Jukola & WOC Camps

Summers are always packed with trips to here and there, often I wish I had a manager to take care of all the travelling, planning, accommodating and I could just concentrate on the fun part and maybe even write here more often. The organizing duty is always a bore and takes up a lot of time and money, but in the end it's almost always worth it. This season's main destination so far has been Finland of course, fortunately a somewhat convenient destination for Estonians.

The first WOC camp this year was at the end of May around Koli national park in North Karelia, which is a fantastic place! The variating trainings were a lot of fun, especially on the demanding and beautiful terrains around Tahkovaara! Some trainings from the camp: Tahkovaara intervals map, Tahkovaara middle map, Aisus intervals map, Oinasvaara middle map, Kauhee middle map.

Right after the camp, I participated in Väinänperän middle distance competition. I did not run at full competition speed, but the feet were very tired from the camp and it was very tough anyway. Then I made, what has to be this year's biggest, a more than 6 minute mistake! The mind was surely tired. I started to read the next leg already, which kinda fit in the situation, but not actually... 

Map, results

By Olle Kärner

The weekend before Jukola, I ran at Suunto Games. I was feeling rather tired after putting the last things in order for Tallinn O-Week final races. So I ran the first day's middle distance fast, but without extra effort. 4th place, 2:17 behind. The next day's long distance I didn't know what to expect. The beginning went well, but soon I got tired and decided not to torture my exhausted body any more. 11th place, 9:13 behind.

Middle distance map, results

Long distance map, results

By Pekka Luoma

Before the big Jukola itself, it was hard to tell if I had recovered or not. But as the race approached, worries faded. The men were ready and HiKi was eager to fight for the victory. We lost some valuable time on the first leg and were 75th, 4:15 behind, I tried to fix that on the second leg. The course was rather easy and there were already a lot of new paths. As long as I could run on my own, it went pretty well and smooth. After catching the big group, it was not that easy any more. I deliberately made different route choices just to be able to pass the teams I had caught and maintain my own speed. During the last part of the course I was in a ~5 runner pack, where I tried to make a gap, but was not able to. Like at 10MILA, I made odd mistakes with the controls. The leader was just 36 seconds away by the 20th control, but by the end it was 1:34 with 8th position. Leonid started well too, but soon made a ~5 minute mistake... That was a crucial moment for us, it would not be easy to reach the top again, we were 37th at that point. I was quite disappointed and after some time tried to sleep at the arena. I was waken up by the speaker talking about Valentin taking 3rd position! Wow, the guys had been running really well! Quickly to the finish to join the guys for the run-in, what a great moment! Good to see our capacity at Jukola and our hunger is only growing... Next year?

Map, results, 2nd leg GPS tracking

Story of a dinner
By Olle Kärner

The next week team Duncan went to the second camp at Koli for the final touch before WOC. Besides the cultural experience week, I made less and slightly different trainings this time: very easy recovery running at Kahuee map, intervals at Juuanvaara map (with 25 meter contour lines) and the most technical training as a warm up for the Finnish middle distance selection race. I wanted to run the race seriously, but the legs were simply tired, nothing more to it. No flow almost at all. Shame, but good training nevertheless. Map, results, GPS tracking

Smoke sauna? I guess so!
By Olle Kärner

Two weeks left!

End of Act One

Baltic Championships marked the end of the spring season. The weather had become unbearably hot, a near 30 degree heatwave made the long distance very difficult. The previous week it was just warm and it already felt uncomfortable, now it was much worse. The legs were thick and as if glued to the ground. Nothing new. I felt generally discomposed, but I was trying to get in the right mode. The start went well, I was still pretty much in the game until about half an hour. It was already hard, but from approximately the 6th-7th control it was a whole other type of pushing. I had to force myself physically and technically the whole course after that. Small climbs were as walls, but fortunately I was still able to run (or sometimes walk) technically well. Different routechoices were pretty equal - if you're not strong enough, you lose anyway. It was a struggle til the end, but it could have been worse. On long distances in this kind of weather I've usually lost from 7 to 15 minutes or even more to the winner, this time it was "only" 6:20. I have to turn more attention to this matter, though it seems to be a bit better than before. The starting field was strong, fortunately the victory was left home anyway!

