Training Log Archive: carolineheloise

Event: Fin5 and JWOC
 

Model map for the middle at Viitavuori
This was not great. I think I just got a bit overwhelmed by everything and everyone and was super stressed out and tense through all of this. Was not in a good headspace and everything was going to shit a bit. Was going fine to most of them but then would see someone/something and get distracted and lose it. And then lose any confidence I had. Met up with Rach at the second control then ran the next two legs together which was nice because we went slow and talked through it which got my head together a bit. Then we did the next loop in opposite ways. Took the next bit slow still and it was mostly okay, I just wasn’t thinking straight and was constantly second guessing myself and then getting worked up about it. Bailed after that loop because I had had enough and wanted out.
Not the confidence builder I wanted but learnt a lot from it so was a good experience.

Sick beats for the first part courtesy of the rave at the party bus

Middle training at Markunmäki. This was okay once I got into it. Wasn't fully in the right headspace when I started so was making an extra effort to concentrate to the first control. Lost it on the second control because I got carried away and lost focus. Ended up at #5 but thought I was at #2 so got super confused going to #3 and went back and restarted #3 times. Went over the hill and found the ride then went to three and realised what had happened at #2. Rest were careful, focused and fine. I steady of going to 9, I went back to #1 an redid the leg to #2 with a better route and plan and it was fine, minus some small time in the circle because there was a huge failed tree obstructing my view.
Learnt a lot from this. Know that I need need need to be focused before I start and maintain focus the whole time. Need to catch myself when I am losing focus and snap back into it. There was good things and not good things but overall another good learning session.

Sprint simulation at Pispala again. This time was a lot better than last. I felt a lot better both physically and mentally and was able to run better and navigate better. I wanted to think quicker and look at the different routes to pick the optimal one and think I achieved this to some extent, though I need to look ahead more, especially during the first part of the race. Running was alright, though wasn't going as hard as I could because I am a bit tired at the moment and don't want to wreck my legs now.
I think most of my routes were fine, though I missed the last of the barriers because I couldn't distinguish between it and the stairs as the blue pen blended in to the ink.
Happy with this and know what I can do better for next week.

Herajärvi
Line course: not great, I think I was going too slowly and noticing too much detail and getting bogged down in it. Got really confused at one point but was eventually okay. I needed to take this a bit faster and simplify more in my head.

Other course:
First three were good, planned before I started and hit what I wanted to well. Was slightly just after leaving #1 but that just meant I hit the ride earlier which was fine, and then just before #3 was a few direction changes to avoid steep cliffs and junk on the ground but I knew where I was the whole time.
Mucked up #7 a bit, must've ran past it without seeing it and ended up at the ride junction just past it. Was a bit confused in the vague throughout the leg though, and I think that my brain just crashed a bit after I left #3 which caused this. Went in too early on #9 because I wasn't concentrating and reading the map enough.
Good session this morning though, learnt a lot and am starting to feel a bit better in the terrain.

Porttikallio
Local event at Punkalaidun by punkalaitumen kunto.
I really really liked this and am happy with my run.
We did proper starts again and I was up first yay. Focused well on the right things before starting which got me in a good headspace and was on the right track by the first control. Planned good routes and stuck to them, picked out the big features which I needed and ignored most of the rest and was moving though at a good pace where I was still in control.
Slipped up on #8 after crossing the open I didn't double check where I was along the track and in stead continued to the next track which meant that I didn't know exactly where I was along there either. Started running up the hill, but knew it was wrong so I went back and was able to relocate from a veg boundary nearby. Probably lost about 2 mins total on this leg. I think this was from my brain fading a bit and also just being a bit lazy and not making the effort to stop and check which would save time.
Overall really happy with this, it was the little confidence boost which I really needed and I know now that when I focus and do what I need to, I can orienteer well.
Yay for a good day.

Kukonjärvi
Map walk with the group to the first two controls, then in pairs talking through it for the next part. Following the green line until #8.
Was paired with Toby who was a fair bit faster which was good to show me how fast I could be going and still noticing all the necessary features. It was good to talk about the best route and picking out what features were there, and also good to do things a bit faster but still confidently because there was someone else with me double checking everything.
Another really nice map!

Terälahden Koulu
Running the 16s course from the grano games, with 3 min starts.
Started well, happy with the first 2 controls. Start of the third leg was good, then crossed the creek slightly too far left so I missed the big gully. I think I was still on track mostly but ended up at a control further along on a cliff on the side of the hill. Unfortunately my watch still isn't working and I didn't have time to grab my phone before my start so I have no way of checking with gps track. Relocated and decided to go back to #2 and start again and focus and do it properly. And it was fine when I concentrated and followed my plan. Careful to #4 which was fine, then not so much to #5 which lost me time again, but I was finding it hard to distinguish what was mapped and what not, because there was so much there. When I got to the control I think I must've been close the first time I went over, but not quite far enough to over and left to see it. Then I went right and back before returning back over the gap and starting again. #6 was fine, slightly confused just after crossing the creek but checked compass and was fine. #7 was fine, decided to go high to have more visibility out of the green and then went down to the control from the bare rock. Was a bit confused by the rocks for #8, there was a lot more in the terrain than I was expecting from the map. Curved north a bit much but was able to correct thanks to the vegetation boundary.
I learnt a lot from this. There were good bits when I was focusing, and then bad bits as soon as I lost focus. Super annoyed about the lack of a gps track because my Garmin has given up on me. I need to look up more and also just to think more and think quicker. It was good to run a bit more on this course, though my legs are feeling fairly tired now.
For tomorrow, I want to have better contact all the time and work on exit direction and get into some better control flow.