Jukollaaa!!!

1500 teams, one mass start but only 3 teams that really matter. Lillomarka OK team 1, 2 and 3 in our sexyyy sexyyy white running ‘suits’ :P. SO I was super excited for this trip and it definitely didn’t disappoint! I arrived at Helsinki and waited around for the rest of the team to fly in before being introduced to everyone (forgot their names almost instantly…specially as I couldn’t pronounce anything in Norwegian without sounding stupid!).

They were all lovely and very welcoming though and soon we were off to the cabins that we would stay in the next couple of nights!! We spent the day before the race doing a little bit of training but mainly chilling out for the race! I was running 1^st leg on the second team with originally Ingvild, Ingvild and Ingvild…easy to remember right but then one of the Ingvilds had to drop out because of an Achilles problem :( although all of use seemed to have weak/problematic Achilles issues!! What a team :P Soon I was getting used to everyone’s names and decided I am definitely going to learn Norwegian over the summer!! Although they all spoke excellent English but I felt a bit ignorant expecting everyone to speak English!

Most of the team got 10 hours sleep the night before the race so we were well rested and excited!! Ingvild braided my hair before the race as well which was awesomeeee (always wanted to be able to do my hair in braids but don’t have the patience to learn)! I got changed into the white kit which everyone seems to hate…and yeh it might look hilarious but I LOVE IT, not amazingly flattering but you do stand out :P we had special socks designed for it as well…the ‘magic socks’ which we were optimistic would get us around the course if all else failed :P

So the start. OH MY GOD. Awesomeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! I started like five rows back, which in a crowd of 1,500, was pretty daymmm cool. At the beginning I was waaay too caught up with the adrenaline rush to orienteer just deciding to pace it for as far as I could get away with it!! Andrine (the first leg runner on the first team) pulled the BEST banter start ever, racing off after the gun, pulling a lead of about 30metres and getting to the first control first!! OUT OF EVERYONE! And got on Finnish TV ;) what a legend…though after she said she was absolutely knackered for the rest of the 8km course :P The course went well for me…I just trundled round and enjoyed it, it didn’t feel especially fast and I twisted my ankle fairly early on BUT came prepared and bandaged it up as soon as I finished! I think I came back around 65^th, a minute down from Andrine :). We then waited for all our team mates to return…the three teams finishing in: 43rd, 151st and 379th. Generally pretty strong but I had the feeling we all wanted to pull it out the bag and do something incredible!! NEXT YEAR GUYS! :D

We went back to the cabins, had food before leaving again to watch the guys start at 11pm (although it was still light…so although impressive not as good as it could have been in the dark with just the headlamps to see!) I didn’t stay too long – well until two am –  saw the first legs come back in (and Jonny Crickmore, running for Ravinen - on the team for JWOC this year - too did amazing coming in 32nd…someone’s going to do boss it at JWOC ;)). In the morning I found out the boys first team came 25^th!! TWENTY FIFTH!! Out of 1631 teams!  So they got to go to the prize giving and got a small medal :) Jealoussss! We met the boys at the airport before everyone flew off home :D Such a good weekend and I’m so glad I joined Lillomarka…definitely the best foreign club out there with the nicest people!

CZECH- JWOC training

Our pension in Petrikovice

I had been ill before flying out to the Czech Republic (since my last fell race on the 29^th of June) and it was being stubborn and sticking around. However during my trip away I got better – Orienteering’s obviously just so good for you it made me better :P  So I met Charlotte at Newcastle and we flew to Prague, unfortunately there had been lots of rain and Pragues metro had become flooded meaning our journey across Prague (to Cerny Most, where we could get the bus to our accommodation in Petrikovice) was difficult. We ended up getting a taxi to make it in time for the last bus (only just!!) and had to walk about a km at the other end with our bags in the pitch black!! A little scary but the owner of the accommodation was lovely, waiting for us with his daughter (who could translate!).

Getting excited for Orienteering ;)

Luckily there was Wi-Fi at the pension so we organised our travelling for the next couple of days on the JWOC areas. Most I’d already been to but it was really good to blast around the areas, making the final adjustments to my orienteering. On the second day there we managed to get a lift and entry organised for an event in similar terrain to the JWOC long. We wouldn’t have got there without the help of Jan Petrzela and his club who were wonderful and helped us out massively, so lots and lots of thanks to them, we really appreciate it! The race was a little longer than the JWOC distance but proved very tough and highlighted the importance of a really really good route choice. We both did really well and won some random goodies (I won a bag and calendar, Charlotte winning a gorgeous rain coat which I told her she had to have a photo in :P).

