Training Log Archive: Ruhis

"Heaven, Im in heaven
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak"
I think that's an old song or something.. I didn't want my heart to beat that fast so it was more like hiking in Nazaré for me. I wanted to do a reeaaally easy recovery training. I felt like my body needed it now. It took me about 10' to set my brain on this kind of orienteering again. It was oh so lovely. "The French people" were just finishing their training when we started ours. Thea and the gang came there a little later. My calves felt a little tight so did some

STRETCHING while waiting for Annika to finish her training.
I didn't think that someone could have a worse sense of direction than me, but obviously I was wrong. Let's just say that we had some trouble finding our way back to the hotel and I wasn't driving (and my instructions were disregarded). I continued the stretchy session at the hotel.

I had got some wrong instructions from the COC people (there was of course also the slightest chance that I simply remembered wrong...) but we drove through the start/finish area of the afternoon training a couple of times before understanding that we should turn the map 90 degrees. It was a contours-only training without a compass. I think I've made some progress if you compare this to the similar session I did in Portugal a year ago (March 4th) http://www.attackpoint.org/viewlog.jsp/user_3424/p.... This time I didn't have a compass in my pocket just in case and I made only one real mistake in the middle of the course when I lost my grip for a while.

But isn't it Hirppa! Some time has passed since VOL 1997... Had a chat with him on the way to the start. Said hi to Thea just before the start. She started two minutes before me, just like Sogne Soes. A thought crossed my mind that it would be nice to catch Thea but I immediately told myself to just concentrate on my own performance.

C • VOL '97 6

It was the last day of POM and also the most technical of the terrains. Lots of nice pasture too. I started with some Danish woman but didn't pay much attention to her. My pace was clearly faster than hers today. I didn't run any super speed though, just a comfy submaximal pace. But I wasn't actually concentrating on my pace at all, I really was concentrating only on orienteering today. But it clearly was a good day physically too.
I caught Thea at #5. She was running about the same pace as I was, but I somehow sensed that she was a bit more tired than I was. I had a nice big mug of water before crossing a fence on the way to #9 and Thea got ahead of me there. We were now entering the most difficult area of the map so I decided to take it easy and let her stay in front of me. Vroni K-S caught me by 4 minutes at #9. She was running fast but made quite a lot of small mistakes so I was able to stay close to her. On the way to #15 I noticed that we were going too much too the left but I didn't have the courage to correct the direction so I made the biggest mistake of the race there, maybe 20-30s. After that I didn't trust Vroni anymore and made my own choices. It was funny to watch her wobble in front of me. Thea was behind me. Then after #19 something unexpected happened: I saw Signe Soes just some meters in front of me. Heini Saarimäki was there too (she started 4 minutes before me). I was a little surprised of her decision to try to follow Vroni and Signe and I had a feeling it might not be good for her. I took my time and stopped to drink after #21. I had learned my lesson yesterday and didn't even try to run overpace.
Thea didn't stop to drink so she was in front of me again a we came back to the pasture area. I saw #23 before her and then decided to speed up a little because there wasn't many kms left. I was now trying to keep Thea behind me and it worked because I was still orinteering well. At #34 I saw Heini Saarimäki again. She was alone now. She stopped too early to look for the control on the way to #35 so I passed her there and was able to keep everyone behind my back also in the last two controls. In the finish I wasn't feeling too tired at all and I was really happy about my performance! :) This was definitely one of the best races I've ever run!
Results:
1 Maja Alm DEN 56:52
2 Eva Jurenikova CZE 57:40
3 Vroni Konig-Salmi FIN 57:53
4 Kine Gulliksen DEN 59:32
5 Signe Søes DEN 1:02:04
6 Dana Brozkova CZE 1:02:24
7 Hanna Wisniewska POL 1:02:46
8 Anne Marie Bleken DEN 1:03:37
9 Radka Brozkova CZE 1:03:55
10 Karoliina Sundberg FIN 1:04:51
11 Hanna Ruhanen FIN 1:04:52
12 Sarka Svobodna CZE 1:06:32
13 Thea Lillehof AUT 1:06:55
...16 Kirti Rebane EST 1:08:41
17 Heini Saarimäki FIN 1:09:10

I was a bit gutted that I didn't beat Karoliina. ;)

On Saturday I had run into some of my old Portuguese friends and they had invited me (&Annika) to have dinner with them in Mafra. So we took a little detour on the way to S. Pedro de Moel. Mafra hadn't changed much since 2004 or at least the palace was still there... Paulo guided us to Samuel's place from there. Samuel had invited the whole gang for dinner: (Paulo and his girlfriend Viktorya,) Grifo, Bixo, Joao and even Isabel who was 12 weeks pregnant. My people! Friends I hadn't seen for years and thought I had lost them already. But there they were, welcoming me back with open arms. I was touched. I smiled and laughed so much that my cheeks were nearly cramping. I promised to come back next year and Samuel also invited me to spend "a real holiday" there (he said I could also bring a friend ;)). I sort of have this saying: boyfriends come and go but friends stay forever. Point proven.

