Orienteering race 1:18:31 [4] 10.6 km (7:24 / km) +190m 6:48 / km
shoes: Inov8 Oroc 340
Midland Champs, Sherwood Forest
expected to have a cleaner race, slowed up around the 45min mark, got a bit messy after that, my target was 8th and only made 11th, still way off the pace ...
3) over cautious - took a bearing! - then found a line of unmarked dead trees (20+secs)
5) possibly lost a bit cutting the corner through rough open/green
7) would paths have been better? I enjoyed going through the heather and Tim Tett went that way as well
13) Bingo control, couldn't see it when within 10m and it was in white/semi-open, ran close to the green right on line and couldn't believe it when I couldn't see either pit, very confuse, only found it because others came along (2mins, Martin Ward lost 3mins), very annoying
17) tired, decided to go straight because I wouldn't have gone much quicker on the track, but at the crossing point took the track anyway and I don't think that was the best idea, the control seemed pretty visible (1min, party due to pace)
20) within 10m, but turned downhill as I decided the next clearing was the one (40secs)
24) hmmm, tried to straighten the last part of the leg, but must've cut in too early (miscounting dead trees?), crossed small paths without noticing and had to bounce back, ignored my control and went to another (1min)
25) confused by circling around the last control, I ran off 90° in the wrong direction, didn't like the look of things, but only slowly adjusted the direction, so came around in a big banana loop, still missing the small paths (2mins)
The last one was the worst mistake. I had already started running when I glanced at my compass. Should've stopped and turned 90° instead of behaving like an oil tanker. This was the difference between making my target 8th and not making it.
24th on the combined M45/M50 course, 18mins behind Tim Tett! 15m behind JD