A few weeks of Iltarastit on Sundays now, before the end of the season.
A bit of searching inside the control circle on 23, then from 15 about 45-degrees wrong direction towards 38. Just before 39 a turn downhill and had to circle back to the control.
A bit of rain but not too bad, quite warm.
Most of the narrow trails on the northern/westward part of the route were too difficult for me to ride. The beginning and end were on gravel-roads so no worries there.
Time to start the autumn orienteering season - itärastit starts this week, and there are three firmaliiga events starting next tuesday.
OK going on #1-#4, then quite challenging legs and controls on #5-#7. Had no good plan for finding #10, just wandering in the right direction, when a clearer plan via the stone lower down the hill would have been better.
No major mistakes. OK speed until the 3rd control - then quite tired legs. About 24th/64.
Ran past #1 to the bigger road. +90s at least.
Too carefully towards #5, also drifting too much east, and then across the road at the wrong place. +2min maybe.
#7-#8 was first steeply downhill, then over the road, and steeply uphill. Didn't hit the right spot on the uphill and this is the worst split by far.
Firmaliiga returns in August with three more events.
No major mistakes and steady going mostly.
After #21 I was quite slow and careful when crossing the wet bit before #22.
#23 is a fairly good split although I took the safe and easy route.
Down from #23 I meant to go directly south but drifted south-east instead.
Out of #24 could have run directly south-east and not zigzagged to avoid the wet swamp.
Good going on the four first controls, after which I was 6th overall (at best I was 3rd at #3). Quite an uneven performance after that.
A slow north rounding of the hill to #4 - south via the road might have been better.
The short and innocent looking leg to #6 proved fatal. I've run probably within 10-20m of the correct stone but failed to find the control. Worst split and ten placings lost here 🙁
A good long leg to #10 is then followed by overconfidence and a U-loop to #12.
#13-#14-F at the end were fairly straightforward.
Last firmaliiga event this year.
This course often had a clear path/road as one route choice. Decent running with an overall 11./80 placing.
Best splits are #4 and #6 where I was 6./80 - not bad!
From #3 I didn't even consider a direct route, just quickly back to the big path. Then up onto the slope, with a small cliff and stone providing verification of my exact location. Over the grey open cliff and a bit further I see the flag. Not much thinking, stopping, or walking - just execution.
#5-#6 was the second longest leg and possibly the most challenging? Out of #5 just after the first blue swamp I made a conscious decision to go south - not directly over the hill along the control-line, and instead ran along a path with the big stone and cliffs as mid-way checkpoints. Then down onto the second blue swamp, and following other runners up onto the stony slope towards #6 - enough other people there so no searching for the flag required. Again mostly just executing a good plan with very little standing around or slow map reading. Good.
The worst splits are #7 and #10. Out of #6 I had a clear plan to go a bit north, down the hill north of the steep cliff, find the smaller path and use that to get to the bigger path. Execution of this plan however was poor and instead I drifted towards the road and climbed two hills for no use. Close to #10 I stepped off the path too soon, stood around wondering for a while, and then followed others to the control - it didn't feel that bad but 1:58 lost to the best runner is a lot and only 30th in the splits...
The last firmaliiga event for this season was held yesterday at Luukki.
#1-#4 mostly OK
#5 very slow route choice through bad terrain with fallen and cut-down trees
#6 a small 1min loop to find the control
#7-#8 OK (a small loop on #7 close to the control)
#9 maybe +1min here again as I followed others to the left when the control was right.
#10 again followed others to the wrong control before finding my own, +2min maybe
#11-F slowest ever finish as I tried to figure out where it was...
Firmaliiga result 49./61
