Wednesday, July 10, 2013

WOC Long Quali

Well I can now say I've been to a WOC race! It was fun to watch but actually not as big a thing as I was thinking it would be. However, It was only a qualification so that is probably why. The big dogs were taking it easy knowing they were going to qualify so just running to make sure that happens and the rest... running flat out trying to have clean runs hoping to make the cut off!





It was fun to be able to cheer for many countries today and have loads of friends and teammates running! The USA did quite well having strong runs and Ali making the final. Ireland were loud and cheery as normal with many of them also having strong runs, with Nick making the final and Neil just on the cut off but not quite making it. Then came the excitement of watching/hearing that Cat Taylor from GB had caught Minna Kauppi by the 3 mins that had separated them at the start. It was a nail biting and adrenaline rushing time waiting for them to finish. But Cat managed to hold on to the lead and came back to win the heat! Very exciting! Was cool to have all the GPS tracking to watch and video footage from the forest. Made me really want to get out on the long terrain it looks amazing! 
Here is a video from the car drive there which kinda gives you a taste as to what it is like: 




Saturday, July 6, 2013

Sprint Prep!

Today was the sprint models! 
 I am running the sprint as my race here at WOC. It will take place on Monday July 8th at 08:00
For more information on the whole of WOC go to WorldofO: WOC 2013- all you need to know

Sprint Qualification
We were only allowed on the maps for 3hrs this morning before the embargo goes back on the area. 5 of us drove to the Qualification map first to check it out. We got there a little early so drove around to just look in on the map and see what we could of the arena.



Glad we got there early as was able to have a walk around and check things out before it really started pouring out! I walked around with Wyatt and went through how different trails where mapped (big ones were mapped more like roads), which rocks were mapped (looked like 1m+), and how hedges were mapped. Doesn't look like a terribly technical map and is going to be a very compass and run qualification. I think the biggest thing will be to make sure you know which buildings are around you and what side of hedges the controls are going to be on. That being said it doesn't look as if any of the hedges are actually out of bounds so one could crash through them (even some which are nice rose beds). The question will be is it worth it? Probably not but if you get stuck it was nice to know you could push through if you had to. Also it was nice to decide what to wear. Because of all the hedges and how easy the woods were to run through I'm going to wear fully leg cover and possibly even dobbs, as it did rain a lot today! Getting excited!

Sprint Final
We then drove about 15mins to Sotkamo where the sprint final and opening ceremony are going to take place. We managed to miss most of the heavy rain which was nice. I ran the course here in order as the officials said the out of bounds and taping they had done to demonstrate how it will be on the day were up for that direction of running (ie front not back of things as well). I didn't run it all out but was wanting to get another sense of things at a bit of speed. Think I did actually cross an out of bounds hedge going to 1 (if it is the darkest green on the map, generally used for hedges, you are not allowed to cross it in a sprint race). But then the distinct tree (green dot) next to the control was actually a play swing instead :/
No other real troubles while running the course. Was glad to have streamers up around some of the olive green though! Olive green is another out of bounds color, generally used for gardens around buildings and other flower beds. It is again illegal to go through them.
I then walked back out towards 5 to check out the difference between the yellow and olive green on the north part of the map. In places it wasn't super obvious where the line was but we believe it will be streamered if a route goes near it. Wyatt then picked a few more places for controls for me and he shadowed/met me at most of them and then we chatted about it. Very useful! Other people were saying that fences were mostly uncrossable on the map (designated by a black line with two ticks coming off it, like control 5), yet were easily cross-able in reality. I didn't really notice this but I generally plane to not cross fences anyway with being short and not the best hurdler. We then managed to hop back in the car before it really started pouring with rain again!

Technical Model
This afternoon is going to be a rest up and get ready for racing! We did the "technical" model as well. This is where a starting line procedure is set up for us to walk through and a control or two and this time they had a drinks station as well so people running the longer distances could try the sports drink. On paper it seemed very confusing as have to get control descriptions and a GPS unit (if that race is getting them) and a map all during this time and three different lanes you have to make sure to go in the right one of. But yeah on the ground no problem!

