Day 6. Snow and exercise

With the reduced training yesterday due to the weather, today we squeezed in two sessions. The first session (11.2km) was at lower altitudes so there was no snow and it was a dry run, but it was still in single digit temperatures.

The afternoons training (8km) was still patchy with snow, and on the higher slopes there it was still a foot deep in places. This made for very wet and cold running. The controls had been collected already so Nick and I took turns leading out. We would then regroup at the control location to confirm with each other that it was the place. One control has us both waiting at different cliffs, my will broke first and I went looking for him...
he was right.

The terrain is extremely technical, but I am feeling a lot more confident in navigating through it, so the weeks effort has been worth it. Today was a tough day and I think we will both sleep well. Tomorrow we have one more forest session planned and then we are going to skip the sprint map session in Annecy, and rather go for a tourist drive. We drive through Annecy on Satuday morning on the way to the airport, so we can squeeze in a quick session if there is time.

The week has gone much quicker than I though it would. We will spend the weeks and months between now and WOC going over the routes and maps many times to determine what the best strategies are for different route options, what worked and what didn't.

The most important tool for this forest is compass work. Sounds obvious I know, but with so many re-entrants, depressions and knolls, the exit angle and map orientation are crucial as a couple degrees error could easily send you into the wrong valley.

Here are some videos of running through the various terrains.

Running in the clear forest the down a path with a bit of snow at the end.

This one is of a less runnable area. No possibility of running in a straight line ever.

Some stills of the terrain.

Looking into a runnable area of forest, there is often brashings on the floor. Especially after the heavy snow yesterday.

This is a less runnable area. some undergrowth on top of the very rocky forest floor.

This is a very runnable area - from a mapping perspective, but the moss covered limestone rocks make it very slow, almost like boulder hopping in a kloof, but in he middle of the forest.

This is a view of our little village taken on the way back after the afternoons training camp. the church in the middle and our accommodation in the the house on the far right at the end of the row just above the church.

Day 5. White Forest

The day started slower than most - with another late night meaning another late morning.

The weather stared clearing and across the valley we could see snow on the hills. As time marched on it started clearing so it was only at about 13h00 after brunch that we headed out to training.

The Morning View from the front door
snow on the distant mountain slopes.

As we got closer and closer to the start - the snow got more prolific and this is us driving into the starting parking lot.

Nick decided not to go out on a run today claiming that he had already been orienteering in the snow and it wasn't that much fun. The Irish team were also returning from their training runs and they were saying that the going was very tough, and potentially dangerous as all the limestone gullies were now covered with snow and it was very slippery and treacherous, threatening injury that would ruin the rest of the weeks opportunities.

Jeremy however decided this was to be a run to remember - clothed in 3 layers of orienteering clothing and a balaclava buff. He first posed for some pictures before heading into the white forest.

Jeremy Running out of the forest well dressed.Not all forest is runnable - especially in the snow.

This it the white forest around the parking area.

and here, just for mike - is running through the forest
-not much opportunity to run fast.-

So that was the orienteering today. a quick 40 minutes in the snow.

Typical White Forest.

Jeremy with a big smile - that was fun.

It ended with Irish Team needing a lift as their key was no longer being recognized by their car.
It really was cold then... What made it more difficult was that it was freezing, now down to 2 degrees, and they were cold from orienteering in the snow and they couldn't warm up in the car cause it wouldn't start. But wait there is more - there was no cell phone reception there either so they couldn't phone the rental company for assistance.
We gave them a lift to Aix-Les-Bains where they had another car, and cell reception so they could make a plan. The irony is that the rental agency couldn't work out where the car was, yet kept insisting that they wait at the car, which they couldn't do. It could have been worse, it could have been us:-)

Here is some info on our chateau.
It is in the small village of Arith, right in the middle of all the training events - but far away from anything else. No shops to speak of, and the nearest petrol station is a 40 minute drive. But is it pieceful. we drove around the town trying to find the place and eventually stopped at another accomodation venue to ask. Even then we battled. It is the lower level of a three story house, where we have half of the lowest section. Every thing is raw pine and actually really nice - espicially at the price.

La Tour, Arith France

Most of our time is spent on our computers at the dining room table. Me trying to keep up with work and Nick getting his i tunes and i phone sorted out - it is incredible how long it can take when you have the time... and he never listens to the entire song. I have listened to every genre, artist and era, all in bite sized bits.

Nicks Usual pose.

Tomorrow: double session and more snow perhaps?