Orienteering race 1:28:19 [4]
shoes: Inov-8 X-Talon 212
NOL Long Hagaby at Chinaman's Flat.
Expected the heart to be ok for this one as long as I could stay relaxed at the start and not get caught up in trying to stay with the pack.
I successfully avoided any temptation to stay with the pack by making a complete mess of the first leg. I assumed both first controls would be in the same section of diggings SW of the start so when half the field turned north I assumed they were taking the track I wanted and the other track I could see must be the smaller track heading south. I didn't take long to realise but it did leave me nicely on my own out the back. If I hadn't done that I might have been up with the leaders at 2 because they all seemed to overrun it a bit and I found myself at the tail of the group again.
Did the next few ok but losing ground to the leaders on running speed then ran above 6 losing 20 or 30 seconds and misread the contours at 7 losing another 40 or 50 seconds. Left 7 with nobody in sight ahead or behind and struggled with motivation a bit through the thick bracken to 8 and on to the first map change. Slightly encouraged to see lots of maps still on the line as I grabbed mine but I was aware I must have had one of the shortest first loops.
Picked up Aaron Dodd early in the second loop and then a large group including some of the leaders came through after the next common control. The faster guys obviously had the shorter split next but some of this group peeled off to join me on the longer split. Can't remember clearly but I think it included Evan Barr, Piotr, Schepisi and a few others. Pretty clean all the way through this loop but obviously less maps remaining at the final change than there were at the first change. Reached the final control of the loop in 44:32 about 7 minutes down on the lead group in about 23rd place.
With Schepisi starting the last loop then caught Matt Doyle and Henry early. Picked up a few more through 25-27 including Bruce, Lachlan Hallett and Kerrin to build up quite a big group. Fairly clean through 28-32 towards the front of the group with a few of the juniors then with Kerrin and Henry coming out of 32. Kerrin took a straighter route to 33 and Henry went with him while Lachlan followed me on the track option. Didn't see anyone at the control but heard someone approaching as I was leaving. Wasn't really aware of anyone near me at this stage but knew I must have a few chasing me. The rest of the course looked pretty easy and I was starting to feel a bit stronger now so I tried to push it hard to keep the chasers at bay. Got 34 and 35 cleanly then saw Josh punching 36 a few seconds ahead. Didn't think I would be able to catch him but he drifted a bit right and I snuck past to punch the last ahead. I wasn't sure how close he was so sprinted hard extending the 7 second margin to 15 at the finish for 13th place overall.
Much happier with the finish of that run than the start but left wondering what might have been if I had started a little better. Maybe I would have just set my AFib off and struggled around a lot slower.