Like a Foot Entering a Marsh in Early Spring

About three months of preparation feels like the minimum amount ahead of a season. It finally feels like there's a good base forming, like something's been done right and I'm heading in the right way. It's a start. A few more weeks and at least by 10MILA, things should start looking up for me. Usually by now I'd be itching for early spring competitions, but when I look out the window, winter is still in full swing. While a late season start, given my current state, would suit me, I am indeed waiting vigorously for the competitions to start. What better training is there for orienteering if not an orienteering competition? So on the upcoming weekend, I'm going to participate in Kurzemes Pavasaris in Latvia. Still some snow there, but looks promising and interesting. I've no expectations, except for fluent performances on interesting courses.

Got milk?

The training volumes have continued to rise, also the proportion of running. Over the months I've managed to move towards orienteering-specific training. The transition towards running has so far been successful. Now it's time to continue taking this thing into the forest. After the kick-off in Spain, the running conditions have been terrible here and running on home roads may sometimes resemble ice-skating. Fortunately, last week I had the opportunity to orienteer around Ventspils on more or less snowless terrains. The whole camp was a blast! Great terrains, great maps and great courses. Though I had already orienteered in Spain, this felt like the real season opener. Nothing beats the feeling of a foot entering a marsh in early spring. Every year, the familiar extraordinary feeling when running with a map on soft moss for the first time again tells me, this is what I do best, I was made for this! The trainings showed that I can handle the map well ahead of the season, if I just put my mind to it. 

Here are the maps from the camp:

Map 1: relay course (without flags) in Ventspils

Map 2: long distance in Jaunupe, EOC 2008 middle final terrain

Map 3: middle distance in Cirpstene

Map 4: middle distance race in Jaunupe, EOC middle qualification terrain

Map 5: night training in Cirpstene

Map 6: long training

Game Of Thrones

No joke here. Seriously, no joke.