orienteering race 43:14 [5] 6.0 km (7:12 / km)
The Veteren's Day O-meet. Trying for the three-peat. Only a few meets have been won here in Puzaktown, but the Veteran's Day meet has been kind to me in years past.
Got in a decent warm up, and had fresh batteries in my Apex Pro. It was 16 degrees and windy. From the start my eyes were blurry, and I had trouble seeing with that and the spotlight field of vision from my headlamp. It was then that I remember that I bought a diffuser for my magicshine for this reason. Should have been rocking that tonight.
After the first shared control, I learned that Andrei and Eric and I were on B, with Biz and Swanson on A. No sign of Curtis. Although Peter Daniels were in attendance, his speedy progeny Will still resides on the East coast.
So off onto the course a few steps behind Andrei. We both struggled early on 3, he finding it 30 second before I did, as I overran it. Then I passed him at 5, only to lose a full minute back to him on 6. On 7 and 8 I slowly pulled him back, seemingly with fitness, and complained as I ran through a swamp into control 9, for the pass. I was alone on the long trail run to 10 and 11, but the map was a bit confusing into 11 and he caught up. We left 12 together, only to get caught up in some tragic vine/buckthorn vortex on the way to 13 and lose time to him again. We worked together for the next two. Then, the best control on the course 15, we ran around on the trail with a quickness. Interestingly, the splits show that Biz put a full minute, which is 50%, into us by running straight at it. Dang.
Andrei and I ran to 16 together, then we split on the way to 17 for the win. He went direct. I went HIIT on the trail run around. Got him by about 15 seconds, and finished it off strong for the win on course B in 43:14.
BUT, the unicorn BLASTED the course in 35 minutes and change, to confidently drive the sword through my night-ninja armor, and fell the two time king with a swift, and very well aimed blow.
I will be back.