World Cup misery, Czech gold, 10mila awaiting

Czech selections for EOC, especially that 96 minutes long distance, took me more powers than I expected. I felt quite destroyed during the week after Selections but there was no time to think about it too much. 5 days after the selections the Czech team went to Poland for the first World Cup round. I'm focusing on forest disciplines nowadays so I decided to run only the middle distance in Poland and then I went right back home where my club organized the first round of Czech Cup.

World Cup middle distance

My World ranking is pretty down after 1 year without big forest races. Last year I ran only sprint and mixed relay at World champs and I didn't take part in any World Cup and whoops, suddenly I found myself on position nb. 374. I wouldn't care so much but in the IOF system nowadays it means I start all WRE races in the beginning of the startlist until I get points to start among the gyus where I belong.

Controls 1-9

I didn't have a good starting position but I knew I could make a good race anyway (WUOC middle 2014 was a similar case). I started well but already to control nb 4 I was pushing too hard and didn't focus on keeping the right direction and I ended up too high. It took me a while to find out what happened --> 45 seconds mistake. I knew it would be a tight race so I told myself no more mistakes now, calm down and focus on orienteering. It went well in a difficult section (controls 6-8).

Controls 9-18

Control number 9 was another problem. I knew exactly where I was when entering the stony field before the control. I checked the green area and I knew I just needed to keep the right direction and stay on the same contour. Unfortunately there was a really significant re-entrant with a big stone. I got confused, checked the stone but didn't find the control. I ran up and down before realising it is too early. I went on and there was a random stone in the slope without any re-entrant. 30 seconds mistake. Weird.

Then again I managed to get through a tough section 9-10-11 without a problem and I decided to take a safe routechoice around on a path. What a surprise when I lost the path and got really confused again. When I finally found the path I was very unsure where I was on the path. There was a water channel running up from the path and I thought it was already the one before the control. Then I found myself in the middle of the marsh and had to cross it to find the control.

That was the moment when I got frustrated with my race. And some random stones in green areas on controls 13-14 didn't help to change that feeling although I found them without a bigger time-loss.

Controls 19-Finish

After getting back to normal race-mode between controls 14-20 there was a control 21. I pushed hard towards the control, I checked the re-entrant before the control circle but then I looked up to see the white area and it was a mistake. I went too much to the right led by high trees where I expected to find the pit. I found some other pits and it took me almost 1 minute to get back to the right one.

A lesson to remember - believe your compass and don't change your plan how to find the control so close before the control. I focused on the white area and repressed anything else.

The rest of the race was quite basic but when I finished the race I couldn't help myself with the frustration. I made quite a good race in the tough areas but I made so many stupid mistakes on not so difficult controls. The race was really bushy, painful and it was impossible for me to get some flow. Especially when I made a stupid mistake every time I got a feeling of a normal race. It was quite surprising to be in the lead for such a long time. Just after the race I realized it was a difficult race and everyone did some mistakes. Still I was dissapointed with my performance and average 27th place didn't change it. Results here

Final preparation towards EOC - Rýmařov

2 days after World Cup I started the final preparation towards EOC. We were in Rýmařov together with Finns and a group of Norwegians. For one relay training we were joined by Swiss and Russian team - nice training company. I made 6 good trainings in a tough and hilly terrain and I got many know-how to use at EOC. All maps and results here. Let's hope I use the good and get rid of the bad at EOC.

Czech mixed relay champs

I was in Rýmařov until Saturday morning, then I went back to Brno to rest for one day. On Sunday I went to Uherský Brod to help my club OK99 Hradec Králové at Mixed relay champs. We had a strong team (Monika Topinková, Baptiste Rollier, Denisa Kosová and me) and I hoped we could fight for the victory against Žabovřesky Brno (Indráková, Hájek, Kabáthová, Nykodým) and SK Praga (Spurná, Flašar, Jakobová, Procházka). But the reality was even better. Monika destroyed everyone on the first leg and sent Baptiste out in a strong lead. Baptiste also did a perfect job and after the second leg the other teams had a huge gap of 1:40. Denisa didn't make one of her best performances but still it was good enough to send me out in a luxury position. It was a bit weird to know that if I don't make a 1 minute mistake it should be an easy win. I was fighting with a problem that I checked everything too much (especially the control codes) and didn't have a feeling of a good flow. But I made it without a bigger hesitation so I could celebrate with my teammates on the way from the last control to the finish. Sprint relay gold medal could be a good kick for the long distance runner at EOC :D

Mixed relay champs

Mixed relay champs

Czech Mixed relay champs

Next mission - 10mila!

On Thursday morning I'm leaving for Sweden to be a part of a strong Kalevan Rasti team. It will be a tough night in Falun but the goal can't be lower than fighting for the victory.

Kalevan Rasti international squad:

1. Kiril Nikolov (BUL), 2. Aaro Asikainen (FIN), 3. Simo-Pekka Fincke (FIN), 4. Jere Pajunen (FIN), 5. Juuso Metsälä (FIN), 6. Hannu Airila (FIN), 7. Jan Procházka (CZE), 8. Baptiste Rollier (SUI), 9. Jan Petrzela (CZE), 10. Thierry Gueorgiou (FRA)

The start of 10mila is on Saturday at 20:30, the first team should be in the finish at 7:00 on Sunday morning. You can follow us here.