Orienteering race (Foot) 1:44:17 [4] 10.07 km (10:21 / km) +275m 9:07 / km
QOC: Patapsco Hilton. I had been working a lot earlier in the week and didn't get much training in. I did however get some good sleep the previous 2 nights and that helped me. This is a hilly area and though I walked a few hills, I kept running through the rest pretty well up to the end. I struggled most early, getting a little disoriented entering the woods from the start, and taking a trail around to #1. I hit that well. I quickly discovered there and on the way to #2 that the deep leaves on the ground, and the hills weren't such a good combination for me. After that, I tried to keep to trails, hitting #3 from the amphitheater loop, going around to the right through the large reentrants for #4, getting into the power line ride for #5 and #6. For #7 and #8, there was little choice but to chug straight for #7, and to contour for #8.
For #9, I went around to the right on the road and trail. However I misread the control location and climbed the spur to the south. From there, I still didn't see the control until dropping down and doing a smallish loop when I saw that I was too close to the road. I lost about 45 seconds to a minute.
I got a bit disoriented going to #10 on the left side of the stream until the trail. From there I hit it efficiently and right on.
I used the trail going to #11 and came in just a tiny bit to the SE of the control.
I again got disoriented going straight to #12. When I hit the road, it had been at the trail intersection, only it didn't look right to me at first. I came to a full stop and convinced myself that I'd done a 180 for a for more seconds before moving on. I came in over a spur due west from the control, across the stream. There were more root stocks than were mapped and when I dropped to the water, I saw the streams converging. I thought I was at the lower convergence so when I saw rocks further NE, I went to them. After climbing I realized I was due north of the control., and stumbled over the rocks and leaves a 100m south. I probably lost 1:45 on this leg.
I ran straight to #13 but used one trail that I crossed for a very short way to get to a good attack off a knoll. I was feeling tired on the climb part of this leg and walked briefly.
I went straight to #14 and all seemed well until the end. I'd dropped down too far and had to climb at the end. This probably only cost me 10-15 seconds.
I started going straight and down toward #15 but paused. I then decided to go around on trails so I climbed to the east. I also had to take an emergency stop, losing 50 seconds or so for that. Once on trails, I moved okay. I came through the campground loop road and a trail to the power line ride. I spiked the cliff control from above but had seen a guy punching just before I got there.
I took the trail and road and trails around to #16. I finished a tiny bit high so I must have lost a few more seconds.
I went straight to #17 and #18.
I got a little to the left starting out toward #19 but corrected, going over the spur at the end. I saw the control from across the creek but when I got closer I'd lost it again. I stopped but saw it after about 10 seconds.
I ran straight to #20 and started straight toward #21. I dropped down and came in along the wall at the end for #21.
I ran straight up toward #22. When I hit the trail, I started to drop down and cross the green reentrant but turned back and hit the field.
For the run in, the Coast Guard or Navy cadets were cheering people on. I had passed an older man, a coach for one of those groups as I was headed to #22. That man didn't have to go to #22 so at the end he and I were both converging to the finish. I pushed but didn't have a chance to get there ahead of him. My run in seemed much longer than 17 seconds--I think there was a timing issue on that split.
Overall, it was fun and I felt good about running after doing so little training this week. I'd gained weight and these hills make you feel it.