World Cup

On the plane from Manchester to Oslo I finally found myself relaxing after a term or revision and exams at university. The Tuesday early in the week I finished my last exam and although most people found themselves drinking and relaxing I seemed to be busy still, packing for the World Cup and the whole stress of my messed up orienteering head had come crashing back - had completely put it off since Tiomila to focus on my exams! I also slept a lot and the flight over was no exception!

Met Robbie, Helen and Annette before travelling out to Kongsberg; I slept in the car course :) arrived at the hotel which was lush. Even though I could have stayed with other British athletes, I chose to stay with Lillomarka, who make my life so much easier and I literally love them all! Best western - the hotel we stayed at- was awesome! Breakfast was the best!! We had like smoothie in this little wine glass! And waffles, chocolate spread in like a toothpaste tube - very cute! Fruit, cereal, cooked breakfast, BROWN CHEESE! Beet root (made myself the best sandwich in the world!!) like everythingggg!!

Friday training was alright...but I had the same kinda meh, neutral feeling I'd seemed to be getting all the time. That evening I sat on my bed and decided to sort it out....really fed up of what wasn't really clicking.

I had an epiphany haha (maybe – probably not but for me it was)...basically I have just been turning up to events and not thinking about what I'm doing. I used to have to concentrate on map reading as I couldn't get away with not doing it but then as the map reading turned into habit, I lost focus to do it and recently have just been floating around the courses, expecting my previous abilities that I've built up to take me around the course. And then when this hasn't worked I haven't really had a reason why, I mean I felt like I was trying and my orienteering wasn't shit it just wasn't quite there. Speaking with Vidar over the weekend and he described this as just, 'losing the grip' on orienteering. I was being sloppy, lazy and needed to refocus my brain as I was getting a bit out of sync.

So to do this I needed to really concentrate and I always remember thinking about how easy orienteering is...you have the map, control descriptions. They tell you exactly where to go so I needed to just refresh myself that they are there to be used; this means reading the map, not just looking at it before running off and having to relocate every 100meters!! I related this to a saying my dad always use to say before I went into exams. "Lucy, just remember RTFQ...Read The Fucking Question". Haha and it correlates to orienteering, I approached it similarly. I mean you wouldn't do all the revision for exams walk into the examination room, sit down and as soon as they say the exam has begun open the booklet and start scribbling everything you know!? You have to read the question to make sure you answer it correctly, using the appropriate things that you've revised!

And this is how I looked at orienteering. Previously I had been doing all this work (aka training hard, gym etc etc) but then as soon as my start time went I was rushing off, eager to use my fitness but without answering the question correctly (without reading the map and planning the leg before executing it) therefore losing time and coming back knowing I had tried hard but hadn't tailored my technical and physical skills to the area.

So for Saturday I wanted to RTFM (Read The Fucking Map) instead of just floating around the course. Reading the map, planning the leg before running off. Although I had limited success with this and in some places it didn't quite work but for the first time since February I enjoyed orienteering!!! And recognised the enjoyment from before - the technical game with the tough physical demand. I got back and yes results wise I was at the bottom but it was incredible how suddenly the focus on position seemed irrelevant. I just wanted to get back out in the terrain and try to get it perfect!!! Results here: WORLD CUP MIDDLE

Crazy how a little shift in my mental attitude seemed to make everything click. My head seemed back in sync and even though the terrain was super tough I didn't mind it at all!

That evening we went to Peppes pizza for the third night in a row....the same waitress was working which was interesting to watch. She seemed to have had enough! Anyway it was a nice opportunity to chat with Ingvild and Helen, enjoyed our tea and then cheekily got a desert (me and Helen managed to try some Oreo dream as well, using our stealth ;)).

OH MY GOSH...also met Matt and Elin’s baby - Aurora! Bloody hell she's adorable, so cute!!!!! Like tinyyy feet and ears and hands! Chubby cheeks but that just made her more adorable ;) And she was sooo good, hardly cried at all!

Anyyyyway Sunday morning I was not running in the World Cup - ran with the juniors in the Norwegian cup although I was starting super early so got a lift with the Brekke family :) started well, really happy!! My RTFM was working like a dream, again where it didn't work (I was being lazy or near the end I got tired and couldn't focus well) I had to relocate and re-adjust my plan a few times. After the long leg I think I fried my body a little and I found it hard to move in a straight line without falling over haha but I finished again really happy! As I was one of the first starters I was in the lead for ages wooohhoo :) but even when the better Norwegians came in I could accept them beating me a lot better than I would have ever expected. I ended in 18th and when I came in, in 68minutes I thought the winning time would be under 60 which it was :) Results: NORWEGIAN CUP LONG DISTANCE RESULTS

Great weekend, lots learnt, even some suntan (maybe possibly burn) and then a long trip home. BUT before went to Vidar’s house for tea, which was beaut! Salmon!! Haven't had fish in ageess- student diet and all that! Had a good natter with Vidar to the airport and then flew to Edinburgh , stayed with an old orienteering friend which was SO GOOD to catch up before getting a train the next day to duzza :)