Orienteering 2:23:28 [3] 9.45 km (15:11 / km) +220m 13:36 / km
ahr:156 max:179 shoes: VJ Integrator
9.45km on green 5.5km = 172% :(
I was enjoying myself through ctrl5 - not pushing, just enjoying being on a course and navigating well. I was feeling good even though I only had a few hours sleep...
then ctrl #6. looking at my track I missed it high coming at it from 5. I broke off and went up to the trail by the open water line opening.
Attack #2 from a bend in the trail and a charcoal terrace - nothing - back to the trail.
Attack #3 hey there's a fire hydrant - that looks like a definitive place to attack from.- nothing - back to the trail and fire hydrant.
Attack #4 - from the fire hydrant focusing on keeping my bearing -nothing - back to the trail -
Attack #5 - lets try something new...the water tower. that's definitive. - nothing. decided to drop lower and follow an O trail. nothing coming back up found a large rock which got me to the ctrl 35m away...and over an hour from when I punched #5. (my new worst effort)
Looking at my gps, all my attacks were short - which is odd as it was downhill. Unfortunately, this particular charcoal terrace was not well defined and was overgrown with small woody trees. I never really saw the terrace.
Half way through this ordeal I decided it wasn't about time any more. It was about beating French Creek. The ED was going to have to drag me out of the woods before I would stop.
The rest of the course was more an endurance effort as I was completely exhausted. This became evident when I left ctrl 8 and did a 180 only to return to ctrl 8!.