Training Log Archive: jonnyq

On warm up map.

EYOC long. 6.4km 250m.
From the training and model maps I thought the terrain would be slow and grotty. Completely different when I started, the terrain was a joy to run in.
I didn't feel nervous before the start but I knew I could do well. Aim top 15. Very achievable but not with my race.
A long path to the start control but I missed the control without any compass. 1minute lost. Felt strong up the small path to 2 but didn't check my direction coming off the hill. Went through a small marsh higher than the one I thought I was in. Went up the slope, nothing fits, try to relocate, relocate wrong, decide to retrace my steps. Get the control decent from there. 5 minutes dropped. Good to 3. Long leg to 4, choose a good route. Miss maybe 20 seconds along the route getting stuck and hesitating but run with good speed. Beautiful orienteering 3-6 perfect, no mistakes. 7 Choose the right route but lose contact on the slope. Relocate off the track but think I'm higher than I am so miss the control again. Relocate off the clearing on the track and get it fine. 2 minutes gone. Good from 7-12 with small misses at 9 and 10 totalling 45 seconds. Contour perfectly to 13 and standing on top of crag. Control description was wrong though. Control was meant to be on north end of crag but it was at the foot. I run off thinking this isn't the control and come back 2 minutes later to see the control sitting at the foot. Pissed off. Go fast to 14, spectator. Have a bad reaction to taking my jellies and water at the same time. Have to spit them both out but it also clears my nose so that worked well. Drop to low to 15 by misreading the map and have to climb back up. 1 minute lost. Slow to 16 along the steep slope but get it well. Hesitancy to 17 in high ferns. Resort to track to 18 to get it without a mistake. Then stong running to the finish.
Finished 38th after a very bad race. Take out my three bigger mistakes at 2, 7 and 13 and I would have finished 12th. I didn't not finish within my aim of top 15 so again I cannot be satisfied at all with this race. But orienteering is all about performing on the day. I didn't and those ahead of me did, I just have to realise why.
A positive thing to take from today though was my physical fitness. I didn't feel particularly tired at any point today even tough it was quite a physical course. I just have to work on cutting out the big mistakes.