Orienteering race 1:55:55 [3] *** 9.18 mi (12:38 / mi) +500m 10:48 / mi
spiked:23/24c shoes: Icebug
Billygoat! My goal was to choose an even pace from the start, and try to prevent cramping up. I had 2 cliff-shot gels, one each at waterstop 2 and 3. That seem to work. On the long way to 1, I immediately settled into a comfortable pace, walked the ups like most everyone else, tried to "feed" off the pack but also checked for smarter shortcuts, stream crossing etc. Eventually was near Tony, Izzi (I believe), and then Ted and a whole bunch of pygmies which confused me because the repeatedly ran off into what seem to me to be the wrong directions from the controls.
Decided to skip 4 not noticing that 14 would have been better.
Was just behind Ted going high from 3 to 5, so changed my plan to go left around. Ended up passing him and just arrived at 5 as a large gaggle of frontrunners crashed down the reentrant coming out of 5 towards me.
Saw Ethan shortly but lost him soon.
After that, Ted and I pretty much traded places on and off, also chose different routes at times but always somehow merged again. Eventually Ted seemed a bit faster down from 15 to the last water stop and I did a bit more of the following.
We caught up with Ari afterwards on the last Saeger loop. Ari had a few minor boobles but he was much spryer than Ted or I. Ted solidly led the straightline W run down from the forked 22 to 23. Ari took the long trail around to 24, but Ted drifted too the left after the bridge. Ari caught up and took the lead. Meanwhile I took smaller steps since I had a minor leg cramp after a fall at 18, but managed to keep it at bay. So I continued steadily but cautiously uphill to 24 thinking long-legged Ted will fly by me any moment. Well, he did not. Apparently he faded after his little mistake. So I reached the finish in 20th place, one better than last year.
Pretty happy with my navigation and route choices. Especially since I have not orienteered much in the last 2 - 3 years. My running was good, no major pains. I was glad it was cool, otherwise I may have had real cramping issues as I have had in the last 5 or so goats.