Croeso

Croeso in other words Welsh 6 days orienteering week was a perfect way to spend holiday, enjoy wonderful scenes, get sunburn (yes quite unbelievable but true), dip into refreshing seawater, and get some quality training and hill work for free in stunning landscape just by taking part.

Four of the six days were on open moorlands on scenic hillsides and the maps were more or less just yellow interspersed by small lakes here and there. It basically tells you all about it. Some of the hillsides were rough and included numerous rock and contour details, offering thus great technical challenge despite the visibility. Had it been foggier, it would certainly have been even more challenging but unfortunately we were totally spoiled with great clear weather every single day.

First day in Gwanas was terrific and maybe the most difficult one. Especially when still full of energy and with light legs it was so easy to run too fast to keep yourself on the map. I just enjoyed rushing forward so much that I forgot to read the map and got totally lost on a few longer legs. So I got a few kilometres extra running but I didn't mind. Perfect training anyway! Second day in Foel Goch reminded the first one but it was more runnable. I had learned my lesson and didn't waste any time on mistakes.

Third day in Hafod forest was the first and only day in forest. Courses went on steep hillsides on both sides of the river Ystwyth. It was totally different from the preceding two days. It reminded of old good short distance races in a way that there were only very short legs with lots of turns. 23 controls on 3,7km course was a lot of fun and you really had to focus 100% all the way through.

Fourth and fifth days were both in Llynnoedd Teifi but it was such a great area that there was enough to see for two days. I thought I had adapted well to the mountain orienteering by then and as I had no problems picking the controls I just concentrated on enjoying running in the picturesque scene. The course of the day 4 looked quite straight forward to me and only afterwards I noticed that I could have avoided some 100m extra climb. Well, better training for the Jungfrau, I thought. On the fifth day I went more around along contours and had overall better flow but took again bad route choice on the long leg, losing a few minutes there. 

Last stage was an urban event in Aberystwyth. After five days of climbing in rough marshy terrains it was nice variation to get to run on hard surface. I wasn't so amused by the first part of it in brambly forest but the urban part of the course was great indeed and a lot of fun. Overall an awesome O-week!