Training Log Archive: Kseniya

Reflections on this weekend's O races:
I'm no good at post-race analysis of my own performance besides the immediate general feeling of how well I did in comparison to my "ideal" self. As part of my training goals I will be trying to work on this part, both in a qualitative and quantitative fashion.
For now just some meaninglessly meaningful meandering:
Based on my splits the major thing that stands out is the consistency. Slow and steady. No major mistakes, no getting lost (opposite of how I feel in my life right now).
My style of orienteering is based on intuition and trusting my inner compass. Up to this year the trust part was always lacking confidence. My typical mistakes in the past were almost always due to doubt, not inability. This weekend reinforced the changes I've been going through and the payoff in constantly working on oneself. Even in areas where I didn't know where I was I trusted that I was on the right track. Oh.. the analogies to life again. The uncertainty of life journey is bringing certainty to my orienteering. If that's a start, I'll take it!
I was able to take risks (Кто не рискует, тот не пьет шампанское!), especially on the second day. The first day I just took it real slow, read more details than was necessary and was very safe. Second time around I decided to try a different strategy, one I have not really employed in the past. I'm still unsure whether it was successful or not but I am glad I tried it. In the detailed section of the map I just took a general bearing towards a prominent feature and tried to locate and attack once I was there. This was new to me because I'm so used to always knowing where I am (control freak much?) and so naturally I hesitated in certain spots, but overall it seemed to work. Will need to practice this approach in training.
I would say the biggest success to me out of these races was the ability to focus on the map throughout pretty much the whole time, something I definitely have had difficulties with in the past. If my mind drifted (only once did a song get stuck in my head and it was Miley Cirus so it was easy to snap out of) I would bring it back consciously and without serious effort. It certainly helped that the map required 100% focus. It is much easier to drift when the course and the terrain are easier.
Hopefully, this 'focused-go-slow-yet-take-risks-in-the-face-of-uncertainty" orienteering approach will feed back into my life.. it probably already has.

C • bearing towards a prominent feature and attack once there... 2