MAROC Colour Coded Event - Creag Choinnich

Creag Choinnich from Braemar.


I ran the brown (longest) course which was 7.0k with 470m of climb and 22 controls, and which took me 77 minutes; giving me second place, 4 seconds behind Andy Hyslop of Warrior.

Creag Choinnich is located just east of Braemar and provided a good, if physical (hilly and rough underfoot) test. The first leg was approximately 1k long and I was the only person I know of who went over - everybody else going east of the hill. 2 and 3 were very rough - heather and stones. I missed 4 through not having a precise attack point - realised I was wrong when I saw the wall below me! My route from 7 - 8 differed from everybody else I spoke to - the others following a more direct (but, from the evidence of splits I know of, slower!) route. Was careless leaving 19 and gave myself more climb than was necessary.

Results.

INVOC Colour Coded Event - Carse

Carse is a forested sand dune area on the Moray Firth, and provided fast runnable terrain with occasional areas of moderately detailed dunes to maintain interest. It is an area I last ran-in in September, 1982 - 24 years ago!

I ran the brown (longest) course which was 9.1k with 21 controls, and which took me 59 minutes. My run was fairly clean, although I did still feel a bit tired from recent multi-day events!

In 1982, the M21A course I ran was 12.3k with 27 controls and took me 72 minutes. The winner, Colin McIntyre, took 67 minutes.

2006 Results.

After the event, I went to Fort George and spent a while scanning the Firth for Bottlenose Dolphins. One was observed breaching some distance offshore and provided a nice end to the day.

Hampsfell

Went for an easy run back on Hampsfell this morning with Hazel. We revisited my 6th control from yesterdays event and found, as some had suggested, that it was positioned in the reentrant some 50m north (and one contour lower) of where it should have been.

Lakes 5 Days - Day 5 - Hampsfell

M45L was 6.5k with 270m of climb and 15 controls, and took me 53 minutes.

Hampsfell has underlying limestone, which gives rise to some really technical orienteering in the woods and some open hill which is fast, except when covered with limestone pavement.

I had an early start and ran pretty well apart from mixing up some paths between 2 and 3, which cost me ca 30 seconds, and having difficulty finding number 6. I reckoned I lost ca 3 minutes there, although comparing splits with others (who hadn't lost time) suggested it was less than that! A number of people felt the control was hung too far to the north. The mapper (who ran the M45L course) had problems finding the control and interestingly, my daughters 1:5000 map didn't show the pit that the control was sited at.

Thereafter, I ran well and was leading at the last control, but a slow run in time (on one of the roughest run-ins I've ever done!) allowed Donald Petrie through to secure a 12 second victory.

Results and overall results. Overall results were based on the best 4 results, which ironically for me, meant day 3 (which was probably my best run) not counting.


At the prizegiving with Andy Hyslop of WAROC (left) and Donald Petrie of CLYDE (right).

Lakes 5 Days - Day 4 - Bannisdale East

M45L was 6.9k with 270m of climb and 16 controls, and took me 47 minutes.

The area was open fell with a mix of detailed areas (with lots of knolls) separated by areas of less detailed/vague hillside. The transitions between the two were a good test of technique, and mine was found wanting between 1 and 2 (where I lost contact with where I was and had to relocate on the big marsh to the SSW of the control) and going into 4 (where I was rather hesitant).

I think these two errors were caused by my concentration being broken by another competitor getting in my way as I went to pick up my map at the start. After 4 however, I settled down and ran well for the remainder of the race.

Results.

Lakes 5 Days - Day 3 - Angle Tarn Pikes

M45L was 6.6k with 425m of climb and 16 controls, and took me 49 minutes.

Angle Tarn Pikes is located to the south of Place Fell and Ullswater, and gives fantastic views of the Helvellyn range to the west. It has a wealth of contour and rock detail, little bracken and provides good fell orienteering - so typical of the Lake District.

I felt I ran a good technical race and felt strong, physically. My route to number 1 followed the path to the south and whilst safe, a bolder more direct route, would have saved a few seconds!

Leg 6 to 7 crossed a wall which I was under the impression (from a comment in the programme) had to be crossed at a crossing point. The line went straight between the controls, was broken at the wall and crossing points were marked to the east and west. The descriptions made no reference to using a crossing point. I crossed the (most southerly) eastern crossing point. Many others I spoke to went straight, taking advantage of a gap in the wall; whilst a few (John Tullie and Donald Petrie included) went to the western crossing point. Confusion and uncertainty all round!!

10 to 11 was a long leg of 1.5k. I ran the whole leg to the east of the line, but everybody else I spoke to ran (the northern part) to the west. I'm looking forward to seeing the splits, because although my route had more climb, the climb was gradual and therefore runnable, and my route wasn't far off the line!

Comparing splits with Andy Hyslop, I also realised I was losing time on short, steep downhill legs. I lost ca 10 seconds from 8 to 9, another ca 10 seconds from 11 to 12 and a whopping 18 seconds on the run in to the finish!

Results.

