Full Metal Jacket

That WOC post never came, did it? I've been digesting that story ever since and looks like it's going to have to wait for better times. Sorry to those who were truly waiting for that reading.

Anyway, since October I've been in active military service in Tallinn. Fortunately my service is short and I don't have to compromise my sports career that much. I'm in the so called sports squad and should have the privilege to get out for trainings and camps. I'll be back on the saddle by Christmas, when I should be getting out of the battalion permanently. Until then, I'll be putting up with cold snowy forests, straight formations and Galil maintainance.

Right now, my remaining overall shape does not leave me much to boast about. For a month or so, I didn't have the chance to do any trainings whatsoever. Only (very) early morning jogs was my best friend. During the last weeks, things have been looking up a bit. I've had some chances to do some trainings during workday evenings and even better, get out on the weekend. Wish I could say that I can train full-load on these occasions, but I can't. Big part of training is recovery and resting from busy days, the training load and other stress. Here, in the army, I can't speak of complete recovery. If I'd train every chance I got, I would not recover in these conditions and the result would be overtraining. And when I get out, I plan to start training, not recovering from all of this.

That was in sports perspective. Military-wise, it's sometimes quite interesting and somewhat educational in here. Not to mention the great company and new friends. Often though, it's tiresome and boring. Injustice is not a rare phenomen here. But I've enjoyed some of the military training here and I've also come to appreciate some of the little things in life. I've also had time to think some things over and not worry about other things. Certainly this is a time I'll never forget.

Pvt Sild

P.S. I have to mention my awesome PWT trip to China with awesome people and awesome orienteering. The sprint in Wansheng was indisputably the most fun, interesting and tricky sprint in my life. A real Chinese slum area! Check out the maps on the maps page. Over and out.

Prioritizing

The season has been a struggle. I finally got myself going before the first important event - the EOC. A week before, 10MILA indicated fairly well of where I stand. With a partly sloppy race I was fastest on the 3rd leg and raised Delta to a 2nd place. The physical condition was great and I was looking forward to the Championships. But somehow I was starting to feel strange after a few days, not exactly sick and not exactly well. A slight headache accompanied me for the next week or so. I was weakened and with almost no power in my legs, the Swedish orienteering festival was ruined for me.

Middle qualification map, results

Long qualification map, results; final map, results

Relay map, results

Jengi
Photo: Olle Kärner

After the frustrating week, I started focusing more on what's important. The ultimate goal WOC of course, middle distance in particular. Before that, Jukola should have been the right place to be in considerably good shape again. First, I needed to gain some vitality again. Some rest and basic training should have assured that in a few weeks' time. During that period, I took part in the "compulsory" Baltic Champs in nice terrain and with an unsurprising result - 9th place on the long distance.

Long distance map, results

Relay map, results

A week later, I was starting to feel alright again. It was time to test my wellbeing on the Estonian middle distance Champs. It was a blast! Enjoyed the race very much. Technical, with varying sections of slow and fast orienteering. Plus, the weather was somewhat extreme, as it was pouring pitchforks, just the way I like it! Sadly I messed up my race on one key leg and lost the chance to win. Physically I was feeling rather blunt, but in a good way. It was the kind of state, that allowed to build up a good shape.

Map, results

I went on to sharpen my foot at the Military World Championships in Aalborg, Denmark. A terrain I was familiar with since JWOC 2010 (old training maps on the maps page), but never got off on the right foot with. Interesting races and suited quite well in my overall plans. Just a little bit too close to Jukola, only two days in between.

Middle map, results

Long loop 1 map, loop 2 map, results

Relay map, results

Team competition 3rd, just 1,5 mins behind Switzerland! Results

Now, Jukola at last! I had some doubts in a good race, since it hadn't felt that good in Denmark. But I had been preparing for this over some time and knew that anything was possible. I started 18th, a couple of minutes behind and managed to catch up the leader quite early in the race. I didn't have very much to give, but I mobilized myself as much as possible and continue as long as I could. The race was far from perfect: right before the 10th control, I was surprised to already see the border of the forbidden area and thought I had gone too far, that explains the mistake. Was the plastic in the terrain in the correct place? We'll never know. Anyway, I continued well after that, until I had basically used up all of my resources. That is on the way to the 17th control. The latter part of the race was just a fight with myself, just to finish decently. Sadly the leaders gained a little gap during the last forking and was half a minute behind. Impressive race by Eskil Kinneberg!

Delta finished 4th in total, a little dissapointment, with 13:30 behind.

Map, GPS tracking 2. leg, results

Jukola finish
Photo: Mikael Ahlfors / Valio-Jukola

Now it was time to fully concentrate on WOC - good trainings in Finland at the beautiful Koli nature reserve and nice terrains at Kalevan Rastiviestit and Kainuun Rastiviikko. The more time went on, the more I was preparing for the middle distance. I hadn't succeeded in any long distance race during the season and nor did the terrain seem like something that would suit me, unlike the middle distance. Actually, it had seemed that way over a year already, it just became more obvious as the Champs approached.

Kalevan Rastiviestit map, results, GPS tracking

Kainuun Rastiviikko

day 1 map, results, GPS tracking

day 2 map, results

day 3 map, results

day 4 map, results

Lost in Koli Surroundigs

Coming up: WOC story and more...

Serving Two Lords

There won't be any longer story, just an overview of the season beginning.

30.03.-01.04. National team camp in Jõulumäe, practically first orienteering this season. Orienteering was pretty ok and it felt great to run in snowless forest.

1. Plain orienteering map

2. Cut areas + direction training map (route is on an ordinary map)

3. Middle distance race map

4. Contours map

5. Long run map

06.04-09.04. Time for Delta 10Mila camp. Plenty of night trainings on strange maps and a few races. The long distance race in Finspång was no good on my behalf. Both physical and technical sides were to blame for. Just couldn't get any rhythm. Kolmårdskavlen (relay) was different. Just some rusty early season orienteering, being actually able to run.

Finspångsorienteringen map, results

Kolmårdskavlen, 2nd leg map, results

Peko Kevad day 1
Photo: OK Peko

14.04.-15.04. Peko Kevad and EOC long selection on first day. First day: terrible-terrible-terrible. Running felt like torture right from the beginning + no good map contact. Felt like all the valves were closed and after the race I didn't feel tired. The second day was more fun, but didn't feel much better.

1. Long distance first loop map, second loop map, results

2. Middle distance map, results

21.04. Riga Cup and EOC middle selection. No actual running capacity and even worse map communicating, especially in this overdetailed map. The niftily hidden controls and the large amount of them in the terrain made it even trickier. In the night, Jüriööjooks (mixed relay), running the anchor. Felt better than during the day and orienteering was also better (but the course was pretty basic).

Riga cup map, results

Jüriöö map, results

Dream (Jüriöö) Team
Photo: Tartumaa Spordiliit

Now a lot of schoolwork awaits, while also trying to prepare for 10Mila and EOC...