Race Evaluation
Flying Pig IX: U.S. Short Course Championship: Red
Nadim
| 1. | +00:20 | S-1 – I got to the start nicely warmed-up with 4 minutes to spare. The rain and cold didn’t bother me but the mud did somewhat. Leaving the start it didn’t occur to me to take the trail to the right—I didn’t see it. I went straight crossing the wet reentrant at the ditch junction. I should have glanced at the map again but kept running over the spur to the other side expecting the control to be there in a shallow reentrant. When I discovered it wasn’t I re-read the map and turned around to go to the control. | |||||
| 2. | 1-2 – I crossed the stream at the junction and climbed amongst the ditches and detailed reentrants; I passed a control along the way. I crossed the flat area and rounded the reentrant toward the control. It seemed to come-up too soon but I was glad to get there. | ||||||
| 3. | 2-3 – I went straight across the power lines but was left of the control. It helped just a little that someone else was leaving the control. | ||||||
| 4. | +01:15 | 3-4 – I didn’t plan this route much. I thought to stay high to avoid troubles as in the previous day sprint gully crossings. I came to the strange dot knoll with the control and supposedly dry ditch. Going on I expected to see the fence to clue me in on when to turn left. I either passed through the gap or stepped over it w/o seeing it. Looking for fast running ground, I cut right a bit when I should have turned left through the gap of dark green. I must have crossed the east most dark green and knowing something was amiss, I cut left and saw the control far off. I probably crossed through the length of the east most dark green but didn’t think it that bad. | |||||
| 5. | +02:00 | 4-5 – I again didn’t plan much of this route. I took off going straight and crossing two reentrants before hitting the stream. I climbed the other bank amidst the many ditches and fine reentrants passing a control before I hit and crossed a trail. It seemed almost intermittent and not like the hard line on the map. Crossing another similar one, I was expecting the road to be just ahead but I must have drifted left a lot. I finally came out and didn’t see any water stops; probably too far left. I cut in to the woods where it was almost rough open and followed a reentrant down to the stream. Seeing the bend in the stream well to my right, I crossed the stream, climbed and followed the bank across more reentrants until I got to the control | |||||
| 6. | +02:00 | 5-6 – With only glance at the map to know direction, I took off down the reentrant to the stream and crossed. Angling up, at the top I saw another reentrant and finally read the map again. I thought I could cross the reentrant in the light green but looking for a way through the thorns, I got more east and in the midst of the dark green thorny area. I broke through it painfully reaching the trail and somewhat disoriented. I followed it left to the small open area, across the curve then back north. Once in the white woods and going east, I was a bit too high but fortunately I saw it below. | |||||
| 7. | +00:45 | 6-7 – I read the route a little this time, knowing I’d have to avoid the dark green on the red line. My bearing was a bit more off to the right but I was quick throught the white woods, over the fence and to the stream. I crossed and expected to see it but realizing I had drifted too far right getting there, I cut left and followed the bank closely. I noticed the ditch coming up to the right but hugged the bank anyway to be sure. In the process I passed the control a little and had to come back. | |||||
| 8. | +02:45 | 7-8 – I hoped to make-up time. I got started in the right direction and crossed the first stream. My second quick glance at the route was confused. I planned the rest of the leg as if I were leaving #8 and going to #9. After crossing the next stream and running up to a reentrant like at #9, I realized something was wrong. I followed the stream bank back to the clearing and confirmed my position. I felt forced left to go around the green and once performed, I expected to see the control. However I was one reentrant too far south. I crossed the gully again and went to the correct one | |||||
| 9. | 8-9 – Having already visualized this one on the previous leg, I simpllyfollowd the stream up to the ditch. | ||||||
| 10. | +00:30 | 9-10 – I followed the stream up to the stream junction. I should have read the leg better.and stayed low on the north side of the spur between the streams. Instead, I climbed it contouring only a little at the top only to realize I had to drop down again and cross the next reentrant. I did an found the control quickly once reading the code. Others converged at the same time. | |||||
| 11. | 10-11 – When planning the route, I didn’t look wide enough. I never saw the trail option to the left. I went a little left and came down the reentrant. It was thorny and slow with debris. I crossed the stream and climbe in the gap between thick green. Cutting right, I crossed the trail and got to the control just as Mike Ball was leaving. I knew he was on the Green course having talked w/him at the start. | ||||||
| 12. | +00:40 | 11-12 – I followed the ditch down crossing it twice before hitting the stream and going north. I should have crossed right a way where Mike Ball did. Once I got far enough, I saw the slippery wall I’d have had to try to climb and decided to cut back. Finally across, I contoured around the spur and crossed the next gully to the control. | |||||
| 13. | Out to the parking area, I lost my place and had trouble orienting my map. Once done, I moved okay. | ||||||
| F. | Splash, splash, splash. It was like XC racing. |
Total Time Lost - 00:10:15