https://photos.app.goo.gl/XEL1DN2xRmyFcD5y6https://youtu.be/DyfXojtTBUgDid all the proper prep for this as if it were a big race. Even listened to WOC commentary on the drive there to get my head in the right place. I chose the WOC 2017 Relay to remember a high pressure scenario where I performed well.
I moved up my start time a half-hour from 10:06 to 9:36 because of the heat. It'll probably be better to go even earlier next time.
I won't walk through each leg, but there are conclusions I've taken from each leg and the course as a whole.
Three things I did well:
1) understanding subtle changes in dense vegetation, 2) pushing hard and being focused even when I ran out of energy reserves, 3) staying positive even with branches hitting my face
The main thing I need (to continue) to work on: Be more aggressive, especially in terrain like this. Don't be afraid of hills or dense vegetation. If you punch through it, it's over before you realize it
I probably could have gone straight on #3 and cut off some time, while also having a safer entry. But I was already getting tired of the branches hitting me in the face and wanted to take the easy way. But time and time again, I've found that if you're assertive and watch where you put your feet when you go straight, you can still move, even if it seems like horrible runnability.
There are exceptions to going straight, of course. Like the long leg on blue at 2019 Junior Nationals where I was able to use the trails and road to have good speed and be clean. But assertiveness counts for so much in this terrain.
I started to get quite tired on the way to 10 and lost all the oomph by the time I "punched" 12. So continuing to improve fitness is also a component of this. But my Achilles is improving so much right now I'm hesitant to bring long runs back until I see sustained long-term improvement.