Map, GPS tracking, results

Photo: Mihkel Järveoja

What a man-to-man race the relay turned out to be! Because of an organisational mishap, the first teams of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania had all the same forkings throughout all three legs. The fast course made the race very tight, it all lasted til the last climb on the last leg...

Peeter's intro went well and he finished first with some seconds ahead. I was in the lead most of the second leg and was disappointed that the closest rivals always had the same controls. I had no physical advantage, I was stiff and they were strong. On the long leg I made a surprise routechoice and gained some 15 meters, which melted very quickly. A mistake with the 12th reversed our order, but it was pretty clear that we would finish pretty much together. Pushed as I could up the last hill. Timo was doing a good job, but as already said, it all worked out on the last climb. See the video! This time, Lithuania won, Latvia second and we got the bronze. The every-second-counts race may have been very exciting for the spectator, but I think it did not offer much orienteering for the competitors. At least it was not as bad as Tomáš' weekend in Finland.

Map, GPS tracking, results

"Right there I saw Raphanus"
Photo: Andy Karjus

Now it is time to thoroughly recover and build up some base again. So mostly basic aerobic training is on the menu for the following short training cycle. First, Jukola camp on the weekend, just to get familiar with what we're up against. Then WOC camp in Koli area. It's going to be a progressive cycle with good company!

What do you make of this?
Photo: Mihkel Järveoja

The Mark Has Been Made

Finally, I am an Estonian Champion! Individually, that is. It was a very tight race, perhaps the tightest ever in Estonian middle distance Champs? I won with only a 4 second margin ahead of Timo. Furthermore, he defeated Olle by only 1 second! Peeter was a minute behind, followed by Kristo and Kenny within 17 seconds. It was an exciting fight until the very last finish!

Team Untuva

I was not feeling very sharp during warm-up and knew that it's going to be a fight with myself the whole way. The course was pretty straightforward, but had more or less all the components that a good middle distance needs. It was definitely fast and was as technical as the terrain could offer. Right from the beginning there was no doubt that I could not afford a too safe tactic and have to maintain high speed throughout the whole course. So my technical performance was very raw and rough around the edges - I didn't put much effort into micro routechoices. I just dove in, head first. Pushing too hard cost me two notable mistakes, but eventually brought the victory. Still this is not the way I want run, for example, at World Champs, where a fluent flawless performance in necessary to eventually achieve flow.
I always try to find the reasons for the mistakes that I've made and I can usually blame myself for them, but these two mistakes leave me a bit restless. Going to the 4th I passed a small distinct waterbody, which is why I swung left. And going to the 14th, I crossed the narrow ride right by the foot of the small hill. I thought I had been running pretty much under the line. I'm not sure what to make of it, but I lost about 40 seconds on each.

Map, results

I've got some more good news! I have been selected to the Estonian Olympic Committee's „aftergrowth team“ along with many more young talented athletes. The 2000 € stipend I received is of great help and will surely find good use. Here's the news clip from the press conference.

Non-Olympic sports
Photo: EOK

I have also two new sponsors that are supporting my contribution to orienteering:

Firstly, Duncan is supplying me with the best possible training and competition apparel. Check out their webstore and I'm sure you'll find the necessary gear for all endurance sports at a good price!
Secondly, Bestworks - a young company with strong able-bodied men offering mainly moving and transport services, but also taking on all kinds of different jobs that are requested. I you need something to be done, they'll make an offer you can't refuse!

I am very thankful to all who have helped me on my way, or better yet, Our way. All this recognition is inspiring me more and more!

Coming up: Baltic Championships, with live GPS tracking on Saturday and Sunday.