Orienteering race (Middle Distance) 50:33 [3] **** 3.72 km (13:35 / km) +50m 12:44 / km
shoes: Salomon S-Lab Fellcross 2
North American Orienteering Champs Middle Distance
The flat, rocky, complex terrain around Carp is humbling. It's similar to Rocky Ridge and the north end of Hilton Falls - very difficult to relocate if you don't hit a control right on. It makes my head hurt to concentrate that hard!
This was an interesting, challenging, well-set course with difficult footing in a beautiful autumn forest. I haven't done much navigation this year so I expected to get completely lost at least once. I cautiously counted my paces and followed precise bearings, never relying on features alone.
I messed up a few times when I got sucked in by a flag from another course. "Oh, there's a flag in a ditch well off my bearing. I'd better veer off my line to read the control code in case it's the hilltop I'm looking for." But my control was never too far away. So my navigation was a little ragged at times but things never got stressful - although it was getting close with #12, the 2nd last control. :)
10th of 34 in my category, which was better than expected. There were two splits where I came 2nd to Pavlina but other than that, my best split was 10th. It looks like I excel at legs where I run 100 m south between two controls. This skill will not be terribly useful tomorrow in the Long Distance event.
So nice to see so many friends - Revy, C-Bass, Arthurd, Cristina (with apple cider donuts), Kissy (who knocked it out of the park again), Sid & Trudy, Ken, DLevine, Hammer, Starr, AdventureGirl!, Backwoods, Mr. & Mrs. GHOSLO, Anvil, Blairtrewin, Mark A, Sudden & family, Wilsmith & family, Nick, Dale, Mr. & Mrs. Dobos, Smoke, Barb, Izzy (North American Champ), Benoit L, Nick DsC, James and a whole bunch more. That's the best part of a NAOC!
(Straight line course distance: 2.9 km, 40 m elevation gain.)