JWOC Interview #3: Hodně štěstí (or for those that don't know Czech, good luck)!

It’s now just over a week before JWOC, so here is the last instalment of the pre-JWOC interviews.  Be sure to check back in the coming two weeks to get updates from the team as they train and compete. You can also check the JWOC website for results once the races start.

So now, onto the final questions:

What are your goals for this JWOC?

To run my own races, and see how that works out! I'm hoping to improve on my previous results. – Kendra

My biggest goal this year for JWOC is simply to get the experience of running in a really competitive field. - Pia

My main goal is just to have clean solid runs that I can feel I ran to the best of my ability. – Alex

Punch, then drink. – Trevor

My goal is to be happy with my races. – Jen

Have at least one perfect race and not to screw up in the relay. - Robbie

Any words of wisdom to up and coming juniors who may like to attend JWOC in the future?

Work hard and have fun. Everything else should slide into place. – Trevor

For those wanting to attend JWOC in the future, try to attend at least one big race before JWOC.  This can be really hard in Canada (as you often only have 3-6 competitors), but the exposure to a larger and more competitive field is invaluable. - Pia

Train hard, get excited about it, and don't be intimidated! It’s fun! - Kendra

Train consistently and challenge yourself. You will only get better if you push the limits of your orienteering. - Alex

What is one of your favorite motivational songs?

I don't really have a single motivational song, but sometimes, when I am running a particularly hard set of intervals, the song Stronger by Kelly Clarkson starts up in my head. – Pia

My motivational song is Eye of the Tiger by Survivor.  – Jen

Eye of the Tiger. - Robbie

We wish all the Canadian athletes competing at JWOC the best of luck. We’re cheering for you! And thank you to all the coaches, parents, supporters, organizers, friends and many more who have helped helped our athletes along the way. 

Barebone 2013

After taking a week off school for the HPP training camp in Cranbrook, I attended Barebones in Canmore. It was a great weekend full of types of races that I had never heard of before. I got to Canmore on the Thursday evening and stayed at the beautiful Alpine Club since I would be staying there for the Family Camp (and I am so thankful for being able to be a part of that at the last minute, as well as to those who gave me rides to and from Canmore and the individual races). Friday was a relaxing day spent watching movies until the Urban-O. One of the perks of deciding not to bring a laptop or an ipod charger was that I did pretty much no homework (and I’ve only just caught up, but that was mostly due to things I had been procrastinating on before my week off) and spent most of my free time reading.

In the evening was the Urban-O in downtown Canmore. It was based off of the game Clue (which I have never played). I’ll try to explain it, but it may get confusing. There were eight “rooms”, which were areas on the map in which you could “suggest”  to other players who committed the crime and with which weapon in the room you are currently in (unless you were suggesting to one of the “townsfolk” - aka volunteers, then you could suggest it was committed in any room). If the person you were suggesting to had a card (two of which each person received at the beginning – there are no cards for the elements of the crime committed), that person would have to show you only one (townsfolk would show all cards disproving) of their cards disproving your suggestion. I was glad that one of the cards I got was for a room that was kind of out of the way, so I knew I didn't have to go there, but I still spent a fair bit of time running to other rooms because there were so many that I hadn’t disproved. We had an hour to try and figure out the specifics of the crime before heading to the start/finish and making an accusation. I, and I think most people, just guessed, but several people/teams did get it right. I liked the event because it was fun trying to figure it out without the pressure/disappointment of feeling that it was unlikely.

On Saturday were the Setup, the Chase, and the THOMASS events. The setup was a sprint style (my race was 1.7km) event in Canmore for which the times were used to arrange the start for the Chase. Just before the start, I was told that the finish would be my second last control because there was a mother elk and her calf near the finish. My race went well, which was nice after a week of being challenged. Then, after noon, was the Chase event at the Canmore Nordic Centre (which was a busy place that day with both a running and a biking event taking place as well as the orienteering, but at least those were wrapped up by the time the THOMASS event started). With some exceptions, start times were 12:00 plus an individual’s time for the Setup. I believe the Chase was intended to be a middle style event (but being on course three, my race was only 1.9km). For me, it was an alright race, with a couple mistakes – thankfully the it-just-takes-longer type of mistakes and not the wandering-for-ten-plus-minutes mistakes that I sometimes make. Then we had lunch and awards (cookie medalsJ) in the Nordic Centre. Then there was the THOMASS, for which people were designated a handicap based on age and experience. This handicap determined how many controls you needed to do on the first side of the map before going to the finish (for that side) and flipping over the map for a 2.9km point-to-point course. I had to do four of the seven controls (#s 3,2,5, and 4 if you want to check them out at http://barebones.ca/Barebones%202013/THOMASS%20-%20both.pdf ), which was a good amount for me, especially considering the placement of the controls – I didn’t have to go to any far off ones. For the point-to-point portion, there were usually other people around the whole time, which I found made me really focus on my route choice compared to what others were doing. Thankfully, this worked out well for me, rather than distracting me too much, like in the case from control six to seven. As I was arriving at control six, I saw one person ahead of me heading to control seven one way, and another person another way. This caused me to see the higher trail, which I’m glad I took, versus the lower trail, in which case I would have had to climb back up. I quite enjoyed the THOMASS because of this and the controls in general.
In the evening there were speakers at the Alpine Club. Graeme Rennie spoke about his past JWOC experiences and Alix, Emma, and Darya spoke about orienteering in Switzerland last year. The presentations were good and reinforced a personal desire to go to Europe, both in general and for orienteering specifically. There was a large selection of dessert afterwards – there was always lots of great food at the Family Camp, always a highlight for any trip I take.

