Stodge-Blog

An early slot in the start lists meant I was one of the first up to the start/finish area, situated on a grassy plateau a few kilometres above the town.

The map for today was a continuation of yesterdays sprint map, but this time at 1:15,000. We started in grand style on a podium with Maria commentating and the off was straight into the most technical area of the sprint map. I immediately made a small mistake which, unfortunately, probably lost me nearly 2 minutes as I faffed and took the wrong track descending to far down towards the houses and on the way to the next control saw my 3 minute man (the next rider in the start list) coming the other way. I focused and didn’t let it affect me though and rode strongly to the next, though a wobble in the circle lost me a few precious seconds in the dense network of tracks.

Planning ahead it was obvious this wasn’t going to be a classic middle race, more of a “short long”, with lots of climb and big route choice legs. I started riding quite well after the wobbly start and pulled in a group of early starters. I think made some OK route choice decisions, though its difficult to tell until the splits are available later tonight.

We had one very steep descent which had caution signs, and we had been warned about it in the team briefing the night before as being dangerous. I was skidding down it wondering what the problem was when at the bottom saw there was a drop off through a drainage ditch across the track ! I threw my weight back and hopefully the watching photographer got a reasonable shot of it, though I suspect he was looking for fallers!

I rode the next 4 or 5 controls cleanly but chose the long route choice option round on the long leg, avoiding the climb (as did Andy Conn). I’m sure the really strong riders would have gained time on this leg by going straight, but, for me, I think it was the right decision. Then came my “highlight” of the race….

Going flat out on a level landrover track I had a massive accident. I think my crank/pedal caught on a strand of fencing wire which was strung across the track in the grass. Needless to say the bike stopped but I didn’t taking a huge dive, superman style, over the handlebars to land some 10 feet away from the bike in a crumpled heap. For about 10 seconds I though I’d really hurt myself, winded and struggling to move, but as seems to be normal on these occasions I tried first my arm then my head and then finally I staggered back to the bike to disentangle it from the wire.

A bit dazed I cruised the next two controls fairly slowly and carefully before opening up the legs heading for home crossing the finish line and into quarantine where early starters have to wait until all other competitors have started. By this time the blood from a small cut on my chin had made me look probably far worse than I was, and organiser, Sandor, lined me up in a row of three riders, all waiting for the doctor to patch up. He looked at all three of us and decided I warranted attention 2^nd, triage being what it is! After cleaning up my various cuts the spray he applied to the scrape/lump on my arm hurt more than the original injury !

I felt a bit groggy for a while but after quarantine was opened I had a big bowl of goulash (served from a huge witches style cauldron) and bread which seemed to sort me out.

 

 

The sprint race was held 2 km from the event centre, in the low cultivated hills and urban edge of the town. A stiff climb up to the start meant that there was a significant net descent on the course, which finished with a mad dash through the streets.

I got a great start and nailed the first control, but lost loads of time on the second. Thinking I had overshot after blasting down a road, I went in too early on an unmarked track but relocated very quickly after spotting a very small quarry. I still lost perhaps a minute, though.

I was good through number three, confidently riding the rocky ‘dangerous’ descent for the TV cameras, but lost time near control 4, again taking an unmarked track which I should have noticed was wrong. I eventually extracted myself from the undergrowth (with a great big stick through the front mech) and headed out into the grassland section where I picked up some time riding and navigating well. I made one final error before the sprint for home, missing seeing a fence on the map and tried to cut through to a road, only to be forced back round losing time.

I rode the town section cleanly and avoided mispunching the control that caught so many others out.

I sprinted for the line overcooking the braking and managed a spectacular punch with rear wheel still in the air.
Looking at the results I was pleased to see I was well inside the top half in 30^th position, my best international result to date.

Em had a solid ride to take 12^th, Sarah, 36^th and Andy Conn beat me by 40 seconds, making only two small mistakes to take 25^th.

Results should be available at www.mtbo.hu

 
Well, after a roller coaster of emotions over the last 6 days with the ash cloud closing UK airspace, it looks now like I might actually make it to this event so here is a quick preview.

