Selected for WOC
Tuesday, 2. June 2009, 09:21:04
Puh..I do feel very, very relieved and happy now! After all, I did manage to get myself selected for the WOC. Jipppppiiiiiiiiii!!! The selection race III and IV weren't brilliant races, I were still coughing when running uphill and I filled my mistake-quota for the next weeks.. But, it was enough, and after the heaviest preparations since years, getting selected for WOC is quite a nice motivation!
The races in a short-version:
Sprint: for the first time since long I had the feeling that I was able to run fast, which the split-times also verifies that I did. The legs felt very fine, the lungs less fine, but that will com. But, somehow - and I do not really know how - I lost 1:45' (!!!) on the route to the 4th control. Hmm, I have some work to do on running straight, I think..
Middle: oh man, that was not my race. It was raining, stony and lots of slippery branches on the ground forced the speed down. Well, the conditions were equal to everybody, I was just not able to cope with it. Another piece of work to be done until Mid-August. I also made some mistakes, mostly running to much zig-zag and then the classic thing; passing the 8th control without seeing it, landing at the 9th. At least I had the best split-time from 8-9 afterwards;). Legs were still very fine, but the lungs were limiting me heavily when running uphill. All-in-all it made a huge gap down to the best time, but hopefully that will change the next weeks.
To end the selection weekend, we ran a relay in the same area as the middle race took place. Compared to the Czech course setting of the middle distance, this was normal Hungarian course setting. Few controls, lots of running, some crucial route choices but surprisingly not too much climbing. My lungs were still not very satisfied when they were forced to do some harder work, but the legs were still ok, so things should get better soon. Technically the race was ok.
I'll try to scan in the maps this evening, since the courses were mostly really interesting. When I compared the middle and relay map after the races (same map!) I got a real surprise. The maps aren't even slightly the same.. There are big differences in how the green and yellow areas are written and it would be really interesting to know which of them (if any?) is the style that will be used at the WOC...
The races in a short-version:
Sprint: for the first time since long I had the feeling that I was able to run fast, which the split-times also verifies that I did. The legs felt very fine, the lungs less fine, but that will com. But, somehow - and I do not really know how - I lost 1:45' (!!!) on the route to the 4th control. Hmm, I have some work to do on running straight, I think..
Middle: oh man, that was not my race. It was raining, stony and lots of slippery branches on the ground forced the speed down. Well, the conditions were equal to everybody, I was just not able to cope with it. Another piece of work to be done until Mid-August. I also made some mistakes, mostly running to much zig-zag and then the classic thing; passing the 8th control without seeing it, landing at the 9th. At least I had the best split-time from 8-9 afterwards;). Legs were still very fine, but the lungs were limiting me heavily when running uphill. All-in-all it made a huge gap down to the best time, but hopefully that will change the next weeks.
To end the selection weekend, we ran a relay in the same area as the middle race took place. Compared to the Czech course setting of the middle distance, this was normal Hungarian course setting. Few controls, lots of running, some crucial route choices but surprisingly not too much climbing. My lungs were still not very satisfied when they were forced to do some harder work, but the legs were still ok, so things should get better soon. Technically the race was ok.
I'll try to scan in the maps this evening, since the courses were mostly really interesting. When I compared the middle and relay map after the races (same map!) I got a real surprise. The maps aren't even slightly the same.. There are big differences in how the green and yellow areas are written and it would be really interesting to know which of them (if any?) is the style that will be used at the WOC...
WIDGETIZE