orienteering 1:32:47 [3] **** 5.18 mi (17:55 / mi) +371m 14:39 / mi
spiked:13/15c shoes: Icebug OLX
Although I would have liked to be in the chase, work beckoned and if I had started at my prescribed time of 11:32am I would not be around for prizegiving or other help.
Off I went at a few minutes before 10am, and enjoyed being out on my own. The rain got worse as I went along and by 3 I could not see much through the glasses. Terrain vision was spotty, but that was OK as I was not moving fast, but the spots and blur in the magnifiers eventually got so bad I could not really read the map. On the way to 4 I was stopping to look at the map, memorizing ahead and then just going along. This approach didn't work well on the way to 4, I apparently passed the control, not realizing I had gone far enough and relocated off a trail 200m. later.
Cautious but slow from then on, the controls were well placed on features which were not visible on approach, so had to have confidence you were on the right track. Getting cold and weary at 11, windy up on the ridge, I took trails all the way to 12, which cost me a few minutes.
Somewhere out there I twisted my back.
Really a great course by Phil in the very physical and technical terrain.