Orienteering race 37:00 [4] 5.84 km (6:20 / km) +183m 5:28 / km
spiked:11/12c shoes: Inov-8 X-Talon 212
WA Middle Champs at Stonebrook.
A little confused by the first clearing but got onto the track ok then felt a bit inefficient with my direction out onto the spur but got the control cleanly enough. Didn't feel I was reading ahead very well so felt a bit hesitant down to 2 but again got the control cleanly enough. Knew others had gone but I couldn't see any reason to deviate from the straight line so just ran straight crossing the dam wall and through the saddle.
Heart started to play up a bit on this leg but didn't really affect me until the final little climb up to the control. Tried to relax on the next leg hoping the downhill would allow it to settle but it didn't and I lost concentration a bit so I had to pause for a while to relocate when I hit the clear strip just below the control.
Saw Ian leaving 4 and I got lucky picking the right little track into 5 so stayed close here but the hill climb to 6 really hurt me. I had to walk most of it and was feeling a bit dizzy when I reached the top. I took the western track and followed it right to the clearing then the track leading all the way to the control. Perhaps should have taken the eastern track but I struggled enough with the climb I did and I was happy with my route at the time.
Didn't see much of Ian on the way to 6 but saw him leaving with the gap still about 30 seconds. Struggled with the climb to 7 so couldn't get any closer here. Went left of the knoll leaving 7 and hit the downhill which was more to my liking. Must have got a better line than most as I had the fastest split to 8 and then caught Ian on the way out to the track.
Ok on 9, cautious but clean on 10 then struggled on the track run up to 11 but got a good line into the control. Suffered again on the climb out of 11 going up a bit more steeply than planned as it seemed clearer.
Heart settled a little as it flattened and I was able to gap Ian a little bit but paid for it in the finish chute where my main thought was to make sure I stayed conscious until after I punched the finish.
Ended up second 9 seconds behind Ben (6 of which was the finish chute) and 2 seconds ahead of Rob. Surprised to get so close with my heart being so bad on what seemed like a fairly simple and physical course. I had been expecting something a lot more technically challenging.