Tracking my wanderlust need to get out of town once a month

Track my O progress here

Saturday, 12 Oct 02

Mike and I went to Knob Noster State Park. This is the nicest area around, and the most relevant to QOC. Mike set a short course and set out controls for me. He walked me to the triangle, counted down my start, and gave me the map.

My goal was to simulate the US Champs. I wanted to maintain a steady race pace, and to orienteer well.

I walked to the first control. I felt a bit nervous, but I was reading the map OK. I made it to the second control OK, and started to feel confident. Then it started to fall apart.

I made a huge error on the way to three, and got mad at myself. I calmed down, and went smoothly to number 4. Then I got confused again on the way to five. At this point, Mike came running past me, and I got nervous again. I felt he was watching me, and I stopped concentrating and started cursing. Things kept going wrong. This is not what I wanted only two weeks before the US Champs.

I spent 83 minutes out there. Towards the end, I slowed down for two reasons: I made another huge error leaving a control, and I lost my motivation. I just walked it in from there.

So what went wrong? I think I was too nervous to begin with, then got too confident and stopped concentrating. A total disaster, but I hope it was a wake up call.

MT = 599/1000


posted by Mary 8:55 PM [edit]