All righty. Now the fun shall begin. Today we'd have some open pastures to run on and some rocky elements to spice it up. Just the way I like it! Feeling just fine. Ready to push hard.

Why the heck can't I restrain myself in the beginning? Took a wrong spur [I finally lerned that word thanks to Declan(=the Irishman I mentioned earlier. His name was almost just as difficult to learn...) and Neil-the-English-guy (who btw is always late in the morning when Piret and Bryn come to get him). :)], found a wrong control, panicked (why did I do that again?) and lost a minute (felt more like 5) or so. #2 ok. I tried to take #3 carefully but looked for it too early and lost another minute. #4 easy. At #5 I was in the right palace but couldn't see the control between the boulders and ran around for one more minute. Then, surprise surprise, Caroline Cejka of the Swiss team caught me by 3 minutes. We were running the same pace, I made my own route choices and was sometimes ahead and sometimes behind her. Then I started to get tired somewhere after #14 but I was still able to keep her back in sight until after #17 my tiredness finally got to me and I made a stupid mistake that cost me about 2'30. The stupidest thing was, that the control was next to a path and I had seen it on the way to the start. The end of the course went fine, but I was sooo frustrated. The score: 5'30-6' mistakes but running felt awesome so I was actually pretty happy.

After Declan finished his race me, him and Annika headed for the Orishow arena. I had no idea what was waiting for me...

It was a good idea to warm up a little since there would be a nice spurt ahead (There was a mass start and only one SI unit at the first control).

Hey what the heck is happening? Where am I supposed to go next? There? Ok, I see a control, no problem. Kirti is running in front of me. This is pretty fun and easy! Just run to where you see a control. Qualified for the semis.

It is a show so lets give the crowd something to watch! ;) Dropped the map after the start. Ooops! Made it to the first control but after that... I just don't know. I was running around in circles because I didn't know which things you can cross and which things you have to go round. Then finally one of the organizers gave me a little hint. This was being broadcasted live to Finland via the phonelines... I finally made it to #2 but the map could as well have been a Chinese newspaper...the fences drawn on it kind of looked like it too. There was a cameraman there too and I decided to maximize my tv time. I really hope I made the evening news. "Blonde gets lost in a football field". Also Hirppa was taking pictures of me. Well, I suppose I was an easy target because I wasn't moving much. I was last in my semifinal, and yes, a grey-haired old lady beat me, and yes, I would hear about this performance quite many times... But I was laughing all the way! http://hirppa.kuvat.fi/kuvat/Suunnistus/2009/09_02...

I had had an apple and a muesli bar after breakfast but Declan had had only an apple (the one you got in the finish after the middle distance). So we decided to drive straight to the restaurant where you can get a wonderful bitoque for 5,50e. Before we left some member of the Irish team was asking if we knew some nice restaurant. Well, there is this one restaurant where... We just told them to follow us.
So it was me, Annika, Declan and the Irish team. Later also Tapio walked in and joined us. And a bit later Neil-the English-guy...oh what the heck, lets just call him Nails (for no particular reason) and Piret and Bryn came in. I suppose the word has got around... I was enjoying my sopa do dia and my wonderful bitoque very much once again. We (me, Annika and Declan) didn't feel like staying for dessert. As I was trying to flee the restaurant a tall Irishman introduced himself and asked for my name. I thought about giving him a false name but after a moment of mumbling revealed my true identity. We talked about wearing/not wearing clothes and whether or not we get paid for it. You know, club outfits. Me, Annika and Tapio were of course wearing our club jackets for dinner.

After finally getting back to the school I had some time to chat with my neighbours. The fact that Nails likes beer doesn't surprise me one bit, but what was the thing about his vaseline and Declans knees? I didn't quite get that... I ended up whining about my foot and how I can't run as much as I'd like to and how it's so unfair that other people can go to WOC but I can't...but maybe in some years... Who knows. I got some achilles rehabilitation tips from Nails.

to the start with Benny.

dnf. Did no find...much. http://picasaweb.google.pt/JorgeCorreiaDias/POM2Di... I suppose I was a bit over-anxious again. I think I was just on the other side of the bush at #2 and #3... It was pretty funny to see all these elite runners lost in the bushes there close to #3. Sure the area was a little vague but I also should have orienteered better. I tried to continue normally but couldn't really get my act together at all. Then I started thinking that I don't want to spend more than two hours out there in the bushes and had already decided to retire from the race before actually finally getting totally pissed off after the first (shorter butterfly). F*uck these f*ucking bushes! My legs really hurt because of the thorns. I didn't come to Portugal to run in some f*ucking bushes! http://picasaweb.google.pt/JorgeCorreiaDias/POM2Di... I tried to find some controls on the way to the finish but didn't really succeed. Well, at least I got a long training out of it.
Annika did not retire from the race, although she probably should have for the sake of her health. She was so dehydrated and dizzy after the race that I almost had to take her to the hospital. It was kinda scary. I've never before seen anyone in such a state after a race. We somehow made it to the car and I got her back to the school. I made her drink and eat and she finally started to look and sound better. Luckily it was the evening of the official dinner. We sat in the same table with Tapio, Benny and some random Norwegian people. The sangria was good but I was driving so I only had one glass of it. Hopefully it will be a better day tomorrow.

