Devon OC - Smallhanger Waste Night Event - 29th Jan 2012

So to Smallhanger Waste near Plympton, for the fifth round of the Devon and Cornwall Night League.  I was feeling rough but this was my last chance to run on this map before I plan the final event as part of the Tamar Triple event on the Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend.  Then the waste from a local tungsten mine will be dumped on this area.  So off I went cautious start surprised the gorse that had covered the area on route to number one had gone and was clear and very runnable.  Aimed off for #2 picked up ditch and in safely.  Now it gets difficult, tick off the path then ditch, boulder come in but drift down on lower path and get confused, hit second path and realise mistake head north and stumble on control 3 before path I intend to relocate to.  Out to #4, bounce back to #5, then slow it to #6 but hit it nicely.  North to the path to #7 no problems.  Long leg to #8, try to keep map contact, but struggle nearer to control, decide to run to distinctive trees or failing that relocate on the road junction, pick up Phil (who must have passed me on the way to #3) on the way who is looking short of control sight.  See trees and adjust into control Phil slightly ahead, I take a higher line to #9 than Phil but still to low, but again find control before path.  Out to #10 stay high and drop onto it.  Back to the path then in clean to #11, before the run into the finish.  A really enjoyable event, in a technical area for night O.  Looking forward to getting back out there  and planning the South West Middle Distance Championships.           

Lanhydrock, Cornwall Orienteering Club - 15th January 2012

This was to be my forth run in four days, so I choose Blue which was 6.2km 200m as oppose to the Brown which was 9.2km 300m!, how glad I was.  Really enjoyed the course but made silly errors at #12, #13 and #15 which spoiled my run, probably due to tiredness.  As always a great event and it was nice to get back to the famous Kerno tea tent, for a cuppa, chat and catch up.

6.2km 200m - 74min 26secs

Quantock Orienteering After Dark - 14th January 2012

First route in red, second in maroon

So to Taunton I went for one of Quantock Orienteering Clubs after dark series.  The format was an hour score event with second master map, all in an urban setting.  Once you switched to the second set of controls then you couldn't go back to the first set.  I decided to try an split the maps 50/50 and managed to get back to the master map bang on 30 minutes.  But how much did I have left in the tank?  The second set were quite a struggle and by the time I was at the 50 pointer to the North East of the map my decision making was pretty shot, I could have picked up control 17 on the way back but decided against it as I could where the road south was!!  It always amazes me the effect running has on your ability to make simple decisions.  I got back with 5 minutes to spare, but not a lot left in the tank.  These events combine all I love in orienteering, interesting formats, the added interest in running in the dark and the pressure of the score format.  Thanks to Quantock Orienteering Club for a great event.


55 minutes 7.8km. 


For more information visit http://www.quantockorienteers.co.uk/