Saturday, November 19, 2011 2:20:50 PM
Last weekend of October has been crowned by an O-weekend in my hometown, Eger. Besides participating in Eger Grand Prix and the Hungarian University Championships, we also organized a 400m revenge-race. Both Friday and Saturday evening we celebrated with an orienteering party. 
The story began late August when we organized our first 400m competition in Budapest – in honour of Zsolt just having moved to Sweden to work and orienteer. We took on costumes, fancy dresses, and spurted the 400m the best we can. Here is a video of the race: http://youtu.be/Ejrp5wH6B6Q. (the race starts actually only at 8:10 in the video – due to the many false starts.
I knew that I really like to run on track, but it was still a smaller surprise that I could win our fight, hitting the time of 55,2. The race was very close and just a photofinish could 100% prove whether me or Ádám has won. Also Máté, Gábor and Zsolt finished very close to each other for place3, time 56".
...A gentleman always gives place for a revenge, and so did it happen now: on the 28th October the return match has been organized, now in my hometown!
The fancy dresses were now missing, except on Isti and Csaba who took the race serious and brought retro and hero dresses.
The weather conditions were ideal, just slightly cold, no significant wind, and the start was also much smoother. The circumstances were close to ideal for a hard 400m. I think Ádám and Máté were the strongest opponents to grab the victory.
During the race, Máté was leading for a long time (just as in August), and we passed the 200m mark at the time of 25" resp. 26". At about 300m Máté began to fight with the milk in his legs, so me and Adam could pass. After 350m I began to not see/hear anything, just spurted as fighting for my life.
…I could win again, and ran a PB: 53,9!!
This post became a "positive-post" so I write now also about the day-1 of Eger Grand Prix. I managed to run a very promising middle distance race here. Actually it was a long sprint, as the course ran all through the streets and parks of Eger. As an extra, it included a 200m part under the earth, leading through the famous cellar system of Eger!
There is a many kilometres long complex cellar system under the town of Eger, built in the 16th- 17th century, stamming from the battle against the Turks.
Certainly, I know Eger very well and this helped me a lot during the race. I have to say however that I prepared a lot for this competition, to show a good performance at home. I focused very well to choose the good routes (there were longer, intresting route choices) and I squeezed out myself massively till the very last meters.
That is why it could happen that I have beaten Máté Baumgartnerholzcer and Ádám who are usually stronger than me now.
I love Eger.
Map of the race, part 1:
parts 2 and 3:
Results of day1:
F21E 6900m 30C (39)
1 289 Szabó András 88 ETC 36:52
2 512 Baumholczer Máté 92 PVS 37:59
3 283 Kovács Ádám 86 ETC 38:04
4 290 Szajkó Csaba 85 ETC 38:59
5 1114 Barkász Dániel 92 XCSU 40:00
6 573 Bakó Áron 92 SPA 40:08
7 572 Liszka Krisztián 92 SPA 40:58
8 318 Tóth Ádám 86 GYO 41:02
overall results:
F21E (44)
1 Baumholczer Máté 92 37:59 2 105:25 1 143:24
2 Barkász Dániel 92 40:00 5 105:42 2 145:42
3 Bakó Áron 92 40:08 6 105:53 3 146:01
4 Szajkó Csaba 85 38:59 4 112:14 8 151:13
5 Szabó András 88 36:52 1 114:30 10 151:22
6 Kisvölcsey Ákos 72 42:02 13 109:28 6 151:30
7 Henrik Laas 44:29 18 107:59 5 152:28
8 Liszka Krisztián 92 40:58 7 113:44 9 154:42
...and the 400m results:
53:9 - Bandy
54:6 - Ádám
55:4 - Máté
56:9 – Gösswein Csabi
58:0 - Lurkó
58:4 – Isti
58:5 – Szajkó Csabi
1:04:1 - Ádámka
"Photofinish" in August:
the "Team":
...and the Saturday evening at Eger Grand Prix. Sorry girls.
Monday, October 17, 2011 9:56:02 PM
Even though I couldn’t yet increase the time spent on orienteering in the autumn I could gather some worthful expeiences in the past two months. And after the Hungarian Long Distance Championships held this weekend I even grabbed my pen to write some words into the blog after a long silence.
