My latest update here was followed by a steady training period. I did a good deal of skiing, while the emphasis was still on running. Increasing training volumes step by step was working well. The aerobic base was improving, whilst orienteering based physical and technical traits were pretty untouched. This needed and still needs to be dealt with. February robbed a lot of time and effort, since I was the course setter for the XII Estonian Winter Games ski-orienteering venue. Course setter, as in setting courses on paper and setting them out in the snow. It's a tough job, especially in deep snow and antique hardware. To steer a Buran is a real art - "Riding a Buran - just like sailing!" And when sailing on a dense network of paths with a lot of sharp turns and junctions, one has to be a skilled logistic too (otherwise happy lifting and digging!). I think that I mastered conducting this beast pretty well.
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| Still running strong |
The last week of preparing this event was pretty intense and nerve-racking. Partly because I myself would not be present during the competition at all. No, instead I would be finally able to train "freely" and run on solid ground, holding an orienteering map - I would be going to "sunny" Barbate, Spain. Relatively fast sand dune terrains awaited.
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| High season |
I was really glad to be finally here, with nothing hindering my training, I hoped. The first decent training ended in exhaustion. Don't know exactly if the exertion from all the organizing and travelling, my sore wisdom teeth or all these combined caused a pre-sickness state which I could feel, especially with my eyes. I decided to give the body some time to recover. All was well again, I eased back into training and it felt alright. Then after a morning training, I wasn't feeling well anymore. Just perfect timing. Being sick-sick is not like me, not a bit, this was something strange. It didn't feel like the body was fighting a virus or some bacteria, but I did have a temperature. Anyway, after one day in bed regime, I felt well again. I decided to skip all trainings the following day too, to be sure that I get well. This made my camp a lot shorter unfortunately, but all in all I think I still gained a lot.
Now the camp is reaching its end. Had some good trainings here, as well as some bad ones. Both of which will keep me going. The technical side is rusty and needs a thorough polish. I don't worry about it too much, it will come in time. Some of the maps from this camp can be looked up on the maps page.
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| Typical weather |
How it will look like when the competitions start, is unclear. But the possibility to be competing with the best this season, is there. Won't be easy though.
