Training Log Archive: TGIF

Results / GPS-tracking

WOC 2016 Middle distance.

The race I had been waiting most this year.

Even though, I have tried a very different approach for this World Championship compare to the previous years. The idea was to rationalize the whole process, and to make it as simple as possible. I wanted to deliver my piece, 25 controls at the middle distance, 30 at long and 15 at the relay. Practical. Take the map, read it and enjoy the day. Simple.

Before the WOC, as always, I also had set a number of rules to strictly follow. One of them was to not comment the mapping style or courses. Last year, I lost too much energy on that matter. This year, I was there to adapt and not to comment. Of course, it was not always that easy, especially when you get quite different mapping style one week before WOC (no one of the WOC map makers had done relevant training maps) or that even warm-up maps weren´t made by the WOC mappers. Anyway, it was the same for everyone, but I felt like I could have invest less days in camps finally. Still, I spent about 4 hours in the model event map of the middle distance the days prior the race to make sure I had all the clues before this race.

I felt prepared. I was not.

I have maybe never felt that relaxed before a WOC race (too relaxed?), but the truth is that I understand not much the terrain and the runnability. It doesn´t comes naturally, and I quickly get frustrated. And for those who wonder why I choose this route for the 12th control, I recommend you to visit the model map and check the runnability in the “yellow with white dot” (symbol 404) there. Once again, we all had the same map, and I will not blame somebody else. I was not good enough. Dot end.

Still, I will remember that day quite long. To see laBaguette, in action, chasing her dreams was really emotional, and I am sure it is just the beginning of even bigger things.

But the highlight of my day was happening a bit before the race, during the warm-up. The warm-up area was a nice and quiet piece of forest (despite the very close motorway…). To see the smile and happiness of Peter Öberg there, 36 year´s old, warming-up, was something really inspiring. He looked like a junior, who was going to compete in a club championships. He was alright, in the moment, and had understood everything to what is all about competing. That´s when you realize that orienteering is a game, a journey, a dance – not a fight to the death. Thanks Peter, once again, for the lesson!

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