Running warm up/down (Terrain) 5:55 [2] 0.46 mi (12:44 / mi) +46m 9:44 / mi
slept:7.0
Letchworth State Park, NY in the eastern half at the Parade Grounds.
Orienteering race (Foot) 1:18:58 [4] 4.5 mi (17:33 / mi) +392m 13:49 / mi
Rochester Orienteering Club, Falls Classic - Letchworth State Park, Day 1. It had been a while since I'd been to this park so I was having trouble remembering the terrain. We started on a steep and angled climb. I felt I was reading it pretty well but I was off to the right at #1. I hit the road, and to be certain I didn't pass the control, I cut back to the right before turning around. I realized where I was on the road by some subtle bends. I probably lost 30-40 seconds on #1.
1-2 - I felt behind so I didn't read the leg very carefully. I took off with a general plan to go straight and should have taken longer to see the lower route linking ponds together. As it was, I thought I was reading features okay, but I mistook one spur for one that was further ahead and lower. It seemed the easiest way around it was up and over. I was then surprised going higher to find myself on the ridge. I also briefly had trouble telling which side of the ridge the control was on--I was rushing again. I ended up climbing to an unmistakable hilltop and then descending about 4-5 contours to the control. I felt I lost 4 minutes.
2-3 - I felt I was losing the race but held out hope since it was difficult to navigate and run in the area. I planned a route pretty well and was encouraged that it went along the hill that I'd climbed unnecessarily on the way to #2. This was a longer route to the right, and mostly around the green along a long rib/spur. I spiked it.
3-4 - I headed for the dirt road through the woods mapped white, but part of what I went through was light green. I never saw the trail intersection that I was going to use for an attackpoint. Realizing it from the road bends, I plunged down at a formline knoll and a spur, ran along the stream reading the bends, and got to the large reentrant northeast of #4. I spiked it.
4-5 - I mostly stayed along the south side of the marsh reading the contours and vegetation along the way. I caught and passed one guy and spiked it.
5-6 - I got onto the road to the west, and ran to the water stop. It was warm and there was a lot more to go, so I drank. I went down the side trail a little before a dropping attack (north) right to the control.
6-7 - I thought I'd see the boulder by going high, but never did. I just read the curving change in steepness until it got me to the stream, then I descended that to the control.
7-8 - I ran low where it was flatter, then after crossing the stream, I climbed back up and spiked it.
8-9 - I'm not sure why I lost time on this other than it being green and steep. I was right on the bearing.
9-10 - I went a little left/higher to reduce time lost crossing the streams. I passed one guy and after passing the last stream, I saw a control. I changed direction to run to it. It wasn't mine and was a dot knoll that I couldn't find on the map. After the race I realized the notes had indicated something about the feature actually being a dot knoll but mapped as a boulder. Fortunately, I didn't lose much time. I adjusted my bearing and went on to spike it. I probably only lost 15-20 seconds.
10-11 - I thought of heading straight to the road, but with that being steep, I angled over. Hitting the steep reentrants at an intersection, I doubled back a little along the edge to save myself from dropping into it--going around was best. I got to the road soon enough on an almost intermittent trail. Along the road, I read the side reentrant and the vegetation. I pulled off in just the right place to allow me to run to the reentrant system that the control was in. I ran along the gully like streams to spike it. I saw Barb Briant ahead leaving the control as I was approaching.
11-12 - Dropping back to the road, I got very hung up in thick vegetation. It was probably mapped as white marsh. Unknowingly, my legs got covered in scratchy stick-em seeds. I passed Barb on the road and went around the bend to attack from the SE. I came down the spur and took a twisting semi-controlled spill, but I was right on target for the control.
12-13 - I dropped low early and ran on bearing. I was confused seeing the hillside continue to drop when I thought I should be in flat ground. I saw a cabin in a field off to the right so I presumed myself to be close to the out of bounds area. Really, I was higher. I caught a younger runner near a stream. I should have known were I was at that point but I was more in race mode. I figured it out soon after and I angled toward the control. Andy Hall came along from behind on my left. I kept right of where he was going and then lost sight of him. I turned out to be too far right but I corrected after climbing.
13-14 - I saw Andy move away to the left of where I was headed. I figured he was on Red, and had another control. I ran straight to the edge of the marsh along the road. Once on the road, I could see Andy Hall ahead. Another younger runner was around too. The finish was pretty obvious, but I chased the younger runner to it.
14-F - I was tired so I didn't sprint hard.
Despite my early errors, I think I did pretty well against the competition, and that it was due to being pretty calm and not rushing. That's a hard balance to find and hold onto.