Orienteering race 50:31 [3] 3.4 mi (14:51 / mi) +135m 13:14 / mi
US Nationals Middle Course
Made the same error to #1 as yesterday - should have made a beeline for the trail that passed near the control. Misread the description for #2 (read second symbol down which was #1 as the start had a symbol) and was searching for a depression, not a spur. Found it with a small pack, but was confused and let them run away so I ended up credited with a small error at #3 as well. Overshot #4 and had to double back a bit. With no confidence (and recalling big errors in this area many years ago), I was tentative and slow all the way to #5. By now I "knew" that I had errors on four of my five legs (true, although I was counting #1 and not #3, unlike the analysis), I decided just to "go for it" with whatever energy I had and let the chips fall where they might. Picked up the speed to #6, was mostly clean to #7 except for the "over the knees mud" I stepped in and had no other issues except the hill to #10 which was purely physical. I got up it by telling myself it was the last hill (but for one contour at #13). Leaving #11, I was surprised by the uphill - though less so when I saw that the control description was "top of hill"; bobbled #13 a bit and tried to run in. Goal of top half finish was "missed by this much" as I came in 12th of 23. Not a great run, but many others had worse ones.