Lakes 5 Days - Day 2 - Graythwaite (northern part)

M45L was 7.3k with 320m of climb and 18 controls. I took 69 minutes, losing 2 minutes on the way to 7 and 1 minute on the way to 14.

Having a late start time was a distinct advantage in such a rough and brackeny area. I did a lot of path/ride running, which meant some long detours and some dog legging!

Results.

Lakes 5 Days - Day 1 - Swindale SE

M45L was 8.0k with 190m of climb and 13 controls. I took 49 minutes and ran a clean race, save for being a bit hesitant on the long leg from 9 -10 and also from 10 - 11.

I was fortunate to have a middlish start time (the start times ran from 10am to 2pm) and so miss the mist which affected early starters and the heavy rain which would have hampered late starters.

Results.

Lakes 5 Days - Training - Great Tower Wood

Attended the Lakes 5 Days training event at Great Tower Wood - one of the nicest orienteering areas in the Lake District and one which is relatively free of bracken and other summer undergrowth. Ran ca 3k and visited 13 controls. Was orienteering cleanly and didn't feel too bad from the cold which has troubled me over the last few days.

Noticed that a good Lithuanian M45 runner was also at the training event and his presence, together with that of a number of strong runners from the UK, heralds a tough week of competition.

TAY Local Event - Glenearn and Berryknowe

I ran the Blue (longest) course which was 8.4k with 275m of climb and 16 controls. It took me 62 minutes, which I was reasonably happy with, especially since I'd run for 2 hours 15 minutes the day before, recceing a forest for the 2009 Scottish 6 Days.

Got pushed off line by bracken between 2 and 3, and by gorse between 11 and 12 - the 9 year old map beginning to show its age! Also, lost a bit of rhythm with pin punches attached vertically to the canes, but all in all, an enjoyable course on a nice area.

Results.

5 Days of Italy - Subiaco - 11-16 July 2006

Tuesday, July 11, 2006 - Day 1 - Monte Livata (S)

M45 has 41 competitors and my course is 5.4k with 140m of climb and 10 controls; and is mostly through mature, fast beech forest. I lose time at the first control by searching on the wrong side of the ridge - the rock detail does obliterate the contours! Thereafter, I am clean and complete the course in 37 minutes - enough to secure a narrow and surprising, but pleasing, victory.

Results.




Wednesday, July 12, 2006 - Day 2 - Campo Della Pietra

More beech forest on a high plateau with fantastic views! M45 is 5.9k with 175m of climb and 15 controls. I have another good run, losing a small amount of time at control 10 and finshing the course in 42 minutes and 2nd place.

Results.




Friday, July 14, 2006 - Day 3 - Altipiani Di Arcinazzo

Very different terrain - rough pasture and lots of thorn bushes! Training on adjacent area on the rest day (13th July) I realised this was going to be tricky. Despite this knowledge, I still missed controls 1 and 3, and was caught by a Norwegian who started 6 minutes after me. Thereafter, I found the controls cleanly and completed the 5.3k course with 220m of climb and 15 controls in 49 minutes, 1 minute behind the Norwegian and in second place on the day and first overall.

Results.




Saturday, July 15, 2006 - Day 4 - Monte Livata (N)

A return to the beech forests! M45 is 5.6k with 165m of climb and 14 controls. I have a clean run and complete it in 37 minutes and 1st place.

Results.


Chatting after the race with Mikhail Gryoznevich, M50 from TVOC.




Sunday, July 16, 2006 - Day 5 - Monte Livata (C)

I am 4 minutes clear of second at the beginning of the day, but am feeling the pressure at the start. Fortunately, I hold my nerve and run another clean race completing the 5.8k course with 190m of climb and 12 controls in 41 minutes for another victory on the day (this was only secured on the run in though!) and overall victory.

Results.

Overall results.


On the podium with Tapio Markki, Finland (2nd) and Arnt Edvin Andersen, Norway (3rd).

World Masters Orienteering Championships - Wiener Neustad, Austria - 4-7 July 2006

Tuesday, July 04, 2006 - Qualification 1 - Gropenberg

I am in the 5th of 5 heats in M45, with only 16 (from 60) runners in each heat qualifying (after 2 qualification races!) for the A final. My heat is 7.2k, with 315m of climb and 13 controls. I complete the course in 57 minutes and end up 7th. Am satisfied with the placing, but disappointed I only spotted the best route to 2 after I had finished my run.

Results.
RouteGadget.




Wednesday, July 05, 2006 - Qualification 2 - Malleitenberg

My course is 7.3k with 200m of climb and 21 controls. I have a clean run and complete the course in 53 minutes which gives me 3rd place on the day and 6th overall, and a place in the A final!

Results.
RouteGadget.




Friday, July 07, 2006 - A Final - Witzelberg

The M45A final is 9.2k with 290m of climb and 25 controls, and very hot (30+c) weather. I navigate from 5-6 when leaving control 4 and lose 3 minutes. From then on I struggle and complete the course in 73 minutes and a disappointing 24th place.

Results.
RouteGadget.