There was a warm up map the size of a big stamp and no indication of where it was from. Nice try. I didn't use it.

I had decided to take it as another model event so I used my heart rate monitor (I don't normally do that in o-races). I was running pretty slowly and although it was a hilly terrain, my heat rate was way too high for that pace. Normally it should have been intensity 3. I hadn't been sleeping too well for a few nights so it was no wonder. I saw the German man before #8 (I forgot to mention that he's also sleeping in our little gym). I've been seeing him and his moustache everywhere lately and I'm not sure I'd like to. Well, I f*ucked up #9 big time and was very confused in this little butterfly thing after it. Also screwed up #18 and made a few misses after the spectator control and lost about 6' altogether. But the more important competition would be in the evening...

Usually when you meet a new person you introduce yourself and ask for the other person's name. Usually. I don't do that very often. That would simply be too easy. I like to play detective a bit. As I was warming up around the sprint arena I saw lots of familiar faces. I was joking with Paulo a bit. He is a nice guy to joke with. I recommed it (just like I recommend the restaurant where you can get a wonderful bitoque for 5,5e). By then I had already figured out that the couple that visited the English guy in the morning was Pired and Bryn. Well, everyone knows P and Bryn. But anyway, I was sooo ready for the race!

I tried to ask Luis Santos where the actual start point was, but he didn't know. There was no flag in the start and anxious as I was, I failed to understand where the start was. So I took a wrong road in the beginning, panicked made some bad choises and lost about 40s to #1. But I managed to keep my head cool after that and enjoyed the race a lot. My orienteering was a bit sticky though. I didn't read the map carefully enough before #4 and had some difficulties finding the stairs to #7. I could have used a bigger light than just my Petzl Tikka on the way to #13 but otherwise the course was well lighted. I was a bit worried after today's middle race, but running actually felt good now. I had a couple of fastest splits too, which is always nice. I was 2'03 behind the winner Hanna Wisniewska of the Polish junior team an 40s behind Kirti.

Event: Portugal 'O' Meeting 2009
 

I chose the middle distance course and skipped a few controls in the end. I was trying to keep my heartrate below the aerobic threshold but I found it a little difficult at times. Orienteering was fun and easy in this slow pace. Afterwards I had a nice solar shower. (A solar shower is a bag filled with water that is warmed by the sun.) Benny had his solar shower with him and he was kind enough to let me use it. I don't think I've ever had an experience like that before. The bag was hanging from a tree behind the parking place and there really was only that one (luckily a rather large) tree. But anyway, I really have to get me one of those things!

I don't usually complain about accommodation (especially if it's free) as long as I have a roof over my head but I must say that it was a little bit cold in Casa do Povo. I woke up a few times because of that but I was too sleepy to go and get more clothes. There was this German man there too and he decided go sleep in his car in some point. Anyway, we decided to move to the school. We chose the smalled gym and the furthest corner there. Tapio was there too and some English guy and an Irish man as well. There were also some other people like the Polish junior team. We were home now.

Mora. It is a place in Sweden and in Portugal. I believe this time we were in Portugal. Although, there was a Swedish woman traveling with me. But let's go back in time and start the story in the air before reaching Lisbon airport. I knew I had seen that man before. Oh yes, it was in 2006 at Lisbon airport and he was again also going to the Portugal "O" Meeting. Let's call him Pekka (because that's his name). He did not have a ride this time either so Annika and I decided to take him to Montemor-O-Novo. And then we continued to Mora. Got only a little lost while trying to find Casa do Povo de Mora, where we were going to spend the night, but luckily saw a supermarket while making some wrong turns. We'd return here later.

The doors were locked but I didn't really expect anything else, after all, we were in Portugal. We only had to talk to a man who called a man who called a man who came to see that the doors were locked and then called a man who had the keys. The man who called the man who had the keys was mr Luis Santos (I only found that out later) and I had a little chat with him while waiting for the man who had the keys. When I told him that I've been to Portugal very many times and I used to have a... he then asked me a very logical question: "Are you Hanna Ruhanen?" I know I caused a bit of a stir in the orienteering society of Portugal back in the day, but it surprised me that this man knew who I was (because I had no idea who he was).

So we got into casa do Povo and after making ourselves feel at home we also met a 55-year-old Swiss paraglider man. Let's call him Benny (because we call him Benny). He gave us a sprint map of Mora and we went for a little run. After the run me, Annika and Benny went to this restaurant where you can get a wonderful bitoque for 5,50e. We'd return here later.