In the last half year I mostly trained 4-5 times a week however at least two of them were of fair quality. Every week 1 or 2 intervals on track (which I love) and one long distance. I had many trainings with Isti and Skuló, and newly also with with Máté. Recently I could not run much in Eger and therefore could unfortuately train less with my clubmates at home. I did not force to run much in Scandinavia now as I did not feel that I can add enough much to the team. However I am planning it if my shape turns to enough good.
I should even mention that it is much to be thanked to Isti that I did not quit orienteering last winter and spring. I felt saturated and did not feel that I could achieve much more in the sport than what I have already achieved. However I realized with the time that orienteering can give me a lot of energy, joy and fun and it is even worth to train for feeling well and not compulsorily pursuing a WOC medal or any international results. I realized that I love athletics, I love running the thousand and two thousand meters on track, love competitions and love orienteering with good feelings. And to compete with opponents pursuing orienteering on the same level like me.
It is always the flow what makes it feel good. To sprint towards the finish after a close to perfect race. No frustrations or illusions.
After having re-build my attitude in orienteering and found my way I would like to do the sport I ran some worthful races in the autumn. Not aiming high, not being able to compete with eg. Adam or Zsolt, but being able to do my best, and doing it with passion.
I confidently competed at some county races but the Hungarian Sprint Championship has been one of the most important competitons recently for me. Here I could finish 3rd in a tight race. I can judge that I was in a quite strong physical shape as I was the only among Isti, me and Máté who had a significant loss (cca 20 sec.) on the relatively easy course in the downtown of the city Vác.
This was the result:
F21 Final A (24) 3,0 km 22 ep
1 21506 Kovács Ádám 86 ETC 13:20
2 21549 Zsebeházy István85 MOM 14:23
3 21509 Szabó András 88 ETC 14:30
4 21582 Kerényi Máté 88 TTE 14:35
5 21581 Lévai Ferenc 74 SZV 14:57
6 21520 Szajkó Csaba 85 ETC 15:21
More than a month later, on the 15-16th October we ran the Hungarian Long Distance Championship with remarkable course parameters.
19.600 meters, with 38controls.
Not looking like a course for me.
On the very fast terrains of the Hungarian Plateau (Alföld) it is not advisable to do many mistakes as courses are usually relatively easy and of a very high speed. The course setter of Sunday’s final could however add some extra into this terrain, and besides the tricky, contours-reading first 25 minutes, the course tried to lead through the possible best combination of very long and very short legs and many direction changes.
Without any doubt I can say that this course was the most difficult mental task in a long time for me. I found it very challenging to concentrate through 38 controls while keeping a steady high speed, not forgetting to mention that the course was almost exactly 20 kilometers long. Mostly on sand.
I began very systematically, without any feelings, just grinding the controls like a robot, one-by one. I thought by far not at all on how long the course will be, just silently picking the flags and travelling in my own box. At several times I could even reach the concentration level where I didn’t even see/hear or recongnise anyone else.
At some certain difficult controls however, I had small difficulties in forcing myself to devote enough time to properly understand the control neighbourhood (15-20 seconds losses at controls 8, 12, 13, 17, 27) and I ran into some bad route choices (controls 7, 19 and 28).
It is a good proof of my positive (and right) attitude during the race that just after finishing I said that I missed less than 1:00 in the whole course.
Sitting at the table at home I can see that I missed cca. 1:30 at controls and additional cca 1:30 in route choices, totalling in cca. 3 minutes. With which however I am still very satisfied.
After last year’s long distance championship where I lost my perfect race - and the 3rd position of the championship in the very last 10 minutes I focused a lot on not commiting any mistakes in the last part of the course. I knew that after many Hungarian Championships with winning times significantly lower than 100 minutes, this year's one offered a real long distance, with finishing times over the 100 minute mark.
