Training Log Archive: Thraws

November Classic cancelled because of flooding and swollen streams. Massive shame because I was really in the mood and well prepared, and the sun was just starting to get warm when I arrived at the car park, although it had been raining very hard most of the morning. Saw someone at a petrol station on the way home who said he'd done the blue course early and reported no real problems. This year just seems jinxed orienteering-wise. I'd been having doubts, but this morning this was all I wanted to do. Better get a refund, or a re-run. So ran the Wayfarers course, which was yellow standard and under water pretty well throughout. Fun though, and a reminder of what I was missing.

So took the opportunity to run round my xmas score event control sites. Won't need to change too much, but a few map updates necessary in view of spreading bramble menace. Some bits just lovely though. Felt fit and strong and ready for a race, which was good as I'd woken up with a bad back on Friday and Saturday.

Thought the map was iffy in places and the controls themselves were hidden. Consequently made loads of small mistakes, usually in the circle, which amounted to a whole load of time lost, about fifteen mins I reckon. Got confused by unmapped paths near 1 but simply couldn't see 2. Spiked 3 by a complete fluke but map near 4 was weird. Not sure about mapping of point features at 5, 7 and 13 either, and gullies and thickets near 8 were plain confusing. Spiked 10 because someone was there already and spiked 19 to 23 because I'd been there before or was led in nicely thanks. 11 and 12 were probably the only controls I got cleanly (apart from the road crossing!). Thankfully the rain never came to make a poor day out even worse.

For a haircut.