Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Obscure sports



My ski coach in college had a really good point. "Why would anyone want to come to a ski race? We just run around in the woods in funny clothing". Well, orienteering is even closer to that extreme (of running around in the woods in funny clothing). Normally, the competitor is given a map, they look at the map incredibly briefly and then they disappear into the woods for some amount of time, usually between 30-60 minutes, before coming back into view- sweatier, muddier, and more tired looking than before. Quite the spectator sport!

Well, this weekend was different. This weekend was the club relay championships in Rochester, NY (my hometown). There were eight spectator controls (spectator controls being flags that the spectators can see) in a big field, and the runners popped in and out of the woods many times, to the delight of my team, which had a megaphone and was putting it to good use in the heckling department. I was on the CSU "A" team, with Brendan Shields, Peter Gagarin, and Ross Smith, and we ended up 2nd! I had the fastest female split on my leg, but it was very much a runner's course, and I grew up a mile away from that park, so I know it quite well.


Silver medalists! Ross, Brendan, me, and Peter.

Sorry, I know this isn't a bike race report, but, I guess I lead a more varied lifestyle than just riding bikes. It means I ride bikes slower, but I also know how to not get lost when running in the woods...


Letchworth gorge, the site of the race on day 1.

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