Another training day we went to Ostas, an area with MASSIVE rocks on the far part of the map. They were awesome reaching high into the sky with little passages between them! We decided you could hold an awesome ultra-sprint there!! This area was a little way to travel to get to with a hefty walk at the end…we managed to get lost on the walk home (too much chatting!!) but luckily made it to get the bus! The travelling around wasn’t ideal, to be honest, but we just about managed it, had some difficulties finding bus stops and getting off at the correct stations but somehow it all come together!

The lake on the relay area...

Towards the end of our training camp we moved to the official accommodation for JWOC and spent two nights there fitting in some relay training. It was pretty sunny this day and we were by a lake so went for a cheeky swim! The training was so good here…LOVED IT SO MUCH!! Although it took me 50 minutes to find the start in the morning (trekking around this forest for 5km!).

With a few more maps, notes and feeling positive and excited about JWOC (now in two weeks) we left Hradec Kralove and traveled to Prague before flying separately to Finland for JUKOLA…

FIRST FELL RACE

The Course..

Exams have started :( Had my first exam today, have six in total so to ‘celebrate’ getting through my first exam Peter, Pippa Archer and I traveled to the North York Moors for my FIRST EVER FELL RACE. It was an Esk Valley Fell Race: The Carlton Challenge. I was told it was quite a nice course and the weather cleared up for when we started running making it really pleasant. It was a little chilly but not thermal weather (had to tell peter to man up and not wear his :P) Had no idea how it would go, little nervous but excited and tried to suss out the people I wanted to beat on the start line from what they were wearing :P The first 4km was pretty much all downhill and after some heavy rainfall it was a bit slippy in places (had opted not for my Orocs as I was told the 4km back up the hill was flagstones :(). 

STILL LOVED IT…felt rapid!!  Roughly half way along the course turned back on itself and the ascent began. For the first part I was pretty slow and some people (mostly old people!!) overtook me…however after about 5km onwards I was feeling better again and even though it was still uphill I could pick up the pace :D There was a woman slightly ahead of me who I was slowly catching and the last part of the race was a pretty steep drop down to the finish from the trig point. As soon as the short descent through terrain started I’d cut the distance between us by half and (although a tiny bit conscious about my ankles) decided not to hold back and caught the woman up, beating her to the finish…felt sooo uncontrolled and like I was going to face plant at any moment. Also took a guy at the finish who I don’t think was best pleased. HAH. 

It was 5miles (so on my Garmin got 8km) in 43.29…not tooo shabby. There was a little wait before the prize giving (Peter had won!!! And I’d won U23 and came 2^nd in the Women) which was definitely worth the wait!! THREE BOTTLES OF WINE! YEAAHHH BUDDYY!! Entry was only £6 so £2 a bottle is a bargain! Definitely going to be doing a few more of these…planning on doing another Esk Valley race on the 30^th of May :D Absolutely loved the race and think I am beginning to overcome my mental hatred for hills :D

Wineeeee!! :D

Results can be found here: http://www.eskvalleyfellclub.org/results/fell/nehra/Carlton%20Cha llenge%2015-May-2013.pdf

British Orienteering Championships 2013

Originally I wasn’t going to go to this weekend as it was a trek away from Durham and was asked to go to Tiomila by my NEW INTERNATIONAL CLUB – LILLOMARKA!! Aaaaaaah yeaahhh…so excited for when I can finally run for them! Joined them pretty recently after some persuading from Helen Palmer and Matt Speake… I am going to run at Jukola for them later in June which I cannot wait for! Never ran in one of the big relays before!!

So anyway on the Friday before the competition I travelled down with Peter and Pippa Archer…falling asleep in the car! And then after arriving at peter’s house we were given some lush food <3 Fairly early bed time before the individual, especially as me and Peter went for a early (VERY EASY) run before breakfast!! Never done it before…just to loosen off the legs – never thought they would work as I’d just get tired but I actually think it may have helped!! The event assembly had an arena start for the elites again and had us starting on hay bails…when it was my time to start I was loving life. Couldn’t get enough of the attention ;) hahahaa.

