Training Log Archive: Linear Ice

w Robin, finding some more advanced locations. Slow going to try to teach/learn map and terrain reading (very good thing for me to do) and walking through tall grasses and green white areas.

Event: MNOC - Murphy-Hanrehan
 

About 40 km outside of Zurich. Fairly big local meet put on by Bussola-OK. Very helpful people at registration. I am glad that everyone does things "mostly" the same because it makes it super easy just to show up and somewhat fit in. They even added Minnesota OC to the permanent database so I think some of us may be obliged to come back.

I was Way too early at the start, having been told it was a 45 minute walk and starting early then jogging. I cannot understand barely a word these Swiss people say... it does not sound like the German I learned so I watched for 30 minutes and some people would talk to me and I just smiled and said (probably) inane things back. As per usual in other words. I like practicing my German though, and they dont seem to switch to English all that often. I believe I may have a Dutch accent in German.

OK. Concentrate on the event.
Goals. Pay attention. No MP, no running wrong direction from controls. No skipping controls. Accomplished. Counter balance was that I ended up being slow. I am getting frustrated that I am slow when thoughtful and slow when I try to push it too. Wonder if I will EVER get the skill of running steady and also in the right direction. (Didnt feel bad during the event although I could sense that a lot of time had passed.)
With all the trails and route choices to avoid mud from the steady rain, or raspberry vines, the course became straightforward but i was still careful. I have tripped up on easy trails for sure. Slow going off trails except for some flat sections of open woods with big trees. yum zum zum.
It surprised me a bit how easy most of the controls were set ... onlz 50-100 m off trail for the most part. Now that I look at the map, most trails were only 100-200m apart from each other so I suppose that makes sense. I suppose that is also why they just compensate by having 18 controls on a 4.5 course. Maybe I should have approached it more like a sprint?

No training today, but maybe I'll get a chance to use the orienteering map in my hotel tonight:

From hotel, walked through town a bit then found river and ran up between mountain pass... beautiful biking/hiking trail, paved. Got call after 1.8 miles "we're all going out to eat in 40 minutes", so had to head back. =(
I hope I can explore a lot further tomorrow; but work also means lots of late dinners.

Regensburg, Germany nice run along river; turned on track at half way point to make sure I had enough battery power.
Fun to people watch; lots of pole walkers, dog bike riders, German strolling couples, etc.