Green course on a new EMPO map (Norray Farms, much expanded). Guess I was the only one on Green; all the guys did Red. I figured I'd do shorter because I'm running again tomorrow in CT, and I'm not 30 anymore. :-) Temps in upper 50s, breezy, and overcast made for great running weather (no bugs, not too humid in the forest though wet underfoot); a bit cool for the club meeting afterward.
4.9 km SL
A 250m, 6-contour climb leg to the first control set the tone...a lot of climb in this course, though the first leg *was* a scenic one along a stream past a set of cascades. A few of the climbs seemed gratuitous. Director Phil H-T made good use of the woods between the farm fields.
My first big bomb was due to overconfidence/lack of attention. 5-6-7 was a series of rootstocks and I didn't check the code at the first one and didn't realize I'd actually hit the second one until I couldn't find 6 where I expected. Then I checked the code and vaguely remembered I'd punched at 71 and not 35. Oops. Had to head back and then visit 71 again but at least it was a large feature and easy to re-find. To 8 I dropped to the stream bed too early but otherwise had no problem finding it. Confused by trails 11-12 and ended up too close to a field and had to backtrack. Then it was just a matter of getting up the steep climb to the tiny boulder (and then back down). I'll post a copy of the map later so the guys on Red can see where the courses were different.
EMPO AGM later, with 8 in attendance. Nothing earth-shattering decided; officers the same as the last number of years (I'm starting my 20th year as treasurer, I thnk). Fall meet directors decided, just a matter of settling on the dates.