Running 30:00 [2] 3.53 mi (8:30 / mi)
shoes: 2006 VJ Falcons
Warm-up and cool-down for Team Trials middle distance.
Orienteering race 33:07 [5] **** 5.67 km (5:50 / km)
spiked:14/17c (injured) shoes: 2006 VJ Falcons
Team Trials Middle.
This was exactly the kind of race I had visualized and imagined when I prepared for the team trials. The plan was to blast out of the gate and go for broke, and i did just well. I felt great right from the start, as the mix of advil and adrenaline kicked in to make me forget about the hamstring. I spiked the first few controls at full speed and realized that #5 would be a key to this race. I went left of the line, crossing the trail that led to the model event #1, then the road and trail and catching the little trail coming out of the rectangular clearing west of the road. Followed it until the end, went along the stream for a while, turned west when it started to bend, crossed the trail and counted renetrants, slowing down quite a bit after the last one to make sure i hit the control. Spike! Eddie came in at the same time, and I knew this would be a good day. We picked up speed immediately, and i was losing map contact on both 6 and 7, so i stopped at 7, made a plan for 8, and went at my own pace. Spike! A small boom on 9, then pretty clean and fast all the way until i got confused coming out of the green to the last control and lost 15 seconds or so checking out a control on another course.
It felt so good to be aggressive and on the attack the whole course and feeling and control at the same time. It certainly wasn't a perfect race, but as close to one as I had come in a long time. Felt damn good.