Jukola! Erin decided to put me as the last leg, which kinda made me nervous, because if we had a good race going, all the pressure to finish would be on me. When I arrived at the event site, it reminded me of the Indiana State Fair, with the sheer number of people, food vendors, and barns full of stuff to buy. By the time Erin went out on his leg, I knew the chances were high of me starting in the mass re-start. So at 9:00 I started with about 1500 other runners who hadn't been handed off to yet. The first kilometer or so of running to the start triangle was full of elbows and shoulder checking, and at first I was pushed around, then I started running more aggressively so I wouldn't be pushed around. The first 3 controls I just followed the train and checked off features as I went. The fourth control everyone went straight, but I saw an easy trail route and took it. 5-7 I was back in the train, and jumping between trains to pass people. I followed the wrong train going into 7 and forced me to back track to the control. 8 again I separated from most of the train and went left on the trail. Most of the people around me went straight east, which confused me. Looking over my race, I think I should've went on the right trail route. 9-16 was more follow train and keep track of where I am. #11 the train went to the hill top to the west of our control, and I didn't catch our mistake until we were there. #14 I had a lapse in focus because I looked at the control code for 15 and when I got to 14 I thought I had arrived at the wrong control, but I hadn't. By this time my left ankle was starting to become sore and I took the easy trail route to 17. 18 I found myself alone and I missed 18 and 19 and hit the trail and had to relocate. 20-25 was pretty easy orienteering, but man I was getting tired. I gave it everything I had left to the finish
