Orienteering race 9:00:00 [3] ** 28.25 mi (19:07 / mi) +1207m 16:52 / mi
spiked:40/43c shoes: Salomon XA Pro 3D M+ 11.5
Conquer the Crossroads Rogaine 12 h
Meet 14, course 19
A cold day for April, freezing at the start and a high of 43 with a stiff breeze periodically. Thank the blazes it didn't rain!
This was an entertaining day. Knew there would be competition but The Large Orange Hedge hoped a cleared course could be done. We very rapidly planned the course, the smaller and larger of the Scots agreed, so it was south first. Met Karta Racing's team on the way to the first control and as it played on it became clear our routes were similar. This was good and bad; a good plan but my legs aren't 40ish right now even if I wish it. We covered over 20 miles by the half but were feeling a bit depleted after a few spurs of greenbriars on the way up and the whole of the top. The first decision point was whether to climb to the fire tower for the lowest point control (21); we left it so the course wasn't cleared. A hearty debate raged at several points during the next hour or so about what we could get. More got added, then more again, ultimately leaving only one more control (23) and finishing with 22 minutes of cushion (that felt really weird). Navigational lost time was 10 min (one likely precipitated by the super irritating noise of dune buggy/ATV racing). Fitness-wise, I was our team's anchor but I tried. Andrei and Jeff were too strong clearing it over an hour ahead, so we finished 2nd in male open and 3rd overall. Clearing for us was very nearly possible and I might have been able to convince myself to do it but some distance training would have helped. We did more distance than our last 12h and were only really slow fighting the veg.
Frank gets many thanks for a nice job of laying out the course; the meet was scored on site with prizes (thanks Mike, Jerry, and Brenda). There were hillsides covered with twin leaf and Virginia bluebells, a trail with clumps of 20-30 daffodils in full bloom every 30 m for many clumps, and some cool sinkholes. April is a good month!
24h??
Orienteering race 2:38:00 [3] 7.1 mi (22:15 / mi) +313m 19:34 / mi
shoes: Salomon XA Pro 3D M+ 11.5
This is the remainder of the track. Watch was off for a few minutes at two points (missed 50 m of climb).
Total distance 35.5 miles and about 1570 m of climb.