Real Winter

The holidays were perhaps not as merry as I hoped: I managed to get ill, twice in fact. I haven't been sick in a long time, so this wasn't very usual. Any kind of illness is a menace, even if there are no evident symptoms; this was the case with me. It's like I wasn't really ill, but I didn't feel whole either. It was more sensible to lay off exercises and try alternative treatment. Anyway, this shook my trainings quite a bit, but fortunately I didn't get hopelessly sick and recovered well. Basically I had two weeks with a good beginning, the emphasis being on strength trainings. But both of the weekends, when I didn't feel well, were very scattered and necessary training components were cancelled.

Since I felt fit as a fiddle the next week, I had my planned training camp in Evertsberg, Mora. The idea was to emphasize endurance on that week. Talk about great training conditions and a real winter! I had longed for awesome ski trainings for some time already and finally had the opportunity to do it. Besides the very enjoyable tracks in Älvdalen, I had 46 km of Vasaloppet's tracks going one way and 44 km the other way. No matter which way I started going, I always had to climb a long way back... All the trainings in six days were something I was really looking forward to. It's not like I have roads where I can run uphill continuously for 20 minutes back home... What an amazing and unforgettable week it was!

Also, I did some scouting for the upcoming EOC: I visited two official training terrains. Although there was snow, the layer of it wasn't thick enough to really obstruct running, but it was a bit more difficult physically and also technically. I hadn't taken the opportunity of running there into consideration before, so I didn't have any compass with me, which made it more complicated. Adding the "shock" of fine and demanding orienteering in the middle of winter = lots of fun (and mistakes)! The demanding terrains affirmed that the Championships will be something to really look forward to. It's going to be a really fast and unmerciful competition, where no mistake will be left unpunished.

Vika, where I had no major problems and felt secure, resembles the finals terrain. Map.

Gesunda looks more like the qualification area, where I imagine that big mistakes will be made. It might look easy and fast, but the diffuse slopes can make even a professional lose several necessary minutes. And it's pretty difficult to catch up again. Map.

All in all, one must not lose in sheer running speed and must be able to be in control all the way. The best will win!

Next week, as traditionally, Nike Winter XDream 8!

Transition, Adaptation and Compensation

Having the physical side in mind, my transition period went well. I could take it easy for quite a while and had a good rest from systematic high volume training. To this time span I could fit various out- and indoor activities that spiced things up a bit. Among the traditional training tools I was biking, swimming (more like bathing), climbing and paddling. I used a flat based sports kayak for the first time in my life, which is pretty difficult to handle for a beginner like me. Guess how long it took before I was upside down in the flowing cold autumn river water? The correct answer is 10 minut... oops, seconds. But with proper gear, this was fortunately not a problem and hours of wet action was guaranteed. After this period I felt recovered, incredibly fresh and hungry for training again.

It took a two week cycle to adapt to a proper level of training regime again. I began with the already traditional KoKu race - a long team competition (duo/trio), using retro maps. 24 very enjoyable kilometers teamed up with my brother. We tried to find out which one of us could tire out the other one; this time it was a tie. Results, map 1, map 2, map 3, map 4, map 5, map 6.

A week after that, I took a step into the wild and had a long hike-jogging journey through the beautiful nearly untouched nature in Haanja highlands. This region just amazes me! Just when I though I was having the time of my life, I met a very-very rare species in Estonia (and elsewhere) - a wolverine (ahma)! Not at a distance, but just about 5 meters. Thankfully, we parted our own separate ways peacefully. This made my day! Map.

And then, the most prestigious event of the year: TuMe-Võru-Meridians Club Match! This time on home soil. The individual event was held on one of my favorite terrains in Estonia and I didn't have to disappoint. The only downside was a wrongly placed control, but shit happens. Results, map.

I applied for Võru 2nd team in the relay and after finishing the first leg, I continued and ran through almost all three legs and witnessed the tight battle for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th place. Results, map of the first leg.

The competition was even tighter in the overall, Võru won only by 1,5 minutes (0,33%)!

