Orienteering race (JWOC) 1:29:16 [5] *** 9.85 km (9:04 / km) +89m 8:40 / km
16c shoes: Inov-8 X-Talon 212 #3
JWOC Long
I was really happy with this run. I had been looking forward to it for ageesss and was even more keen after being told I was first starter because then I would be more alone in the forest and without tracking to distract me from taking the routes that I wanted to take. Didn't get quite enough warm up that I wanted because of being first starter, but that was okay because it meant I took the first control nice and slow, giving me better opportunity to get into the map. This was good, because I was a bit off on my compass but realised and was able to correct. Probably would’ve been better to go along the track to the south, but I didn’t see that route at the time. Was still slow and careful to #2 and #3. Was thinking aloud to keep my concentration as this was where the next girl caught me. Hesitated for a while when I got to the road because my original plan was to go right and straightish, but then noticed the track option and eventually decided this would be a good opportunity to conserve brainpower and look ahead so went left all the way around. Happy with next few (#4-#10), I was thinking well and noticing what I needed and wanted to.
On the long leg to #11, I went through the middle. I had looked for the right option but just saw the paddocks and oob and didn’t see that there was a special gap that was there to take. So through the middle it was. I was running well for the first part. Things started to get a bit dodgy when I had to leave the ride/veg boundary I was on. I just got really confused and started second guessing myself. Was relying a lot on my compass, which is not one of my strengths but I was very unsure of where I was on the map so was trying to use it as best I could. Came along the edge of the oob and the dark green and got confused yet again because my map and compass weren’t aligning how I was thinking they should. I should’ve taken the extra second to double check what I was doing and make sense of it all. Then I would’ve known to go up and out of the green quicker and not waste so much time trying to get through. As soon as I got out on to the track I was pretty okay again and regained my confidence, though I did make the effort to double check I was on the right track. Because I was so low on the track though, I was coming in from a risky angle to the control and told myself to be careful, but still managed to stuff it up in the circle. I remember thinking that my compass wasn’t going right but went hunting anyway. There was another control there which probably threw me off. Went out again then came back in and found it. So overall this leg was okayish but not great. I was the only one of the Aussie girls to go straight for that leg, and though it cost me time and energy, I’m glad I went that way because I learnt a lot from it. I wasn't all that far behind them for #11, but when I lost time in the circle it got worse. Then the last part was slow because I was more tired from the forest and pushing through it on the long leg. So, if I had taken the extra few seconds to see and choice the track leg, I would've saved a lot of time and energy by running along it and then had more energy to run faster in the last loop which would have saved even more time. Total time losses caused by this leg would be around ten mins, not ideal. Rest of the course was slow but clean.
This was definitely an experience! And a good one, I really enjoyed it, so keen for next time!