Training Log Archive: nmulder

Ran Day 5 of the Swiss spectator races as a training run for the Relay on Saturday.

Jorat 10 / Chalet-à-Gobet
1:10'000
Course: Open Middle - A

A mix of orange and green diffuculty controls. Easy to start with, so got complacent when I hit the first two technical controls. Lost a couple of minutes there. After that so-so, but not too good. A typical Swiss undergrowth forest, so whites were pretty green.

Results

From Orienteering Maps

Bretaye - 1:10'000
Day 4 of the Swiss spectator races.

Wanted to go at a nice comfortable speed, but changed my mindset when I picked up the map. Looked like an awfully tough course, so I changed into endurance mode.

Even then I took it easy, walking most of the hills. Missed #1 in some tall undergrowth. Then messed up route execution on the first long leg to #2. Then a loop through lots of white forest where the undergrowth was as tall as me. Luckily I was running late, so there were major highways between controls. Poor bastard who had to start first.

Had a good route choice 8-9, contouring around a valley, which I don't think too many people saw. I took it easy and still had a very decent split position.

Caught up with Jeremy who had started behind me, but cut out the 8-9 loop. Course only got interesting in the last 10 controls when we hit some snazzy glacial morraine.

Very long and tough course in the end. Not much fun. Out of 85 starters, about 31 bailed from the course. Only 2 guys, both Swiss national squad, just got in under 2 hrs. With some more effort from my side, I think I could have run 2:10 - 2:20, but I would have been broken for the next week.

Results

Crazy planning for a 5-day event. Good planning for a mountain marathon. My Suunto says we did 1500m climb instead of 625m, but that's certainly wrong. My contour count on my map say 875m.

From Orienteering Maps

Went to watch the Middle Final. Didn't really get into the whole thing, but interesting to see a shake-up of the regular podium placers.

Bois Rond - 1:10'000

Men's C-Heat in the Middle Distance Qualification

My worst run in a world ranking event in 8 years... :-(

Tough forest. Quite physical, lots of low visibility and a lot of map that was on the green side of white. A few controls that were tucked deep into greenery as well.

Hit the first three quite nicely, but then missed #4 by about 5 metres (twice). Found another control that matched the description, but wrong number. Lost about 2.5 mins. Then route choice error to #4 cost me another 4+ minutes. Another mistake at #6, 30 secs. Then came across an Aussie needing medical attention to #7. Threw my concentration and I missed #8 by a few metres. +90 secs.

Probably about 10 mins of mistakes in total, of which 8 mins I would not normally make, so very disappointing. Probably not enough prep in this type of area. So I was under-prepared.

Results

Map coming soon.