KoKu race prizegiving

Since then I've tried to follow a basic routine, but it's been difficult to get a grip on myself with a lot going on. School takes up a lot of time and because of it, I've occasionally had to alter my plans on the go, just to compensate from the main trainings. It's pretty darn annoying when it's going smoothly, but something else stirs things up. Studies have quite a high priority, so compromising is not much of an option. I'm really hoping to finish my bachelor studies this year, so there's more work ahead. I guess this is one of the big differences between a pro and an amateur. Nevertheless, I'm laying a good foundation for the upcoming season and now that the autumn semester is thankfully done with, I can put more effort on training and sufficient recovery.
Anyway, the last cycle included a camp near Helsinki, with some map trainings in Jukola relevant terrains. Also, a very long quest by Mr Pete Forsman, where I aborted my mission after 2 hours and 37 minutes of freezing.
Night mass-start map
Line, cut areas and butterfly map
Quest map 1, map 2, map 3, map 4
Jukola night training in daytime map

Best swimming style for the Predatorius aquatilis (pictured) is the "dead swan"

Now I'm beginning a new cycle, but this time with a different approach that I want to try. How it works for me, will be evident in a few weeks' time or maybe not before the season begins!

Conclusion

The season ended with one of the technically easiest races at 25manna (map), where our team finished 3rd! Now it's time to look back and ask myself if I'm satisfied with the course of events during the last year?

Photo: Olle

Duel with my good friend Jonas

As a young newcomer it was very difficult to set any measurable goals for this season, so I focused more on just introducing myself to the world elite and prove myself that I'm able to reach the desired level if I put my mind to it. I'd say that I managed to do that and can be satisfied in this aspect. I guess the most spectacular highlights would be Jukola, WOC (middle final map, relay map) and also Finnish Championships in September (middle qualification map and final map; relay map). These races weren't perfect, but in a way they helped me find where I am as an orienteer and that's just what I needed.

Photo: from organizer's webpage

Hanging with some world champions

To be honest, I did set some measurable goals in the spring, when I filled a questionnaire for Delta. For the short-term goal column I squeezed some numbers out of myself and wrote: "reach top 25 at WOC long- and middle distance; reach top 3 at Jukola; become Estonian champion at an individual discipline". As a prediction I'd say I was pretty accurate: two out of four came true. 50% is a good optimum in reaching goals, this way there's joy in accomplishment and still leaves the wolf hungry. As for the two goals that I didn't reach, perhaps the easiest of them was also very close: right after WOC I was 2nd at Estonian long distance Championships with a rather crappy run and lost 1:15 to my brother (map). The other unreached goal was indeed a fail: everything fell apart at WOC long distance (map), which was one of the poorest performances this year. Psychologically it was too big a bite to chew: mistakes in control areas, wrong route choices and not being ahead of myself. Also, I wasn't in shape. Was it the wisdom tooth ache and the painkillers that took the power away? I can only suspect that it was... I didn't even consider this option until the World Cup in Czech (middle map; long part 1 map, part 2 map), when I had the same symptoms and the same problems during the races.

Other stuff:
A negative thing worth mentioning: I unexpectedly mispunched for the first time in my life. I've been disqualified for missing a control at 10MILA in 2005, for what I could forgive myself, but this was the first time that I punched at a wrong control and for what I can never forgive myself. It all happened at Latvian relay Championships (map), where I was already too far ahead in my head and wasn't in the moment enough. I always check the codes, but what happened? It's difficult to give any reasonable answer, so I'd just like to apologize to my team mates and my club. I am truly sorry!
A much more funnier thing happened on the previous day, when me and my brother won the middle distance (map) with a big margin and since we both had the exact same time, we both became Latvian champions!

Right after WOC I set a new altitude record: me and Jürgen reached the summit of Le Buet near the border of Switzerland, which according to different sources is about 3100m above sea level. Starting from about 1350m, it took us 3 hours to reach the top and the whole fantastic "expedition" in near perfect weather took a bit over 7 hours. In that time we ascended over 2000m. Good way to relax actively after a tense week in France. Here's the map and photo proof:

Despite all the drawbacks during the last year, the accomplishments weigh them over and I can be pleased with the season. Now I can peacefully lay off systematic training, rest for a while and have more fun! Farewell, season 2011!

Photo: Niels-Peter Foppen, Ultimate-Orienteering
Tired after the season