Vale of Clara - Leinster League
Wasn't an event I was going to take easy, had some competition for a change.
Chose the 1:15000 scale option at the start.
1. (1:21, +0:06) (1:21, +0:06)
Not that slow off the mark, was a bit uncertain with the scale at the start. Saw a tree and hoped it was the right one, felt i'd cut in too early, but got it right.
2.
(6:12, -0:26) (7:33, -0:26) Used my compass to point me in the right direction, felt I was running fast but didn't feel under pressure. Split says I was moving fast.
3.
(3:21, -0:14) (10:54, -0:40) Wasn't expecting a fastest split up the hill. Near the top I spotted a path on the map further along between the lower and upper road so wondered if that was a faster route. Wasn't too accurate in the circle, got helped by other orienteers.
4.
(1:08, +0:17) (12:02, -0:26) Based on the gps track my direction wasn't great for this one, 17 seconds is a lot to lose over this leg.
5.
(1:48, +0:10) (13:50, -1:23) Know where I lost time, hesitation, hit the depressions above it and had to drop down.
6.
(0:51, -0:06) (14:41, -1:33) Easy lef/
7.
(2:22, +1:33) (17:03, -0:00) Short but clearly lost a lot of time. I blame the map! No way was the sem-open different to the green. Just didn't get it. Ended up in the green to the south, but figured it out and then saw the control.
8.
(0:59, -0:02) (18:02, -0:10) Got this grand. Across the semi-open and up the hill.
9.
(2:02, +1:07) (20:04, +0:55) Made a mistake here again, hit the road, crossed it and the 2 walls but was to the left and then went more left. Realised if by seeing the wall corner so had to turn back.
10. (1:52, +0:10)
(21:56, +0:57) Lost some time here too, might just have been due to hesitation, misinterpreted what I thought the area would look like. Nearly a minute behind now!
11.
(0:59, +0:01) (22:55, +0:43) Not much lost here but gained back some time.
12.
(2:10, +0:02) (25:05, +0:30) Dropped to the road and gained back another 13 seconds.
13.
(3:15, -0:54) (28:20, -0:59) Nearly a minute faster than the rest on this uphill leg so my climbing isn't all that bad. Wasn't sure how I was going to get the control, was on a bearing after the road crossing, but then realised the hill behind the control could be used so just followed that along and hit the crag. Simpler than I expected it to be. And back into the lead in the race.
14.
(3:51, +0:09) (32:11, -1:32) Got into the white near the control but found it vague, just ran a bit more and saw the control, thought the semi-open was going to be obvious but it wasn't.
15. (2:24, +0:24)
(34:35, -1:24) Again hesitation near the control, and probably didn't chose the best areas for running in, some overgrowth. Didn't really know where I was when I hit the veg change, expected the control to my left or right, not in front!
16.
(1:45, +0:01) (36:20, -1:23) Again expected the control to my left rather than right. Got a bit wet in the marsh.
17.
(1:20, -0:05) (37:40, -1:44) Followed the wall then climbed.
18.
(1:50, +0:13) (39:30, -2:08) Expected to lose time on this. Might have done it better if I planned it a bit more and visualised the control site. Had to come back into the control. Runnability not great.
19.
(2:54, +0:19) (42:24, -1:52) Made a small mistake leaving 18, hit the road and crossed into the white forest there thinking it was further on. Realised it quickly but contributed to the time loss.
20.
(0:27, -0:00) (42:51, -2:01) Short leg, not much to be lost or gained here.
21.
(1:57, -0:10) (44:48, -2:54) Wasn't expecting a fastest split on this one but did leave 20 aggressively. Hit the path and cut into the green. Dropped a bit and then contoured. Ended up at the control, on the right level, but more by accident than design. Gained nearly a minute on 2nd place here.
22.
(4:20, +0:43) (49:08, -2:24) Expected to lose time here but lost more than I thought. Was starting to feel tired at this stage so didn't feel I was moving too well, and felt I was struggling getting down the hill.
23.
(4:36, +0:11) (53:44, -2:31) Took a gel on the road here, needed it, and then the climb from the road was rough.
24.
(2:13, -0:12) (55:57, -3:04) Just contoured along, passing the green on the way. The path on the map I didn't notice. Picked up 30 seconds on 2nd.
25.
(1:09, +0:03) (57:06, -3:19) Dropped a small bit, and went around the hill. Control was just below me.
26. (1:35, +0:08)
(58:41, -3:20) Definitely tired by now but just tried to keep going.
27.
(0:46, -0:05) (59:27, -3:30) Just ran in the general direction, but felt i'd hit the control sooner than I did.
28.
(1:53, -0:02) (61:20, -3:53) Out onto the road and then cut in by the ride. Climbed and then contoured.
29.
(2:36, -0:07) (63:56, -4:12) Looked at a few options here, left onto the road or a straighter option. Ended up with the straight option. Looks like I did it alright. White after the semi-open was visible, and the control was on top of the wall.
30.
(0:20, +0:01) (64:16, -4:12) Run in.
Legs felt like cramping afterwards, the affects of the weekend starting to hit home near the end of the race. Some small mistakes that could have been more costly but orienteering was also good in places. Negatives and positives.
But, well worth the run. I really enjoyed this area and the well planned course by Conor. Didn't know what sort of area it was going to be, map looked alright, and it turned out to be a gem of an area. Bit like Muckross in places.
Results
Splitsbrowser
Routegadget