Training Log Archive: igoup

Long drive to Tampere where Joe and Charlie dropped me at the Scandic Hotel. They''ve continued on to the Fin5. We had a great lunch in Oulu at the town farmer's market: salmon right off the grill, grill vegetables, pittipanna, and other things! I love pittipanna! I paid for two full meals. That was 8 hours ago and I'm still not hungry.

Back again. Found some kebab to top me off. I am very tired and have a sore throat. I didn't sleep all that well this past week. I need to get some rest... starting tonight. Tomorrow I use an assortment of modes of transportation and go to Zurich.

WMOC - M40, B final. 8.6 km, 220 climb: 1:28:39. Place 65/78
(I'll fill in the blanks later).

Rough day today. I was doing decently until we switched terrain types. The last third of the map was navigating between small hills and swamps. I was navigating in the past, on my heals, defensive, and in relocation mode. The stuff isn't impossible, I just didn't slow down and adjust; sloppy technique.

I also had a 2:30 boom on 5 when I missed a trail junction and then rushed the attack -- this even after I told myself to be careful. I had fallen in a waist-deep swamp hole on the way to 4. On the way to 5 I noticed that the bags weren't sealed and that the eastern half of my map got a bit of water and dirt on it. I missed the trail as I tried to clean it up and make sure my map would survive.

So, not a great day. But it was fun. I did have a good number of well executed controls. It was really mentally challenging my brain felt tired by the end.

Celebrated the end of the whole adventure with a Lupin Kulta beer!

Now we are off to drive up to the artic circle. Hopefully, we won't hit any reindeer. The dopey beasts don't seem to have any fear of cars and just strole down the middle of the highway.

Break day. In the morning Joe and I took a bus trip to Olanka Nat. Forest. I went for a very pleasant walk along the river and by the waterfalls. Absolutely beautiful.

In the afternoon we went on a rafting trip. We had 3 short class one rapids to warm up. Then a class 2 and a 300 m class 3. Warm down with a class 0.2. Joe and I got to be up front and that was fun. Again, stunningly beautiful. Maybe this would be a good place for a summer home.

Qualification race 2: 8.1km, 275 climb in 1:09:??
Finished 30th of 60 in my heat today which puts me 36 for both days = B final.

Finally, some sun. Very nice day.

Best race ever on foriegn soil. Legs feeling tired early but I told myself others would feel it too. Brain working better today -- I was much sharper. Course was more technical today. Pretty clean until C15 when I completely lost map contact. Got it back together and finished ok. Short report but I gotta go.

Qualification race 1, 8.7km, 395 climb: 1:21:20
Mild temps but rain, drizzle, mist, rain, drizzle, mist, ....

I don't know what my placing is but I'll give the effort a B. I did a decent job of executing (or at least trying to execute) good technique. Many decent controls, no big booms. But a hand full of 1 min losses and a couple of 2 min losses. Brain wasn't focusing well towards the end and I really had to slow down to understand things; on the plus side, I recognized the situation and adjusted. In sum, nothing spectacular but I didn't crash and burn either.

Model event 1 followed by model event 2. Took it very easy. Direction control is an issue. Maps are not difficult to read. However, reading the terrain is more challenging. My general game plan is to try to ignore results, ignore speed, and most of all, ignore all the crazy old orienteers running around here. I want to have good technique and discipline; I'll feel better about my experience that way, regardless of my final placing.

Event: WMOC 2007
 

With Charlie and Joe running from our cabin in Ruka (Rukajaarvi 4). Overcast, windy, a mist, and cool. Nice! Very good to get the legs working again. Stayed on some dirt roads. Chase 5 reindeer down the road. Mid-night Sun race later this eveing -- I doubt there will be any sun.

Easy effort on the Midnight Sun race. I wanted to work on good habits and technique and not just blast hard. Still made two errors worth about 4 min total and then some smaller bobbles. My brain wasn't working as well at the end -- I'll blame it on jet-lag and the fact that we had almost 5 % climb; the course zig-zag around the ski slopes. Just kind of jogged in and was generally satisfied. Need to get a lot sharper though.