http://www.scottish-orienteering.org/doma/show_map...Eoc middle.
Feeling quite sick this morning. Really nervous before the start. Didn't really want to be there.
Start to 1 - the plan was to run on a bearing, cross two tracks, the up onto the hill. I was a bit left if the line, and a second track appeared (not on the map) and a spur that was half way along the leg, and I looked for the control here, but couldn't see a hill. Really confused. Took a while to relocate and calm down. 1:30
1 - 2 up the valley, and over the col (drew my route on wrong). A bit left. 10secs
2-3 fine
3-4 fine. Actually noticed the significant tree.
4-5 easy. Left the track early as it was sandy.
5-6 easy but came up the hill a bit left of the top. I knew I was left so should have just turned right but let myself be distracted by the non-existent track and weird veg. Dropped 30
6-7 white course control.
7-8 orange course control.
8-9 found a gap in he gorge and went through.
9-10 lots of bushy crap here. Bearing. Crossed halfway at the track. There were loads of tracks coming in here, and no earth banks. Lost confidence. Went to the boys control. Then decided to continue on the original line and found it. 20secs
10-11 south. Ok. Straight or north was quicker.
11-12 bit offline as followed the men's tracks. ALL girls did this. 20secs
12-13 fine.
13-14 so easy.
14-15 too far right. Poor direction. Then control was badly mapped. 30secs.
Rest fine.
So not a great run. Some points:
I managed to drag myself back from a bad start to motivate myself to finish the course.
I came with an aim to qualify. I qualified.
It tracked up but didn't get all that much physically quicker, so hopefully I can still get a good result tomorrow.
I actually enjoyed it in the end. I don't feel all that fit now, so it was hard to enjoy it but I did. It wasn't as bad as the pre-race nerves made me thought it was going to be.
The downside was that the strategy was compass, contours and direction, and it would have worked if I had followed it. I needed to ignore paths and vegetation, and didn't. I will follow this tomorrow.
Best news, this is possibly the first race since before I can remember that I had no pain from injuries. Wow. Totally inspiring.