Training and Model events

Started training as soon as I could to start getting used to maps here.
The first map that I ran on was a sprint map of Kajanni which is a town down the road from the event centre. I got a map off Ali/Alex
Wyatt came with me and really set up the start bit for me, giving me control descriptions first then a minute later the map as my start and having me stand a bit away to the start like the real race. This was a really fun sprint. The plan was to take the first part just under race pace to see what things were tripping me up and then ease off towards the end. Not sure I really eased off that much as was enjoying myself :)

I didn't really notice the route kinda backwards out of 1 until most of the way to 2 but thing I managed to just pick fast enough. However still think it was better going backwards out of the control so that is something I'm not going to remember to think about. Another thing was 3 I actually didn't go to the right wall corner. So on your descriptions there are many different columns to them. Here is a great breakdown of them from IOF:
And I noticed that on this sprint I wasn't really using the "G" column enough, the "location of the control flag". I had looked at it and saw it was the wall inner corner NW. However having my map reading it going south it matched up the control code and had there been a control there it would have been a "SH*T" moment. So will be studying these a bit more with the map in different orientations I think.


Some other things I had a little trouble with was a route from 5 to 6. I went left but after talking to wyatt I do think right is better now. As you would go through less of the woods which in this area was actually quite crappy! Which I also found out going to 7 and manage to actually over run as didn't really notice the clearing very well.

Most of the other controls went well and only had small bobbles when a fence was closed that I didn't realise was the opening I wanted and then an underpass was actually a closed on driveway. But it was cool to run around and even like go out to the little island with people picnicking and no one gave you weird looks! Everyone was pretty like oh yeah this is normal.

Local Event: Wyatt and I then drove to a local event to get some terrain running in. It was on a map called matinmakj-lentokentta and I decided to run the short 3.6ish course.
I had a bit of issues with the first control as didn't think I climbed as much as I had and then must not have gone far enough as hit a white patch which i thought was the one on the edge of the controls circle and it wasn't :/ Had to reattach from the trail. I realised that many of these controls could have been found going around on trails but decided to go straight as possible to figure out how things were mapped. only really had other issues with 7 as must have come out of the control lower than i thought and got caught up in the green stuff next to the trail. But overall was a fun course! However, goodness did you NOT want to hang around for too long not moving or the killer flies would start biting you!

Middle Model (July 5th)
Brenden, Cristina and I went to the middle model to check out that terrain. I'm not actually running the middle however it is the same terrain as the Relay which I hope to make the team for.
I had Cristina plan me a course with the controls out in the woods and went out for just under an hour. The first control I ended up taking quite slow as I hit about 3 different type of vegetation on that leg. Figured out that the rough open (yellow with white dots) was very much like felled ground in scotland so slow but not bad to get over, The rides weren't always obvious and that the green wasn't too bad but had tall grass/flowers/nettles in it so slow going along with lower viability. Ended up hitting the cliff south of the one I wanted but relocated quite quickly after pottering about looking at things. Then to control 2 I again tested things. Either through the green and have to really be strong with your compass as can't really see, or cut north a bit to the green slash were one can see but slow going. I think avoiding green slash is the way to go! Many places to catch your ankles in that stuff! The rest of the controls went well and liked how things were mapped. I also got to have Thierry Gueorgiou pass me on the way to 258. It was nice to see even him kinda come back at it but he just flew through the woods just jogging and making it look super easy! I'm hoping I get to do at least a spectator race in the woods!

Orienteering my way to Finland

(Bit of an excerpt from Attackpoint with more added)
Flight from Philly!
I was meant to leave for WOC on July 2nd and well this was not how I was planning the day to go! So was supposed to fly out at 10pm Philly time (to London then Helsinki then Kuopio). I however got a lovely email that morning though saying that my flight was delayed until 0800 the next morning! Well that just wasn't going to work and I was freaking out! I wasn't done packing and had a few things left to do in Philly. Thankfully though my parents are the greatest! Dad started having a look at other flights I could ask to get transferred to, mom helped me quickly pack and get an essay finished. And then mom and I headed to the airport for 2pm to see what could be done. As the lady on the phone was useless and couldn't even figure out that I couldn't make a 1200 flight while being on the phone with her at 1100. Then she said I couldn't do anything about missing my flights to Helsinki and Kuopio because that was a different round trip booking than my London flight. It was an "OH DEAR!" moment.  Thank goodness for a lovely guy Jeff at BA as he sorted everything out and rebooked me on all new flights! So I was thankfully still on my way to WOC! 


