Orienteering race 20:10 [5] *** 2.0 mi (10:05 / mi) +50m 9:21 / mi
spiked:18/21c shoes: Salomon SC 3 Bl/Bl
The Presidio, San Francisco. Qualification for the National Event part of Sprint SF. 2.7km, 38m climb, 21c. Start at 9:20. Cool, but no rain - good conditions for me. Ground is wet, especially the grass. Course is obviously 50% too long for a Brown runner like me, but we knew that going in: same course for everyone, and the course is designed for M21.
First race ever on the new ISSOM map of the Main Post, made by Matej Sebo.
Given how much I'd worn myself out the past two weekends trying to organize this event, and given that I stood out in the rain for 5 hours yesterday at GGP, I wasn't expecting much of myself, at least as of last night. But we stayed in a hotel near the Presidio, got a good night's sleep, and I was actually feeling pretty decent. But things went awry big time in two spots and I wound up with a MSP. Maybe the last two weeks did have something to do it. But I also think this was a factor: Tapio was starting one minute behind me, and Aron Walker one minute behind him. It's rare that I run against people who are so much faster than me in terms of running. I figured they'd both catch me around the middle of the course, and I think I let that throw me off my game. I didn't do a lot of things I almost always do, e.g., there were probably 6 to 10 controls I didn't check the code or the clue. I was in too much of hurry. I ran really hard, figuring that at best I had one run in me, so it was pretty disappointing to have it go to waste. Had I done what I usually do, I might have been under 19 minutes, challenging Steve G and Daniel for 13th.
I ran off the map going to #2, costing me over a minute. Worse, going to #16 I started focusing on the circle for #3 (one building S of #16). Navigated there perfectly, and from there to #17. But never checked code or clue at #16 (actually #3), so had no idea I was in the wrong place. I was in fact where I thought I was, it just wasn't where I was supposed to be. Hence the MSP.
Leaving #1, I was facing terrain that wasn't on the map; perhaps that threw me off. Francois and at least one other person had the same problem I did. (When I went back and looked later, seems like the map is fine and I should've handle it.) Problem was I ran past the first left and took the second one, not realizing something was wrong and that I was now off the map. As I started going up a big hill, I knew that wasn't right, but it took a while to figure out what probably happened (and I kept running hard). Probably should've gone back, but figured I'd be able to make a left somewhere. However, it was a long way up the hill (which caused a loss of energy in addition to time) before I found a stairway going left and down the hlll. By the time I got down to the road at the edge of the map, I could see #2 to my left - and Tapio punching in.
Chased Tapio to #3, but lost sight of him on the long leg to #4. As I got close to #4, was catching up to Fyodor (who had started a minute ahead of me) and caught him just as he punched - at which point Aron caught both of us. I'd already scoped out #5, so was able to stay ahead of Aron to that one, but there was rough terrain going to #6 and Aron powered past me. To #7, I went around the N side of the olive green and out towards the grassy area; Aron started off S, but must've had problems because as I was getting to #7 from the N, he punched in from the E. By the time I got to #10, though, he was well out of sight.
#11 - #15 was a tricky little loop. Did the first 3 of those very well. (Funny, though, I spotted #13 from 30m away, and I shouldn't have been able to since the map shows it behind a small thicket.) Thought I did #15 well, too, but it appears that I lost about 8 seconds. Went around the N side because it looked simpler, but perhaps going around the S side was shorter - very hard for me to see the details that way, though, without slowing down drastically. (now that I've looked at Route Gadget, it appears that many people went over the crossable wall at the end, while I went around it - probably the difference. Also looks like going N around the building to #10 was slightly better.)
Then the disaster at #16. Hard to know why I didn't check the clue or the code.
Did a good job the rest of the way, checking little details while maintaining my speed, and hit all the optimal routes.
[Orienteering sprint race]