The race went REALLY WELL! Started off fast…slowed up in the middle bit before powering it at the end, feeling like I had a bit too much energy at the end! It was a little hilly but I was feeling good on the hills and have been doing LOTS of hill work for JWOC this year (480m of climb in 6.9km :O). Half way round I had an energy gel (MY NEW FAVOURITE THINGS!) it was sooooo yummy…planned when I was going to take it and it was like having a mid-race snack! Loved it! The area was rapid and you could get a proper pace up! It was also good that the W21E had the first part of their course being the same as the whole W18/20E’s course so we could compare times etc even though they did still have another 5km of something :P

Even though lots of people in my age category weren’t actually there (at Tiomila/too far to come) the competition was still good with both Zoe and Tamsin attended, both are on the JWOC team. HOWEVER I WON..ahahahaha AND DID PETER!! So we had two Durham kids on the podium!! AKA everyone now come to Durham University…we will get you good ;) After prize giving I went home and got to see my fam which was lovely <3 missed them all loads even though it had only been like two weeks :L Stuffed my face full of fish and chips and ate tonnes of ice cream and chocolates to last me for a week!

The Sunday was the Relay and another early morning which probably should have been earlier as it was a bit of a rush at the event, especially as my club were making some last minute changes to the teams so I could run in a boys team (extremely grateful for this) with my little brother and Ben Chesters. I ran first leg which for the first part, flewwww round with all the guys but found the terrain harder and harder to run through as the race went on. I came back around 8^th I think and handed to Harry who destroyed it coming back third (much respect especially as he had 12km or something insane the day before!!). Overall we came 2^nd so I got to go on the podium with all da boiiiisss (/men) haaa. 

Also brought some new shoes (Oroc280’s) from Ian at Ultrasport! Absolutely love that man…always makes time to actually chat to you :D and some food…Harry even brought me an ice cream <3 what a babe. There was then the long journey home where I did revision in the back with Peter…although he couldn’t hack it as well as me and fell asleep <3 BLESSSS!! Again another great weekend and I’m thankful to all the people who helped me out and drove me to the events etc!! :D

British Sprint and Middle Championships

Haven’t written a blog in AGES…would say I’ve been busy but I haven’t :L Selections for JWOC have come out WOOP WOOP I got in :D

Okaay so there has been the British Sprint and Middle championships…which was held in/near Loughborough. Excellent weekend…we had all the JWOC squad (cept some slackers who had school/exams ;)) together to ‘bond’. Saturday morning I managed to get a lift down to the event at a ridiculously early time of 7 in the morning with the Maxwell family (VERY GRATEFULL!) saving me from an even earlier start and train journey! So having got into the assembly I sussed everything out before heading off to the start in my short shorts…WEATHER WAS STUNNING!! There was a heat and a final in which I was running with the W21E’s too so I knew I still had to run well to get into the A-Final. I was starting in the same minute as Katie and Charlotte, who both beat me back in…but of course I decided I had the longest gaffle with the most climb etc :P managed to get in the A-final but was one of the last qualifiers so had an earlier final start time (which wasn’t announced until VERY LATE so was a bit rushed to get ready but with my ‘pre-race preparation’ being awesome (aka non-existent) I managed to cope :P)

SHORT SHORTS

The race was great bants…there were LOADS of Loughborough students out and about tanning, Frisbeeing, BBQing etc etc making it hard to focus when they were shouting abuse…I was asked if I was winning at one point, replied no which they all loved and began shouting motivational comments (probably in pity that I was running round with a map trying to look cool :P) ALSO ran into a tree in front of a different group…SO SMOOTH!! 

Anywaaayy…had a pretty decent race and came 7^th (two minutes down on the pro’s: http://www.leioc.org.uk/results/2013/bsoc/finals/wopfa2.html and 7 seconds off Charlotte Watson – the winner of the W20s) ALTHOUGH check out the split times for the run-in…BOSSED everyone ;)

That evening I found out I had an incredible tan line (aka wife-beater burn line L)..attraaaactive! Also that evening there was a quick meeting and a pub meal with the rest of the team :D Not too many strenuous meetings etc as we all were focused for the British Middles the next day. 