The course ran through a spectator and refreshment control after 78%, meaning that after cca. 15,5 kilometers there were still a bit more than 4 kilometres left. For some it is probably nothing special to concentrate in the same way in a last loop than the whole race. For me – stemming from my personality – it is very difficult, as I have an athletic attitude, and like to robustfully screw out myself. That is why I had to systematically focus on controls 28-38, not to swim with the wawe and let my body defeat my brain. I took and picked all the controls with the needed attitude and contrary the cumulating tiredness managed to focus 100%.
Having been able to accomplish this, I should say that this race and this championship was the best competition for me this year. And probably the best lesson for a long time. I got reinforced to believe that I can complete a senior long distance without significant errors while keeping my highest speed.
Yesterday’s race was also a good example on why it is not the result itself, but your own feelings about the race what counts. I finished fourth in the championship being just 19 seconds off the podium after 111 minutes of running. However I am very satisfied, - more than with the 3rd place on the Sprint Championship a month ago.
Results:
F21E Döntő A (24) 19.6 km 0 m 38 ep
1 Kovács Ádám ETC 101:58 0:00
2 Zsebeházy István MOM 110:15 +8:17
3 Kerényi Máté TTE 111:04 +9:06
4 Szabó András ETC 111:23 +9:25
5 Bogya Tamás ETC 113:13 +11:15
6 Heinaro Einari XGEN 113:46 +11:48
7 Lévai Ferenc SZV 116:00 +14:02
19,6 kilomteters, 38 controls and 111 minutes. I think I do not want to run on the Hungarian Plateau for a certain time again... The map:
oneb 2011 part1.pdfOneb 2011 part2.pdfMe running on the sandy Alföld in August:
Podium at the Sprint Championship:
Thursday, March 24, 2011 7:40:33 PM
And a post which I am have been owing this blog for a long time now. Right on the first days of February, we have spent a wonderful week in southern Spain, Andalucia, with six of my mates in Hungarian orienteering.
I would rather just give a small insight via the pictures below how nice and sunny it was. And not to forget to write that during the 6 training days I collected valuable kilometres and it is much thanked to this camp that I re-started my trainings in a fair level this winter. It gave me a tail-wind.
We also visited some very nice places, like Malaga, Gibraltar, Ronda, Tarifa, Marbella, Vejle (with a good sprint training) and the El Chorro area.
For those speaking our nice but not easy Hungarian language, also a summary can be read under the below link which I wrote some weeks ago on the ETC (my homeclub) homepage:
http://www.egritc.hu/index.php/2011-evi-versenyek/84-edzotabor-andaluziaban
And below some pictures.
(unfortunately, few are from the trainings itself, as all of us were running:)
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 6:45:57 PM
Although on a much faster terrain of better visibility, I could correct the experiences from Lipica Open last weekend.
As it was not mostly technique but the running shape which dissapointed me in Slovenia, I was particulary glad that on these 13 kilometres, I could reach good percentages in running compared to my teammate, Adam and also to the times from the Hungarian Long Champs in 2006 (it was held on the same anno).
I felt stable in technique (again to say, on an easier course) and most importantly, I felt the power in my legs to keep a continuous good tempo, till the end of the 80 minutes. Just like what was missing a week ago.
I judge it was a good training-competition, and I was glad to finish only 4:17 behind Adam on this 80 minute long course.
1- 1,5 minutes can be counted as mistake, and I can write up an additional 55 minutes running before and mostly after the race, in preparation for the Long championship which is coming soon.
Hereby two links to the results (F21B) and below a map shot can be found:
http://www.mtfsz.hu/versenyinfo/5574_i_eredmenyek_kat_hosszutav.html
http://www.mtfsz.hu/versenyinfo/5453_e_eredmenyek_reszido_hosszutav.html
Budapest, 22nd March
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 6:21:37 PM
Quite frankly, time is not at my side these months, neither regarding the blogsite, neither regarding trainings.
However, I do wish to keep this blog, as I find it is an exciting tool, an archive of what has happened to me and to the runners closer to me and a good source of information.
The first major competition I took part in 2011 was Lipica Open, on March the 12-13th. This race is beginning to be like Slovak Carst Cup for me - I do not want to miss it.
We were there with a bunch Hungarian runners calling us the national team. Except from some very good performances (for instance Zsolt) we were yet rather in search of the good form and directions in the forest.
