Run race ((orienteering)) 30:06 [4] *** 3.3 km (9:07 / km) +110m 7:49 / km
spiked:15/17c
Canadian Middle Championships, equal 4th. Not a bad way to end the week (and vindicated my decision to pull out early yesterday, rather than push myself into the ground for a bad result and then probably not be able to run today).
Not the ideal preparation for this - I realised when we reached the event that I didn't have my passport (first time I've managed this in 30 years of independent travelling), and decided I'd go back to where I was staying to try to find it rather than have that hanging over me during the race. This mission was accomplished (it had fallen off the bedhead and was under the bed - no wonder I didn't notice it when I checked the room this morning), and I got back to the event site just about in time to do my normal 30-minute pre-race routine (and with enough running to and from the car to make it clear that I was feeling better than yesterday).
Once under way, it was a technical middle with lots of short legs in complex terrain, but the forest was more enjoyable than yesterday and it was a lot of fun. Hit the early controls well but made a silly 30-seconder at 5 (forgetting to look at my description and looking for a gully rather than a spur), and another 30 seconds at 8. Running strongly by my recent standards, though, and hit the flat vague controls at the end reasonably well. Ran hard at the finish in the hope of getting under 30; my watch said I did, the official results said I didn't (the start must have been a little out of sync), but the sprint - in as much as anything I do can be referred to as such - didn't go to waste because I ended up in a dead-heat for 4th. A bit under a minute to 3rd which might have been reachable with a clean run; 1st and 2nd definitely out of reach (Brent did 25).
So ended a fun week with a number of decent runs - just yesterday when it didn't work out - and a lot of interesting areas to be in. (One of the drawbacks of having an IOF responsibility for evaluating major event bids is you find yourself wanting to go to more events than anyone, with the possible exception of Annika Bjork, could possibly manage). On the way home now; Vancouver tonight, and then Melbourne via Tokyo tomorrow afternoon.