Frankfort Airport deserted!
So I have now been on a flight to Frankfort. I however was now flying two different airlines so I couldn't get my bag checked all the way through :( So had to go through boarder control, wait for my bag, change terminals to find the finair check in desk and recheck my bag. This is when I found a pretty empty airport! And it stayed that way until about 10am (I arrived at 6am). Spent about 6hrs there. I was in line basically right as the check in desk opened, and checked bag all the way through and got tickets. Well that was fine but security was touch and go for a bit and I had gone straight there. Like seriously thought I was going to miss my flight after sitting in the airport for 5hrs already! LESSON LEARNED: just take out the kindle even when they say you don't need to as your bag will get searched but you will be stuck in a que behind newbie travelers that apparently don't know what a liquid is! like seriously people perfume, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, lip gloss, mouth wash, ALL liquids! But heyho I made it through and got to my gate in time, even managed to get a croissant for breakfast :) 

So managed to get to Helsinki and Kuopio with no problems. Met a lovely Fin in Helsinki and we had a nice chat about the Kuopio airport and flies and he even knew about WOC which was cool! I then got to Kuopio and ended up having to wait about 5.5hrs before Wyatt showed up to pick me up in a car (he had been driving up from Helsinki). So spent the time on the internet which was fine and reading my book. But the main issue was the airport was SOOOO small. It did have a cafe but it wasn't open, and the vending machines would only take coins which I didn't have yet only notes. There wasn't even really anyone around to get change from. So needless to say I was a very hungry Alison while on skype to colm worried as to where wyatt had gotten to. But it was all good I got picked up.


Wyatt and I then still had about a 2hr drive further north to Vuokatti to the cabin. This is where we found out that it REALLY doesn't get dark out. Like not even for a half an hour. You couldn't even really tell it was midnight when we were driving that we found it very funny to be saying "Happy 4th of July" to each other already. Decided that Fireworks would stink here as you wouldn't see them! Anyway after a stop to get me a burger for dinner, and then a little bit of navigating issues right at the end we finally arrived at the cabin 2am July 4th Finish time (+7hrs from philly). 


So I've basically had to orienteer my way to woc but hey great warm up right!?

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

On the road to WOC 2013!

This summers adventure started at least a year ago when I decided I was going to train to make the USA senior orienteering team to compete at the world championships. Hours of training, motivation and juggling course work was this year. Training more with the Scottish elite and daily runs with my friend Regina got me pretty prepared. I had some good runs back in October at the North American championships. And great runs at Easter in the big uk race the JK. Then the waiting started! I had put in a petition but had to wait until mid may for the USA team trials to take place. I was glued to the computer waiting for results that weekend. 
I honestly cannot fully describe the emotions I had when I read off my name when the team was announced! Relief all the hard work paid off, pride that I got to represent my county again, but probably most of all excitement! Excitement to make the jump to the senior level of the sport that I love! 
Then I'll be honest a bit off worry set in where I doubted my ability to compete at the high level I wanted to and exceptions I and others had for me. That's when a SEDs (Scottish elite development) training weekend came in. I got talk to to many previous woc runners including Linnea Gustofson who had won gold for the sprint! Her advice is what I'm holding on to strongly (with bits an pieces from others added on ;) ). Linnea told me that I shouldn't worry about others. That I had done my part, I made the team and it is now my competition to enjoy and learn from and just do the best I can and worry about my goals and no one else's expectations of me. That the best runs come from when you are focused and calm yourself and the rest comes. 

I'm excited to be racing the sprint at the 2013 world orienteering championships in Finland! 

So I'm on my way! Literally I'm sitting in the Helsinki airport! But the story of my actual trip here deserves another post.