Sprint Prep!

Today was the sprint models! 
 I am running the sprint as my race here at WOC. It will take place on Monday July 8th at 08:00
For more information on the whole of WOC go to WorldofO: WOC 2013- all you need to know

Sprint Qualification
We were only allowed on the maps for 3hrs this morning before the embargo goes back on the area. 5 of us drove to the Qualification map first to check it out. We got there a little early so drove around to just look in on the map and see what we could of the arena.



Glad we got there early as was able to have a walk around and check things out before it really started pouring out! I walked around with Wyatt and went through how different trails where mapped (big ones were mapped more like roads), which rocks were mapped (looked like 1m+), and how hedges were mapped. Doesn't look like a terribly technical map and is going to be a very compass and run qualification. I think the biggest thing will be to make sure you know which buildings are around you and what side of hedges the controls are going to be on. That being said it doesn't look as if any of the hedges are actually out of bounds so one could crash through them (even some which are nice rose beds). The question will be is it worth it? Probably not but if you get stuck it was nice to know you could push through if you had to. Also it was nice to decide what to wear. Because of all the hedges and how easy the woods were to run through I'm going to wear fully leg cover and possibly even dobbs, as it did rain a lot today! Getting excited!

Sprint Final

We then drove about 15mins to Sotkamo where the sprint final and opening ceremony are going to take place. We managed to miss most of the heavy rain which was nice. I ran the course here in order as the officials said the out of bounds and taping they had done to demonstrate how it will be on the day were up for that direction of running (ie front not back of things as well). I didn't run it all out but was wanting to get another sense of things at a bit of speed. Think I did actually cross an out of bounds hedge going to 1 (if it is the darkest green on the map, generally used for hedges, you are not allowed to cross it in a sprint race). But then the distinct tree (green dot) next to the control was actually a play swing instead :/
No other real troubles while running the course. Was glad to have streamers up around some of the olive green though! Olive green is another out of bounds color, generally used for gardens around buildings and other flower beds. It is again illegal to go through them.
I then walked back out towards 5 to check out the difference between the yellow and olive green on the north part of the map. In places it wasn't super obvious where the line was but we believe it will be streamered if a route goes near it. Wyatt then picked a few more places for controls for me and he shadowed/met me at most of them and then we chatted about it. Very useful! Other people were saying that fences were mostly uncrossable on the map (designated by a black line with two ticks coming off it, like control 5), yet were easily cross-able in reality. I didn't really notice this but I generally plane to not cross fences anyway with being short and not the best hurdler. We then managed to hop back in the car before it really started pouring with rain again!

Technical Model
This afternoon is going to be a rest up and get ready for racing! We did the "technical" model as well. This is where a starting line procedure is set up for us to walk through and a control or two and this time they had a drinks station as well so people running the longer distances could try the sports drink. On paper it seemed very confusing as have to get control descriptions and a GPS unit (if that race is getting them) and a map all during this time and three different lanes you have to make sure to go in the right one of. But yeah on the ground no problem!