Training Log Archive: pi

Spectator race before the WOC Long Final. The border between Hungary and Slovakia was on the map and we crossed it on the course, which was kind of fun. Karst terrain with many big depressions and very open forest. I have a tradition of not doing so well in this kind of terrain and it was the same today. It's kind of too easy and eventually I lose my focus. And it doesn't help that my running shape is low in this terrain. First half of the course was ok with only a few routes that were too zig-zaggy. Then made a huge mistake to 11, a diagonal steep downhill with no features where I drifted too low despite being careful with the compass.

Public race on the map of the relay. Long distance style with one very long route choice. Had a good run technically with only about 2 minutes lost on various sub-optimal route choices, but no problems to hit the controls. Physically a bit weak, but have been very little training since PNWOF.

Event: WOC 2009
 

Public race, Open Advanced 3. The same area as the WOC Middle Quali yesterday. The same start and finish and similar course layout. Great to try out the terrain! Started about a minute ahead of Will C, but he caught up to me at the first control after a little hook by me on that control. We had some fun fighting for the next several controls, until he ran away from me to control 8. I did another hook to 9 and I was convinced he was ahead of me in the finish, but he had an even bigger hook to 11, so I had passed him there.

Physically I was not feeling too great. Had to basically walk all of the hills... and there were a lot of them!