Compass Sport Cup Heat
Undoubtedly my best performance at a ranking event to date. Wasn't really switched on for the first controls but for the rest of the race had a head to head race with at least two others so was pushing it hard and really focusing on my navigation. Still not content with my fitness yet but hopefully it will be there in time for the JK.
RG:
https://www.quantock.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#108&am...Splits:
https://www.quantockorienteers.co.uk/results-archi...Controls;
1 - Grabed my map, looked like an easy first control then proceeded to run up the wrong path. Realised pretty soon so decided to run to the trig point and then back down to the control. Was lucky to hit it strait on but with no good attackpoint was a little risky. Although probably only lost 30 secs from silly route added extra climb (definitely not needed today)
2- Was happy with the plan- around the spur past the pond then into the green from the depression. Somehow despite the very close attckpoint I managed to over shoot the control and lost 1 min. Scot Collier (starting 1 minute behind me had already caught me!). - Lost another minute
3 - A tough traverse along a very steep slope to 3, I stayed higher than Scott and manged to come down to hit the control bang on.
4 - Strait down the slop and back up the other side - Scot moving faster than me up the hill as I chose to power hike rather than run. contoured around the end of the hill and then smashed it down to the control through the trees. Scot just ahead of me.
5 - I chose not to run strait down the hill but across across cutting the distance and hit the path ahead of Scot. A nice attackpoint from the fence corner and up the hill to the control (again Scott over taking me on the hill.
6 - Had a solid plan to run across the open area and hit the path at the head of the re-entrant but completely lost contact with the map (vegetation wasn't quite what I was expecting) fortunately I pushed on and it turned out it was exactly where I wanted to be, a risky strategy but luckly it came off this time.
7- Took a slightly longer route to 7 then needed (especially considering how easy a control it was)
8- Fastest split to 8 !! - A very easy control strait down a forest break and hit it strait on.
9- by this point there were now 4 of us on the same course running together ( Scott, Duncan Taylor, myself and one other) so I was working hard to do my own map reading. Came slight low on 9 but no real time lost.
10 - Up the hill to 10. Went to the higher side of the depression (i just love to give myself extra climb!
11 - Up the hill to the path, I got lazy and didn't really check my bearinng and we all ended up following Duncan - Hitting the path a little early. Bit of a shame as I coul of made up 30 seconds on them at this point.
12- I chose a slightly different route to Duncan and pushed it hard to try and drop him and Scott. An easy control. Managed to reach 12 about 30m ahead of Duncan and Scott was starting fade a bit.
13- A classic Eoghan route choice error - Why not add in more hill if you can? Really annoyed at this all my hard work to drop Duncan was completely lost as I see him come into 13 15 seconds ahead of me from a completely different direction. Defo 30 seconds lost but more upsettingly extra energy wasted!
14- Demoralised and tired I let Duncan open up a bit of a lead on me. Shouldn't have let the error get to me but it was frustrating. Didn't have a great attackpoint for the control but luckily hit it bang on.
15 - Bit of a hesitation on route choice but in the end I decided to follow the path and then the vegetation boundary and after a bit of further hesitation managed to hit the clearing bang on but almost ran strait past the control.
16 - Easy control - Duncan now out of site
17 - Came out onto the moorland with my bearing dialed in. But got a bit flustered by the photographer and other runners heading for the finish. Luckly hit the control bang on.
18 - Up and over the ridge legs screaming at me but the chase was on! an easy control but hesitated a little as was tired and not fully focused on the map.
19 - Back up and over the ridge, not a focuses as I should have been but glimpsed Duncan leaving the control and after a sort hesitation found it.
20 - I had already seen the control at the start so it was a sprint to the line now. I really need to get better at running across the moorland.
F - Taped sprint to the finish
Duncan appeared to have finished faster than me but I wasn't sure how far ahead of me he'd started. Turns out I was head by about a minute in the end. Really happy with 4th place without the poor errors on the first 2 controls 3rd was within reach.
It was nice to have beaten some highly ranked individuals - looking forward to seeing how many points I get.