A week ago I was feeling great and looking forward to 3 Days of Trenches, that is a couple of WRE races in WOC relevant terrains in Asiago. Middle and long WREs were also our selection races for WOC (along with the World Cup). I had a good month behind me. After some hard racing in April I had taken a month off from competing and focused entirely on training. May was a good month filled with high mileage, lots of orienteering, numerous controls, high quality sessions, hard workouts, race pace orienteering, and lots of hills. I had put in hours of training but was still feeling relatively fresh and recovered before the weekend in Asiago. I had been there on a training camp just a few weeks before and I had a good picture what to wait from the races.
So, everything was looking good - until the moment I got there. Flight went okay, car hire went smoother than last time and even the drive went an hour or so faster than last time. But when I got out of the car in Asiago, my back was locked. I could barely walk and couldn’t bend it at all. It was totally jammed, something I’ve never experienced before. I’ve had some minor problems with my lower back before but nothing like this. Before the travel it was all fine but something mysterious had happened during the travel. Noidannuoli. That’s what they call it in Finnish. I went to orienteer with the others and thought that I could just run and shake it off. Didn’t happen. I couldn’t run, no chance. Even stretching was impossible. My most important races before the WOC and it looked like I wouldn’t be able to run.
I had one day to get my back in order before the first race. So instead of doing a model event, drills and strides (my usual pre-race routine before important events) I just drove around Asiago in panic trying to find a masseur (unfortunately we didn’t have a masseur with us now that I really would have needed one). But I was lucky, there was a spa hotel near by that offered some beauty treatments. No word of sports massage, so I was pretty sceptical when I went there.. But I asked for a hard treatment and, to my surprise, I got one. It was much better than I had thought and after the treatment and spa I was actually able to stretch and bend my back a little. In the evening I felt already optimistic about running the races but next morning it was again the same that it had been before the massage. Oh dear.
I had promised to give Minna a lift to the event, so I drove her there. I picked up my number and walked around the event centre but when I tried to put my O shoes on I couldn’t bend my back so that I could have tied the laces. Minna offered to help and I got my shoes tied. It felt ridiculous. I was totally handicapped and going to race. I wasn’t sure whether I could run or not, but took a painkiller and hoped for the best.. My back was very stiff when I started my race and I doubted whether I could run with it. I could jog but not really push very hard. Fortunately the middle distance course was quite technical and I could focus on orienteering instead of running. It was nice terrain and a good course, and I really loved the technical part of it. My navigation was good, only a few small wobbles, and I finished 4th among the Finns, and 6th overall. Considering the circumstances and the strong start field, I was quite pleased. I couldn’t have done much better. Results
I had hoped that running the middle would open my back and I could run better on the long in the following day. But no, it didn’t happen. It was the same. I felt defeated already before the start. I knew that long would be more physical than the middle and I needed to get my back sorted in order to run. Minna was a big help once again. She gave me some hot/cold gel that should ease the pain in muscles and joints. I put some of that before the race and was able to warm up. Terrain was once again terrific, as well as the course, so all ingredients for a great experience. But for me it was just running through the pain.
I started slowly and controlled, taking the first few controls without problems. After shaking off the worst excitement and getting into nice rhythm I forgot to pay attention to the details when approaching the third control. I was a bit off from the red line and made a small mistake to the control. I lost a minute but kept myself calm. Only a small wobble, nothing to worry about. Next few controls I took nice and easy but then another mistake on number 6. 50m before the control I knew exactly where I was but then somehow I managed to pass the control by a few meters, failing to see it. I realised that I had come too far down and turned back. And passed it again. I was circling in the circle without spotting it. 1,5min. Now I’m getting a bit worried…Next leg (7) is a climb up along a path. It should be my leg, I’ve learned to love climbs. But my back is holding me back and I can’t push as hard as I want to. I try to focus on orienteering and forget the pain...Leg 8 is downhill. Running downhill is easier and I get into nice rhythm again. Rest of the course goes fine but I lose some time on route choices as I try to spare my back and avoid steep climbs. I go around more than necessary. Especially to number 10 I lose a lot by running around and doubling the distance. In contrast, to number 12 it’s good to round it a bit from the right, taking a gentler climb. I finish again 6th, and 4th Finn. Not bad but not really what I wanted. I know I could have done better. There is still a lot to learn and take home from my run. I’m angry to myself for the mistakes I made but on the other hand quite proud how I fought it through with a locked up back. Now it’s done and I can only wait and see whether it was good enough…
Results, splits, maps and everything here
And yeah, there is still one more race to win before the final selections: World Cup in Kongsberg
And my back? I’m working on it!