Weather wasn’t as beaut on this day and when I arrived I realised my preparation was crap…looked at the area and it looked mingeeeennn! The start was in the assembly field which was so exciting and then the course sent you straight into this rocky (VERY ROCKY) technical part…I was SO sneaky though and worked out where my no.1 was in the start box (very proud of myself)…still it didn’t help, had to walk as running in the first bit was almost impossible whilst navigating perfectly!!)  After the first part there was some RAPID terrain which I was LOVING :D everything is soooo much more exciting when you can run fast! and then the run-in…UPHILL. Complete Joke :( waaahhh finished 1^st though so I was sooo happy…AND even got asked to do an interview…FIRST EVER :O thought I would say something stupid and retarded but I think it went okay!! 

Hahaa anyway, it was a good day and I was really happy when we set off back to the accommodation.

NOW then...it’s MY blog so I can say what I like but that evening we were told the JWOC relay teams. After having been to Denmark and JWOC last year running in relay with Charlotte and Florence I had naturally come very comfortable with imagining the relay team as us three but during Sunday evening we were told that this wasn’t going to be the case and Florence wasn’t in the team. This was said to be because she was “subject to fitness” after getting a stress fracture and not running in many selection races. She’d had the fracture in her shin since February (although it wasn’t diagnosed until middle of April!!) and was working through exercises and progressing, all be it, slowly to running again. (Note she ran in Denmark, in the team which came 2^nd with the stress fracture…bloody impressive no?). I know Florence, if we told her to run in the relay team, even if she wasn’t fit enough, she would do it or absolutely kill herself trying. Nevertheless, Zoe's in the relay team instead :) she's perfectly capable of performing as well as any of us with plenty of experience at JWOC so no hard feelings there at all, just being through a lot with Florence has made us close and I knew how much the relay meant to her.

After this draamma it didn’t take long the group dynamics to return back to normal and we finished the night with a couple more meetings (where there was a special consideration of the Party and how awesome it’s going to be ;)) HAHA.

Having waaayy too much fun ;)

Monday, the last day of the pre-jwoc camp we all packed up…fed the ducks (we were staying by a canal :P) and left for some quality Relay training, planned by Kris Jones. We completed 4x1km in which a relay scenario was created and we all had to race, head to head/chasing people down to the finish. It was a fun way to finish the weekend so thanks to Kris and the other coaches and people that made it happen!

A great weekend with excellent training and exciting racing, It has definitely made us all excited for JWOC this year

:D

GENERAL LIFE

OOOKAY…a blog about my life at home now…soooo I’ve been putting off revision for my exams later this year (decided to take everyone – except my parent's advice ;) – that first year is easy so I should chill out a bit). Haa been at home four weeks now…and I don’t know where it’s all gone :S At the moment it’s just me, my little brother – Harry and my parents at home; older sister and brother aren’t at home anymore, so secretly I know harry loves it when I come home as he has someone to annoy -_- he’s currently learning to juggle...and although really decent at it has to show me every time he tries something new (boreee).

NEW PINK TOP

So I’ve been training and on Monday selections for JWOC came out :D:D :http://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/  so motivation for the next couple of months is high. Been out on my bike a couple of times to give my legs a rest, wearing my new cycling top :P Been on a ride with dad and harry, both pretty surprised that I am not bad at cycling ;) yesss!!…which annoyed harry as I don’t ‘do any cycling training’ where as he claims he does :P I don’t ever really train with my family though…Harry very occasionally and at most do some strength and conditioning in the sitting room with him. Although it can get a little crowded and we always start laughing, which when trying to do core IS IMPOSSIBLE :L

Dad searching for food ;)

Been trying really hard to sort my diet out but don’t have enough will power :L If I didn’t train I think I would be massive :’( ALTHOUGH I get it from my dad…caught him the other day <---- climbing on the cupboards to get to the crisps :P HAHAHA..couldn’t resist taking a photo...love you <3

Cornwall :D

Trying to save up for the summer too, every holiday I go back to working at my local pub to get some dollar…normally spend it on clothes before I get a change to put it in the bank -_- Got LOADSS planned this summer..so am in the process of choosing what to do and not :S but I want to do it all…got a lot of orienteering planned (of course!) and then some holidays with friends and still needing to see my family at home a little bit :P Have also just joined Lillomarka Orienteering Club, SO EXCITED! So that has given me some more training options too!! Going to Cornwall next week :D We own a caravan down there by the sea…gives the family a chance to chill out. Harry is off to Portugal for World Schools next week! SO JEALOUS…the two years I did world schools, I got to go to Scotland and Spain (where it was reaaalllyy rainy) :L nonetheless I wish him luck and will be watching his races online at http://www.isfori2013.pt/pt :D Better win lil bro ;)

JK Entry...

