OK Linne
Tiomila test -
Results
Good start, though at the start kite getting the right orientation was tough. Picked the right route to one, using the path and gained 1 min on CJ, my 2 min man. Could see his light in front of me a bit then.
Lost the head on 2 already though. Was going grand but lost all confidence due to not being able to see in the dark about 50m before the control. Panicked hard and ran back, seeing Mats go past but didn't know if he'd got it yet or not. Started triple guessing myself. Turned out I was right all along.
Tried to reset heading to 3 but that didn't work that well. Though I was running on the path but the direction was all weird so I hopped off, but that meant my direction towards the control was all weird. Then I was going the same way as another light which I knew couldn't be correct... Eventually lucked out and hit the big crag, but though it was the other crags, which I found a short while later!
Still struggling to get my head around my direction and the map. Not getting the lines I was trying to take to work.
5 was good. Paid attention to the features I saw and lined up the control.
Recognised I wasn't orienteering the best so went safe for 6. Worked well I think. Felt good physically and worked on the path. GPS a little off on Livelox.
7 I could see a light to the right. Switched in the magnifying glass which was excellent. Nicely taken and CJ just behind me.
Stayed a bit left on 8 unintentionally but caught the features so it was grand.
Didn't really have a plan for 9 (or anything from here on) and followed CJ at the start. I liked the route, safe but fast enough. Path to the right was quicker though it seems. Took the lead taking the control.
Tried to make a break for it, upping the pace and nearly succeeded. A little bit of an extra bow though and wasn't far enough ahead to be unseeable. GPS weird from here on out.
Went straight on 11, having the confidence now to back myself and feeling like the path over the hill would be fine. All good until the circle when I lost confidence and was a bit unsure. Problem was really the lack of definite attackpoint.
Short to 12, leading CJ. Old control before it but compass line was fine.
13 I was pushing the pace again, trying to finish it off. Executed perfectly but it felt so wrong. Nothing seemed to match and I was running on a path not on the map. Never saw the control and then arrived at the hill. CJ reckoned we'd gone too far and that influenced me a bit. Hit the big ditch and ran along that in a nice big circle. CJ never saw the bend and I almost missed it but recognised what was happening. Pretty annoyed about this.
Had gapped CJ now so pushed on to the finish. David appeared close to the control but I wasn't catching him.
Quite annoyed at this race. Two quite big mistakes, both times I was going perfectly and just lost confidence and back out. At least 5 minutes lost. I guess not much night training can account for that. On the other hand, if I'm 5 mins faster it doesn't make a huge difference to my placing.