The first day has been very tough, a middle distance race on a rocky terrain with depressions of various sizes. Thanked to international experiences so far I could clear the race without major mistakes, however smaller hesitations summed up till cca 3 minutes.
What I felt difficult was mostly running, after the many trainings on asphalt during winter (cca 70% of the trainings I could do here in the downtown of the 2 million-sized Budapest was on city roads and on athletic track). I could hardly move on this terrain to be honest. I ran 44' on the 4,7 km course, which is roughly 10 minutes over than Adam Chromy's 34', and cca. 8' behind the podium.
The second day was held on the "classical" Lipicia Open-terrain, the Krajna-Vas - Veliki Dol area which I know quite much and is good fitting for my rather fast legs. I had a very good first 30 minutes, close to Zsolt's tempo (2 min. gap) and Adam (1 min gap) but it seems I was not in the shape yet to keep it until 85-90 minutes.
I began to have mistakes although I understand the terrain clearly, and remember the additude for clear races from the past years. (in 2010, I had an almost perfect 10,0km course here).
So, this race on the 13 km ended in a 96:33 minutes time, and a cca 20-25th position in the overall ranking. Best Zeit was 77' (D.Schneider), Zsolt and Adam had a solid 80' and 82' minutes. I believe contrary to the not perfect shape I should have done under 90 minutes with a clearer head.
My teammate in Eger, Csabi did an intresting analysis some days ago where Adam's, his, mine, and Lajszi's (newly also my clubmate in Eger) times can be browsed plus also the maps!
I found it perfect to upload onto this blog also:
Lipica Open Statisztika1.pdf
And the results can be found here: http://www.lipicaopen.com/
Budapest,22nd March
Sunday, January 2, 2011 11:03:09 PM
Right before Christmas, my home club, Egri Testedző Club has been selected to be the INOV-8 Team of 2011. We are going to receive the finest INOV shoes to help our trainings and competitions throughout the year. I believe that we will contribute to a good promotion of these fine shoes and hope that many medals will be hung on our necks during 2011.
The guys have been training pretty hard lately and I am also warming up with good long distance trainings and a lot of gym. A new and motivating thing is that also a camp in southern Spain will help to come into shape at the very beginning of February.
I will try to share with the small community reading this blog all the major excitements, competitions and trainings happening to our team during the year. A bit more than in the modest 2010. And a bit more from a team perspective.[/ALIGN]
2. January, 2011.
[/ALIGN]
Tuesday, October 26, 2010 7:36:01 PM
We didn't do our best performance - except Adam. Nor were we all in the best shape of ours. But this time it is really to say: we deserved it !
Congrats to all of you guys and thank you !
It was a very good feeling that finally, we could stand up with both Tomi and Csabi in one team.
My race: today, shape was not on my side. I fought for each and every step to show something only similar to the real "Bandy".
But at least, and most importantly - I didn't miss any big one.
Part of the course, on a "holy" terrain of Hungary:
(especially for those grown up in Eger or Miskolc...)
Hungarian Team Championships 2010 - results
(M21 12,3-12,5km/ 550-580m/ 30 C.)
F21 2010.10.23. 15:58:34
____________________________________________________________
1 ETC 6:06:18
1 Bogya Tamás 1:34:15
2 Szajkó Csaba 1:39:13
3 Kovács Ádám 1:17:49
4 Szabó András 1:35:01
2 DTC2 6:20:40
1 Magyar Zsolt 1:42:25
2 Balabás Péter Gergı 1:35:55
3 Krajčík Michal 1:26:17
4 Szundi Attila 1:36:03
3 TTE 6:27:25
1 Baracsi Gábor 1:46:43
2 Kerényi Máté 1:32:22
3 Lenkei Zsolt 1:24:22
4 Hajdu Martin 1:43:58
4 MEA 6:29:53
1 Novai György 1:33:56
2 Lévai Ferenc 1:30:35
3 Domonyik Gábor 1:42:33
4 Harkányi Zoltán 1:42:49
5 PVS 6:36:36
1 Kovács Róbert 1:51:00
2 Turcsán Gábor 1:34:52
3 Vonyó Péter 1:34:38
4 Antal Miklós 1:36:06
6 MOM 6:44:05
1 Kisvölcsey Ákos 1:33:01
2 Oszlovics Ádám 1:47:58
3 Zsebeházy István 1:35:17
4 Mets Márton 1:47:49
Monday, October 18, 2010 10:26:17 AM
Almost a very-very good race.
