Orienteering race 18:53**** 2.4 km (7:52 / km) +85m6:41 / km spiked:7/8c (injured)
Green X qualifier. The good an A- run after being confused by map and trails at start- maybe 10-15 sec lost on nav errors: the bad tore calf muscle- running speed reduction lost about 1 min. Only real problem was on #4 stopped at control on boulder to SW- then realized control was on boulder on side of reeantrant- map should preferably had a form line to indicate continuation of reentrant. Anyhow on way to 5 felt calf twinge, slowed up then finished it off ie felt it tear- coming out of 8 for the final sprint- hobbled in. Ice and vit I etc, but realized that running in the final was not to be - limped back to car down the hill fortunately. Anyhow took pole position about 15 sec ahead of Ernst with Glen maybe 2 mins back. Would have been a fun chasing start. Nice course and map (although the general green background makes it hard to read and is unnecessary) and pretty runnable for these parts.
Will not be running on Sunday- darn!
At work by 7 - decided to drive into Cambridge for once rather than endure commuter rail. Interesting to note work patterns amongst the different disciplines.
Just realized I have set a PR for A meet races attended in one year- 2010 stands at 6 so far- AND last weekend's US champs was my first classic and first as a US citizen (recall only one other as green card holder, back around 2005 in the midwest middle distance silver I think). Will continue to work on my CEO/CFO for future sanctioning (aka deposits in the marital piggy bank) :-)
ps it occurred to me on the treadmill that in noting the self evident truth that the more orienteering you do the better you become, this is also true of professional life- analogy of medical diagnostics and pattern recognition came to mind- ie it comes down to tech memory and motor memory.