More details later, but today was really fun. Cambus O' May did not defeat me, although the Straiminator got me by about a minute. Was a bit slow the whole way but the was on the top form till the final few controls, when a couple of silly errors crept in. Loved it though.
I imagine this will probably be a WOC training area so will try and Quickroute tomorrow when I have better light for a photo.
Map of part 1:
http://sprintseries.org/doma/show_map.php?user=bec...
Part 2:
http://sprintseries.org/doma/show_map.php?user=bec...
Start - 1: No probs, left the track across the wide hill and dropped in, slowed slightly by bracken in the re-entrant.
1-2: Maybe not the quickest route but the safest with my current level of confidence. Came in after the ridge on fine compass, was a bit slow in as the site didn't look exactly as I visualised.
2-3: Now it gets tricky. Across the flat bit, over the bottom of the wide rocky re-entrant, up onto the plateau and drop in. Spike. Yes.
3-4: Aimed to go straight but drifted on my rough compass and so stuck to the paths. Not the fastest but easy.
4-5: One re-entrant, one spur, one re-entrant, up onto the next spur, bang. nice flow.
5-6: Stuck to the ridges then dropped off at the end. Nice.
6-7: Up re-entrant, across some flattish stuff, the other side of nice think re-entrant. Bang.
7-8: Very slow across the open, need to remind myself how to pick my feet up when running. Then did some bonus climb - should have done an extra compass check.
8-9 To the road, should have gone higher where it was less rocky. Then decided on a very silly half and half route from the road that in trying to avoid climb in two places ended up doing the most climb. Silly. Should have gone higher the whole way and dropped into the wide rentrant.
9-10: Slog up the slope, but navigationally no problem.
10-11: Dropped too low for ease of navigation, but not feeling physically strong enoough for that kind of lazy decision.
11-12: Nice route through the valleys, bang.
12-13: Came in from the ridge, extra climb but simpler.
13:14: Another ridge run, then over the ride and in, no problem.
14-15: Was pushed too far north, went round the hill with the boulder, but then over corrected when coming off it, dropping into the eastern re-entrant. Again, extra compass check would have helped here.
15-16: Bearing across wide re-entrant, control very visible.
16-17: I have run across these hills many a time, knew where I was going here.
17-18: Brain and legs tired, out to the road. Good route, except was lazy on leaving the road and dropped into the wrong re-entrant. Lots of bracken in the way of my correction. Boo.
18-19: Path route, easy. Maybe lower paths with bit on ridges across marsh would have been faster.
19-20: Nae probs, over the hill and drop in.
20-21: Straight on compass, nae probs.
21-22: Silly, read the north round the pond route as more complicated, when actually it was easier with less climb. Definitely tired.
So, all in all, I was very encouraged yesterday, and now I've done the analysis, am even more encouraged. Was up with the locals no problem, but there are a lot of finer bits of technique that I was less good on out there that would have shaved me some significant time. More compass routine (not more compass in general, just ensuring I use it at those key turning points), better planning ahead, and more physical fitness to avoid silly decisions in the final stages. So yey! I reckon I could shave at least five minutes off that time, which is very encouraging. Yey!
Control count: 141/2000