Unfortunately, just almost.....
F21 Döntõ A (25) 15.4 km 725 m 28 ep
1 Lenkei Zsolt TTE Tipo Tájfutó és Környezetv 90:10 0:00
2 Pelyhe Dániel SDS Salgótarjáni Dornyay SE 94:41 4:31
3 Bogya Tamás ETC Egri Testedzõ Club 95:44 5:34
4 Kerényi Máté TTE Tipo Tájfutó és Környezetv 99:31 9:21
5 Lévai Ferenc MEA Miskolci Egyetemi Atlétika 99:43 9:33
6 Szabó András ETC Egri Testedzõ Club 102:08 11:58
7 Zsebeházy István MOM Hegyvidék SE-MOM Tájfutó S 102:49 12:39
8 Szabó Zsolt SZV Szegedi Vasutas SE 104:44 14:34
Monday, May 10, 2010 8:56:37 PM
Many asked me, mostly at the night championship, what is going on with me, why I gave up the competition. And why I didn’t run the Tiomila.
I try to give a brief summary about my spring. And what things I’ve decided lately.
It won’t be so an interesting post, I apologize Nor will I write about an adventurous race or a big achievement.
The spring has been a difficult period to me and I couldn’t fully focus on orienteering in the past months. At least not as much as I wanted to. And as I want to do again now.
Quite frankly, I have decided in winter already that this spring will be a bit different to me than before.
I passed on some parts of my uni. because of WOC last year and much had to be done this term.
I wanted to prepare the best way I can for Miskolc, and that spring forwarded many exams and my thesis to this semester, together with having the duty this spring and summer to do an internship for the business faculty.
But, but. I didn’t expect it turn out this way. I had an almost desirable winter training period (partly in Sweden with all the Swedish mates) and I even began the spring with a good competition in Lipica.
I just didn’t count with the possible outcomes of training in a bit unusual way. It looked like I did all the though trainings on track (intervals) because I always wanted to join the others, but I didn’t take my time to run so many easy kilometers as before. I just trained 3-4 times, and two of it were fast.
So it came what can be expected – I got injured on my knee. I just got the same problem what Zsolt had in winter, the so called ‘runners knee’ on my left side. (right next week after Lipica, before Nograd Gp and the 'Relay League' .)
I rested quite much, did alternative trainings in the gym (spinning mostly) and I also began to do curative gymnastics.
Even so it lasted a month and I just began to run again mid. last week. I passed on many important races, also the ultra-long and the night championships, together with Postás have been sacrificed. For the first time after two years I didn’t run 10mila.
Now it seems that my knee is turning to be better and I can run. In past weekend, at the night championship I ran half of the 14,3 km course. (around 7 kilometers) and until cca. 30 minutes I was able to pursue my “usual” tempo.
After that I got more and more tired, and I felt after 45 minutes that it was all now for me in this pace, and gave up. Good first (third) training.
This is really the bottom of me. From where I have to stand up.
Looking into the next months I must say that this spring has been ruined. The injury came at the wrong time, and the June won’t be so much better as I will be working in Frankfurt for exactly a month. And so, it would be hard to prepare for the July world races.
What I’m aiming for: I try to consolidate this working thing, as from July on I will do it only in Budapest, with an expectable schedule. So I could be able again to plan, and to train in a desired manner. And so, I can begin to plan, and be back in a good form in the autumn.
To say an earlier date wouldn’t be totally correct, although it can be possible to be back in July, if I can train in Frankfurt.
In the further future, I decided not to choose the life-without-training way. As these two-three months have shown me that I do not feel well without it. I have been doing orienteering seriously since my childhood, since M14, I cannot live without it, and feel uncomfortable when just watching the races “from side”.
That is my story for this spring. I am coming back, as soon as I can.
10th May 2010. 
Sunday, March 28, 2010 3:17:20 PM
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