Orienteering race (AK Long champs) 1:25:28 [4] **** 8.09 km (10:34 / km) +165m 9:35 / km
spiked:17/22c
Waiuku South. Still infested with man-eating cutty grass with enough fallen timber to build a small town hidden in it! 2nd out of 6 in M21A and Simon A just a couple of minutes ahead (Lise and Hanny, 1st and 2nd in W21E were a BIT further ahead - either side of 65 minutes). Caught the previous starter by #2, we were together to 7, split on the long leg but met again at 8, together to 12 (then I took a bad route and he got ahead) then again 16 to the finish. Annoying I couldn't keep any small breaks I made on him when I seemed to be out-navigating him on most legs, but he just seemed to find better lines through all the rubbish on the ground. However I am happy I kept my head throughout the encounter and wasn't pressured into anything too silly mistake wise. A little bit of time lost here and there getting to the circle OK but not spiking the control (7, 8, 12, 19 are the ones I remember), drifted a bit to one side climbing to 6 (but caught myself before too much damage done), and using a track I knew would be soft sand on 12 to 13. So probably no more than 3-4 minutes lost technically, just plenty of room for improvement fitness/strength wise.
Run warm up/down 5:00 [2]
Warm down. Seems to have been successful, as after driving back to Welly I still seem to be walking OK.