BIG NEWS. This has got to be my best JK to date (since my first one in 2002 back in Lydney forest where I was running W10B – Aged 8 years old (CUTIEEE..haa not, I was a fat child)!!) I’ve attached the map which I managed to find (1.7km in 28.45 - impressive ;)) and looking at the splits, took 17 minutes to get to control 7…a 150m leg! But thankfully a lot has changed since then and I can now orienteer in sub 16min/km :P In fact this JK was down in the lovely southern terrain so I could get my minutes/km down to 5-6m/km for the all events :D.

It started with the sprint, which isn’t my favourite discipline as I’m worst at it…but I accept that and went round to enjoy it. As it was 3km, optimum route, I decided to boss it from the beginning (:P) and started nice and speedy…as exciting as this was I didn’t have the fitness to keep going at this pace (annoying that I didn’t have my Garmin to tell me exactly what my pace was doing) and was slowing badly by the end. AND YES, for everyone curious I was actually wearing shorts for this race ;)

Saturday was the middle event, not a world ranking –so I could wear my Garmin YAAYY- and I was positive about the event as I had been to the area around four times before :D I reeeaally enjoyed this race..was so fast and fun :D I was scrappy at the end and got carried away with how well I was doing on the way to 6; I was soon brought back down to earth, struggling to find the control :( HOWEVER it was still enjoyable and I came back in 2^nd (3^rd including the W18E). Afterwards I was feeling pretty tired and went to see Rach who gave me a massage <3 and listened to my rants <3 BABE!

The last independent racing day was on Sunday, the classic event. I WAS DETERMINED TO WIN. After the previous days, I really wanted a win but almost as soon as I had started the race my confidence dropped below zero. I was getting SO distracted so easily…on the way to no. 1 I found another control which obviously wasn’t mine (on a different feature, about half the distance to my actual control) but decided to stop, check it wasn’t mine and try to work out where it was on my map before realising it DIDN’T MATTER!! I then panicked thinking I had done a 90 degree error or something equally retarded and ran around a bit before re-assuring myself I was doing perfectly…and carried along my route to no. 1 :D. I was a bit shakey to the next couple of controls, but soon relaxed before I began to get tired…like REALLY TIRED. I was falling over everything, missing features, beating myself up and walking up EVERY INCLINE (and there really weren’t many of them!!) I was gradually making my way around the course…grumbling the majority of the way, before near the end I spotted Zoe!! She had started 3 minutes ahead of me and I felt horrible (knowing if I was hating the course and had caught her, she was probably hating it x10 as much). We ran around the last part of the course together, pushing ourselves right to the run-in. There was a little wait before Charlotte came in (the winner from Day 1 by 51 seconds) when the commentary informed me I had beaten her by 58seconds!!! I waiting until the results had been printed to ensure I hadn’t heard wrong, and then celebrated by eating a cheeky easter egg ;)…adding both day 1 and day 2 times together I had beaten Charlotte by 7 seconds :S SORRRYYYYY!!! <3

There was then an EPIC wait around for the prize giving (especially as it was freezing temperatures, i was wearing ALL MY CLOTHES, sat in the tent with Florence trying to keep warm – started snowing at some points – pretty sure it was anyway :P) 
Monday, the last day, was the RELAY DAY!!! WOOOHH and I was in a team with EUOC…felt like a bit of a traitor to my club but it gave me a good last leg run around, especially as the team I was in  came 2^nd beating the competitive EUOC team ;) heehehe SUCKERS :P My brother's team had also done well in the Men’s Short (little brother this is - Harry), coming 2^nd – not doing quite enough to retain their trophy – but still getting on the podium! I finished the day by spending most of my winnings from the days before at Ultrasport before travelling home. It was an awesome weekend for me, running four tough races in 4 days and getting a top 2 position in all of them :D Results can be found here: http://www.cix.co.uk/~neper/jk2013/day3/index.htm The competition is also selection for the Junior World Orienteering Championships later on this year in Czech so fingers crossed for this (and everyone else!!)…selections are out on fridayy!!