10Mila Leg 4 (2013-05-05)

10Mila: This is it!
I started around the 200th place (over 330 teams) with still quite a lot of runners (note: really runners, not orienteers... This is the problem of this 4th leg). The first guy I met was at the starting point, apparently waiting for an orienteer (that would be me). He stuck behind my back and followed all the way.
1. Easy one with the path, no problem, and fetch 10 runners on that one.
2. All the group is in my back, with no check at all on the map. I loose progressively control of the direction. The plan was to go as straight as possible, without checking that much this area until the long north - south opening and relocate on that one. I came too much north, found something that looked like that (but not), and realized here that nobody in the group was willing to help us out. We finally (luckily) found the chase tower and could go on to the control.
3. The group did not believe in my anymore and I could orienteer in parallel with them to the 3rd. Quite happy about how we run to this one (the red dot was to tie my shoe laces, Icebug's shoelaces are really disappointing).
4. We met another 10 runners going out of the 3rd control, packing all in one, following I don't know. After the road, we went all the way in the green, hard but fast running. I manage to trust myself and not them, realized that once again, nobody had a real control of the situation and that we were going to much west. Localized myself at the rocky hill (though I thought we came through the opened area, but the GPS does not agree with that, strange...), came at the last position of the group, and went right when nobody looked at me. Missed a bit the approach, but got it before the group.
5. 6. Meet my previous group mates looking for the 4th when rolling down to the 5th. Yes! But they got me again on the 6th control. Big group here (30 people maybe).
7. Tired of getting lost with all the groups, I take my own way to the 7th by the road. Only 1 or 2 headlamps behind. Getting a bit tired and still a lot to go. Hopefully it is getting lighter and lighter now. The approach was tricky, tried to stay on the edge, but wasn't very clear. Cross the path, and went down to fast. Then I saw the control.
8. Back in the group again, looks like there are some more runners than before. Runners are coming from everywhere, looking for the 7th. I take the lead of the group again, got pushed, lost compass control and realized it quite late. That was the last big mistake because I lose the group at that point and I am not sure I will see them later on. Now we are just 2-3 guys left, orienteers.
9. Compass approximation on the open tops, ran too much south... but easy relocalization in the open area with the big marsh. The day is now here and the headlamp almost useless. Glad about the control approach.
10. 11. No big deal, see another group coming in in my back, too far still.
12. Still with 2 guys, I am running in front, I quite happy about the route choice. They leave me in the cultivated field, taking (maybe ?) the left approach... Get the back of another group of 3 (Täby team), running too fast for me.
13. Straight ahead.
14. The group of 3 takes the south option, I find back my 2 guys from before. Small deviation reaching the path at the middle of the leg, but the form is still here after 2hours of running, feeling nicely strong.
15. Down to the road cross, meet still the same guy, stopped, screaming (do not know which language), and he told me in English, "I broke my hand". He could not really orienteer anymore, screaming about the pain in my back. He stayed with me up to the end. Strong guy! (I got the confirmation later on that he really broke his wrist falling). Small miss on the approach, we understood that we went too much left.
16...Finish: The smell of home, really easy orienteering, full speed (what's left of it). Reached the finish line in 2h19', happy to be home.

Global feeling: Awesome forest, really nice completion. On the technical side, still not easy to work with such big groups relying on each other, without having really control of the direction. I also have to train more with the compass, to get some trust in it. Revenge next year ?