Training Log Archive: tommig

Ah, Jukola. So much fun. After watching the Venla relay (very proud of both of our teams) it was great to get out into the forest. Was grateful for the cool of the night.

Very dusty as ground so dry, hard to see with headlamp reflecting back from the dust. Leg 1 came in at 1650 and stupdily I wasnt ready for him so lost another couple of minutes, so not very much of a train by the time I went out. Meant I could navigate on my own. A moment of terror when I realised I was completely on my own in the forest with no elephant tracks, but an obvious veg boundary and rocks gave me confidence that I do know what i am doing. Fairly straight to 1, overshot basically on the heels of others and went too far down the slope, immediately corrected and not too much time lost. Picked up nearly 100 places between exchange and 2nd control, would have been quite a few more had I been ready to go a the exchange!! Plan to 3 was to go on a bearing and bounce off path if didnt come across control. Came across wrong control so back to plan a and off path. Not fastest but was simple. 3-4-5 easy to follow landforms, 6 on a bearing with easy collecting paths and drinks station. 6-7-8 elephant tracks but easy controls to pick. 9 round indistinct path then tick off features. 10 followed ridge and landforms, did lose some confidence as going but came to control ok. Should have more faith. Picked up quite a hundred or so places and getting back into trains now. Bit of a mistake at 14 looking for small depression, didn't notice that it was a small depresssion in a bloody big hole, so didnt go down the bloody big hole that everyone else was climbing out of. Bounced back off path when i realised. 15 planned to hit tracks and then follow veg boundary but elephant tracks went through green so took a risk. Was able to pick up where i was when exiting the green and followed land forms out to close to control. 17-18 took the path run around as wanted to avoid all the kettle hole mess in between, pretty sure it was a good route choice and picked up 36 places there. The rest was pretty simple, picked up another 15 places on last two controls and was very happy to see Erinna cheering me down the finish lanes ready to take on her own epic leg!

Overall happy with my performance, brough the team up to 1455 from 1650, and was 1154th of 1854 on my leg.

So much fun!!

C • Thanks 3

Jukola Training area, walked and jogged around some of the kettle hole areas on the training map to get some familiarity with type of terrain. Managed to hold back from running hard as didnt want to exhaust myself like last year. Only one navigational error really, climbed too high looking for 13.

Walked around some controls again in an area thick with kettle holes.

Good short afternoon training organised by Clare.

Very happy Tommi. Lovely forest to run through, could have skipped around in circles for hours and been happy. Spiked most controls that I went for, a few silly lapses of concentration but a really good confidence booster!

Fun start to Jukola week. Forgot watch and GPS, realised that orienteering is just as much fun when you don't log anything!