I should be flying out Thursday morning from Luton  all being well with the changes to the flying regulations. Em Benham is on her way already by train to make sure of getting to the event! The World cup consists of a Sprint on Friday, Middle race on Saturday and a mass start Long on Sunday.

With 500 people competing at the open pubic events the atmosphere should be fantastic. More details http://www.mtbo.hu/ . It’s just a big shame some of entered British riders have had their flights cancelled & won’t make it.

Sundays event organised by Harlequins Orienteering Club’s Colin Palmer was held in the private forested estate of Foxley, about 5 miles West of Hereford. The skies were blue and the sun shining brightly as I queued on the Worcester ring road with lots of people trying to get into a car boot sale.

So, a little late I arrived to find the event in full swing.

I had intended to get lots of people practicing their E punching and then competing in the Stodge Blog Sportident Punching Challenge (more about that another time) but I just had time to set it up before warming up and getting my head together ready to race.

The sun filtering through the trees and the relaxed atmosphere at the start / finish with ‘Colins’s kitchen’ complete with tablecloth was in stark contrast to the course which promised 25 km & 700 metres of climb with several areas of free order  controls (Hungarian style) – gulp !

I started strongly, riding fast to the first control, but I think it might have been better to take the road option and spend more time concentrating on planning ahead on the first free order section. Opting to ride downhill off track through the controls 42 and 43 I missed taking in 41 first, which, in hindsight, was a mistake, but there were lots of route variations available. Coming up out of the free order section there followed a tough section of uphill riding with variable surfaces and some fallen trees. Ben Plowman put in some fantastic times for these legs, showing his strength and technical riding skills. We then headed back down on some fantastically fast descents on single tracks and wide grassy rides, enjoying the private nature of the forest to really let rip (24mph recorded for me) but were then punished for our enjoyment after a few controls  by a huge climb back up to the ridge for number 57. I felt I rode this section very well and the splits show me consistently on or ahead of the pace which I am pleased with. It is again showing the concentration on strength this winter is paying off on the hills. Going into the second free order section I was leading, 20 seconds up on Ben and 5 minutes clear Andrew Windrum.

Disaster then struck for me. I had just overtaken a couple of people and managed to miss a track junction on the way to 61 losing about 1.5 minutes until I realised what I had done. Looking back, I should have stopped and had a proper look at the map. I then lost nearly another 2 minutes on the way to the next 2 controls picking daft route choices panicking trying to make up time. I started to get things back together again only to blow another minute on the way to number 50, even after double checking a track junction.  The map wasn’t great in that area but I can’t blame it, no one else cocked up quite so spectacularly on those 4 controls, some mental mistake preparation needed, me thinks, before my next race.

I then got back into the groove and set a few more fastest splits but there was more muppetry to come. Turning over the map for the final time I didn’t see the long route out and back to number 67 and promptly lost a load of climb going half way to number 68….

Luckily I rode cleanly to the end to take 3^rd place after that, but it is frustrating to know I lost so much time on those 5 controls and is just not good enough at this level.

On the plus side I was very happy with the way I was riding and particularly my strength on the hills.

Ben Plowman had his best MTBO result to date with a great ride, his experience of joining his local orienteering club, SYO, and attending club training sessions seem to be paying off.

After a warm down and a stretch in the sun, most people had left for home so I didn’t have time for the usual banter but I did go back out and pull in a few controls at a relaxed pace, enjoying the views through the forest and the wildlife before packing the car for the return journey. The area was very good for MTBO, perhaps a little too much climb for some, but Colin got the winning time right.

I think, looking back (and I know Colin and I spoke about the rideability and the various types of tracks in this working forest before the event), that the wide grass rides should be marked as open yellow rather than paths next time and perhaps he should also add some fallen tree symbols, but for a first MTBO map of a new area, planned and organised by one man, it was great. I look forward to returning to this area next year if Colin can secure permissions again, and thanks to Harlequins for taking the plunge and putting on an MTBO.

Results available here….