Training Log Archive: nmulder

1536 - Ran M21E in the Borsod Cup, a middle distance race next to the Middle F & Relay area. Very wet day. Had a late start, which meant there was some tracking out there. Overall okay result, no major mistakes other than a scrappy set around 17-19. The main problem is speed in the forest being too low and time lost to map reading. Winning time was 41 mins.

Results and Splits. Finished 51st out of 74. Not so good.

1045 - We did a Sprint Trial this morning, with the Austrians doing selections. Lots of Poles, Spaniards, Danes as well. Another nice area, with forest for the first 50%, then a housing estate for the last part. Fast running for most of the forest, with one intense nav section in low visibility green (lots of green on the map, but still quite runnable for most of it). Very enjoyable, with only a few mistakes (not reading map fast enough as yet).

I'll be adding maps, comments and pics to the National O' Team blog:

http://www.rsaorienteers.blogspot.com/

C • you mean your blog 2

1725 - Middle distance 'Green' training. The course was specifically designed to take us through as much kuck as possible. The forest was mainly oak type. Lots of open areas with thicket bush as well (similar to Ouhout). Had an okay run, but didn't enjoy the greener parts. This is probably the greenest stuff I've seen in Europe. Cut off a few controls at the end as I didn't want to run too much before tonight's Night Race.

Warm up only, as I was too tired and cold for a warm-down.

2158 - My first ever true night event. Wow! This was the Hungarian Night Champs in a forest with many negetive depressions, some green areas, but thankfully not too much limestone rock popping through the surface. First off I managed to get an earlier start time that the 23h04 that was originally allocated, as I still needed to drive 70 mins back to Miskolc afterwards. I broke out my Petzl Ultra for it's first proper usage in forest terrain and it worked superbly! I've got the one with the larger battery pack carried on a light backpack which I wore under my o-top. I only used the middle setting as it was bright enough.

At the start I took more than a few seconds to get my bearings (1:15'00 map at night is scary), but turned out good as somehow I managed to ace # 1. Was going good for #2, but didn't find it. 90s later I did, as the control was properly hidden behind green in a pit - I had got within 15m the first time. Then a few more controls in green scattered open before the forest legs started. I manage to loose paths on the first big leg and lost some time relocating. Thereafter things settled down nicely. What was encouraging was that I was passing some of the other M21Es, but had yet to see anyone come past me. I picked up a tail after #7, which felt good, but was also irritating as they never once came in front of me. I didn't try to drop them, only kept an easy pace and focused on spiking the controls.

My big mistake was hitting the spectator control and not realising it was also a water point (and the only one!). It was also extremely early in the course, within the 1st hour. I made a stupid error immediately afterwards with the tail following me blindly. We then hit the butterfly which occupied a major part of the course. The 1 remaining runner with me had the same order (go figure). However, the central control was also the shittiest control I've ever encountered, located down a network of narrow rides / clearings in green open bushland. I was almost impossible to find apart from attacking through the length of these narrow clearings due to dense thicket on either side. I and everyone else searched for it 3 seperate times as a result, with only a slight improvement on the 2nd and 3rd attempts.

I finally blew on the first butterfly as a result of dehyrdation. By the second butterfly I was walking 80% of the way. My tail was still with me and only then did I realise that he'd run out of battery somewhere along the way. My guestimate is that I lost 30 - 40 minutes after I blew, otherwise I would have been just over 2hrs in the finish. The 2nd butterfly loop was also where the first guys on my course came past me, but I was in no condition to stay with them. (we also had some weird entry and re-exit angles into the central control). Thereafter it was a short walk to the finish.

Great fun, but the lack of water cost me. As a result it turned into one of my worst runs (walks) in years. Irritating, but at least I thoroughly enjoyed the experience otherwise.

So I finished just before 1am in the morning and finally got to bed at 3.30am. Good thing I got an earlier start time.

Results and