Orienteering race 14:09 [4] ** 3.35 km (4:13 / km) +30m 4:03 / km
15c
Round 4 @ U of Washington, semifinals. Had Graeme and Ian in my heat so I knew this would be the first real fight of the weekend.
S-1: Graeme took the lead out of the start with me right behind; at the first decision point I was still figuring my map out so went with him. Luckily he chose the best route :)
1-2: Still right behind.
2-3: I went right, Graeme and I think Ian went left. Right appears to have been better as I got a couple seconds ahead.
3-4: I went low, Graeme went high, Ian did a middle route. We all had the same split on three different routes.
4-5: First mistake - bungled this one for 12-15s loss. I missed the small entrance into the area with the bridge, then missed it again coming back and ended up going up and around. Graeme took the lead by ~10s here, Ian still just behind me.
5-6: Went right on the small trail which I think was a good choice.
6-7: Around on the sloping path to the right to avoid the stairs. Still ~10s behind Graeme and just ahead of Ian.
7-8: The long leg. I picked out the straightish route just left of the line early, and then caught a glimpse of Graeme heading off to the right into the zigzaggy area. Was pretty sure my route was better so was encouraged to push hard to get back into it, but then Ian comes storming by me and I'm unable to match his pace. Punched 8 ~10s behind Ian, just a couple ahead of Graeme.
8-9: Went right around the building; left may have been better.
9-10: Second mistake - went to the wrong tree, which cost me 5s and allowed Graeme to jump ahead by a couple seconds.
10-11: Short leg. Feeling pretty gassed by now.
11-12: Decisive third mistake - wrong route choice. Dropped 10s to Ian and Graeme here. Went left around the first building, then right around the second one. Graeme went left, which is clearly better. No longer in contact and now 29s behind Ian and 13s behind Graeme, which would basically be the ending margins.
12-13: Nailed this one with the right/left zigzag.
13-14: Did this one well too - straight through the quad, right of the peanut-shaped open area and left at the Y junction.
14-15-F: Pushing hard as I could since I knew I had to beat Eric out in the other heat to sneak into the final. Ended up 31s behind Ian, 10s behind Graeme.