill between two big crags, behind the smaller one above and across to kite.
#22 up to road and to finish
Actually I managed the final hill from 20 quite well, though partly because I didn't exert myself much during the previous 80 minutes, but also indication that my stamina and ability on hills is good.
No doubt a rest day earned for tomorrow.
Djouce Postscript
Interesting post race discussion among the lads as the results came in.
Conor's name was not on my splits when I downloaded and then I heard he'd mispunched but went round in 65mins.
hellsac came in soon after to take the lead, but Conor was faster.
20 mins late Roar came in to trump hellsac by 7 seconds, with Conor still protesting that he'd been faster had he not mispunched.
Josh was next only about 20 secs back and lorrieq finished with a 3 second margin ahead of Roar. So 30 seconds separated 4 and Conor got round couple minutes quicker,
Well all this talk of slender margins by seconds was put in its place with CillinC's time many minutes quicker than anyone else!!
Hats off
It's shaping up to be an interesting men's elite season.