Course: Intermediate [5.2 km; 175m; 13 controls]
Time: 1:15:22 - winsplits - routegadget
It was cold and windy at Great Falls. I can't remember an orienteering experience at Great Falls that wasn't cold and windy. I'm grateful that there wasn't any snow. Last year there was at least a few inches of snow on the ground.
I spent the first 1.5 hrs at Great Falls volunteering. I helped Heidi with the e-punch. She ran the computer. I taught people (who needed some instructions) how the e-punch works. I got a few technical questions that I was unable to answer. In one case I referred the person to Jon. In the other I just shrugged my shoulders and apologized for not knowing what all symbols were on the clue sheet.
When Heidi let me go it was around 12:20. I had less than 3 hours to complete a course. Based on a number of factors I decided to walk the intermediate course. I would have preferred to try the advanced course but I think it was just a little too long for me to complete in 2.5 hours.
The intermediate course wasn't challenging. I had help with a few of the controls. For the last 7 or 8 controls I was being followed by a FUMA student. He passed me briefly as we approached a couple of the controls and I passed him as I headed off to the next control. With 3 or 4 controls left on the course he met a buddy of his also from FUMA, who also proceeded to follow me. I took it as a compliment that they were following me and didn't try to dissuade them from doing so.
I finished 25th out of 84 people/groups that completed the course. There was a combination of 10 DNFs and MPs. I can't remember the last time I finished that high in the rankings. I didn't finish ahead of anyone that I normally wouldn't have. The intermediate course was a little more difficult than the usual intermediate course. This may have contibuted to some of the slower times.
Between the 13th (and final control) and the finish I got whacked in the (left) eye by a small branch. It didn't hit me. I walked into it. I normally have lots of near misses with branches, big and small. This was the exception to the rule; contact was made. The pain wasn't extreme but it did bother me for the next 36 hours.
No comments:
Post a Comment