Orienteering race 1:00:16 [4] 4.0 km (15:04 / km)
ahr:119 max:144 shoes: X-Talon 190
Day 2 at Hill Park Dale. GPS 5.29kms. Up hill to the triangle, and then more up hill to 1. With Hoopy 2 mins behind, took a safe route around the rocks to 1, worried that he would be able to watch me all the way. Scooted out and around the rocky hill then downhill to the fence as fast as I could, with a Swiss guy ahead. Crossed the fence then decided to run below the rock and past the dam as it looked faster and safer, while Swiss guy headed into the rocks. I got the fastest split on this leg, while Hoopy made a 2 min error. Beat Swiss guy into 3, but then couldn't convince myself that I had to go back up hill to 4. Wandered along the contour and eventually realised I had gone out to the big spur at the far NW corner of the map. Corrected my direction - but not enough and subsequently got caught up in green and forced low. Finally spotted the control way above and climbed slowly up just in time to punch ahead of Swiss guy, but saw Hoopy about 50m behind. Lost 5 mins over the fastest on the leg.
Joined a bit of a train from 4-6 (must have been on other courses too), but got away up hill (again!) to 7. Fast away towards 8, but went astray on the last 1/3 of the leg, and saw Hoopy run in just in front. Lost 2.5 mins on the leg. He gained 30 secs to 9, but I got them back at 10, then promptly took a big fall trying to negotiate my way down a steep rock surface. 30 seconds later I did a face-plant, so a bit groggy after those two. Still, picked a fast route down a paddock, avoiding what looked like a mass of green and black on the direct route to 11. Despite having a good attack point, I couldn't find the prominent cliff - turns out I was standing above it but though it was the wrong one. Then Hoopy and Swiss guy turned up and we eventually found it. Another 4 mins lost.
From there to the finish was too easy. 8th on the day, but a solid 12 mins down.