The skies blessed us with another weekend filled with raindrops (ok yes it has been 2 weeks now...)
Waking up at 4:45am on Saturday to hear the dripping outside, wondering if track training was going to happen or if we would do something on the road. I had my smoothie (hemp, dates, oat milk, blueberries and cashews) along with my herbalife tea, while heating up my hamstrings with a bean bag. At about 5:20am the message came through that training was cancelled and to do a easy 30 minute run when the weather allowed. I then got a private message asking me to do the planned session on the road, when weather allowed. The weather forecast looked bleak for the day, and not knowing what to do, I made myself a cup of coffee (not something I usually have before a run). I decided to go and do my session at Ruimsig stadium, at least its safer than the wet roads and so be it if I get wet (also I know I would not want to train later in the day if the weather cleared). Honestly I am glad I went through and did my session, it was mostly drizzle but with the amount of heat I let off it was actually perfect. It was strange, I felt elated for having done my session, knowing I do not have to worry for the rest of the day.
Sunday was once again a 4:45am start, with some Herbalife Tea and a smoothie (Oat Milk, Coconut Water, Dates, Peanut Butter and Maca). I decided to have some coffee as I was still cold by 5:30. At 6am I set off to do my 15km run, in some rain but I think it sounded worse than it actually was. I chose to do a looped or zig zaged route to keep it fairly easy, but mentally it was tough - it was dead quiet out there and running the same road is quite boring. I was pretty happy with my overall pace (5:05) but my calves were definitely feeling the track session from the previous day. I tried to focus on good knee lift, from the hip flexor and circular rotation, to take some pushing pressure off my calves.
I was done nice and early and tucked in to breakfast, which was french toast, followed by copious amounts of coffee while watching a series in bed - I am not use to killing time on a Sunday, and was only leaving for Orienteering at 9:45.
Orienteering - our first event in almost one year, was held at De Vos Farm in Midrand. Its an area that I have come to enjoy, fairly open but the navigation is quick and my rusty orienteering mind was not prepared. Lucky for us the weather played along and the sun even came out. I brought out my inov8 shoes with the studs, just for extra grip and my gators for the wet grass (ugh I hate the feeling of wet veld grass on my calves).
My first control was dead easy but I was slow, taking forever to find the start and control 1, while trying to avoid the mud and water (after crossing my first stream I realized it was pointless to avoid getting wet). Couple of newbies also at the first control, insisting to hold the emit in for 10 seconds... (silly me for not using this time to see where the next control was). The controls that followed I headed more or less in the right direction, I didnt really check on my compass or have a plan, but rather a rough idea of where I was heading, and sometimes I could spot the little bit of orange of the kite and went 'sprinting' off.
Control 4 I went the safe route across the bridge - I didnt event check to see what the stream was like and after so many people saying they went through waist deep water, I was not going to risk it. Control 6 I went back across the bridge, once again I didnt even look at the stream to see if it was crossable.
Control 9 I overshot - I got onto the path and hit the forest area before turning around and seeing the sad sunken control in some water.
Control 10 was a sort of try for straight line, but avoid anything that looks wet but head towards the forest area and hope we don't end up in the marsh area. I did end up in a marshy area, thought I was going to lose a shoe, but it the water was about mid shin level.
Control 11 I got to by luck - I was expecting to run a bit further on the path but the control seemed to just pop up in front of me quicker than expected. A few double checks to make sure it was my number.
Control 13 - The one that tested my emotions a little bit. I followed the path to the crossing point and crossed over super hesitantly (event used my hands a little). I noticed that the straight line going to the control had a fence that was broken down. Staring at the map, wasting some time I tried to see if the fence on the map was crossable or not, especially in that corner - with 2 hashes I decided uncrossable and as map is king I went in search for the gate in the fence (which I did not find), so I ended up going to the end of the fence in the forested area. I was also hesitant about all the sheep in the area - I did not feel like being the object of a chase.
Control 14 - I was a little slower than I should have been. I saw someone head the other side of the dam and had to double check myself on which side the control was on - yup I was heading the correct way.
After this I headed back over the crossing point - I went full sprint and ramped up and over.
I was a bit off course going to 15, but spotted it and corrected myself.
Control 16 I was going alright until close to the control, where I needed to double check myself - but I spotted the control by the rock.
Coming out of 16 I needed to re-orientate so I lost time. I saw 2 controls and I wasn't quite confident on which one, so I went to the closest, which was the correct one. The other control I saw was my last control.
The Finish was a sprint around the the dam, I believe I got the fastest split for this.
Overall a good event, definitely an eye opener and shock to the system between the quick reading and finding the best route with the least amount of water and mud. I found some controls too easy or too close and I was needing to check myself because I couldn't quite believe it. I didnt get much reading ahead done, it's something I need to get down and consistent with.
I finished in 3rd, which of course I am happy about.
Overall it was a good weekend. If I let the weather dictate my activities then I would not have achieved my training goals or got to experience a wonderfully muddy orienteering (who needs a spa then?).
Always grateful for the opportunities that came my way this weekend, and I look forward to more, rain or sunshine, muddy or dry.
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