On Sunday was the Farsta (one-man relay) at Mt. Laurie. For those of us on the long course, there were three loops, each about 2km. Not everyone started on the same course, so it was interesting to see the stream of us start to branch off.  The maps were on a 1:7,500 scale, which was nice with the amount of contour detail on the map. It also probably helped make sure I didn’t have a race like last year at Mt. Laurie (but at least I knew I couldn’t possibly do as horribly as then). Generally, the race went well for me, with once again only a couple mistakes, plus a bit of lost time due to neglecting my compass and circling around while heading to the finish. The weather, though, was interesting. Partway through, I got soaked. I also had issues with my glasses falling off while I wasn’t wearing them, so I dropped them just past the control between loops, which I quickly regretted, worrying that someone would step on them – but they were safe when I finished. Yet near the end of the race I could have used them, although it wasn’t awfully bright. I liked this race because I got familiar with the terrain and specific areas of the course of my three loops, which boosted my confidence.

Overall, it was a great weekend, full of lots of orienteering and fun. On the way home, I finished yet another book, like the antisocial creature I am, before returning to a “normal” life consisting of the last homework assignments/projects of my high school career!

JWOC Interview #2: Training

JWOC is in two weeks!  Our athletes are now in their final preparations. But it's important to remember that they've put a lot of time and effort in the many months before JWOC to train.  In this week's installment of the JWOC athlete interviews, I asked them about their training over this past year.

How has your training gone so far this year?

Fairly well, it’s always a challenge for me to transition from skiing to orienteering, so I've been doing a lot of technical stuff to help with that. – Kendra

This year, I think my training has gone really well.  I've had the opportunity to train with a team in Trondheim over the winter, and concentrated more than I have ever before on orienteering through the winter. (Normally I switch my focus to skiing.)  I feel a lot more confident with various terrain types now, as I have gotten to orienteer on so many diverse maps.  I have also - to my great relief - lost a lot of the fear/nervousness I previously had about bigger races (i.e. more than 50 people!).  – Pia

I would say fairly well. I have been able to do quite a lot of orienteering and have run in two A-meets this spring. - Alex

This was my first year training solely for orienteering and it has been amazing! A few more weeks of intensity and technical training and should be just reaching my peak. - Trevor

My training was going really well at the beginning of the year and I got injured and I am slowly making my way back. - Jen

Definitely picked up the pace ever since I tried for the HPP, so I'd say pretty good - Robbie

How would you describe the expected terrain and potential strategies to orienteer well in this terrain?

Sample long map

The terrain this year is a bit of a mix.  Topography wise, most of the races are fairly flat, with the exception of the long, which is very hilly.  In flat terrain, one of the strategies I use is to trust my compass, and go as straight as possible. (Unless it means going through too much green...)  On the other hand, hilly terrain normally means attempting to find a route where you do not have to climb up and down continuously, but instead one that may be longer, but will hopefully not be quite as strenuous. – Pia

Sample sprint map

The terrain for the middle and long will be hilly with the middle having lots of rock detail and the long having more hills and valleys. The relay will be more flat with gentle slopes and lots of trails. To orienteering effectively in this terrain planning out the legs will be important, as well as having good attack points and being careful with the compass. – Alex

Sample relay map

The long is very physical, so pacing and choosing good routes will be key to having a good race. The middle map is covered in boulders! Therefore having a strong attack point will make the navigation much easier. Lastly the sprint is all about being smooth and fast through the controls. Personally I have never been very good at urban sprints, so for me the sprint is all about having fun! - Trevor

Sample middle map

You can find full map samples for the JWOC maps here. 

Is there anything you have done to train particularly for this terrain?

I have looked at the maps available one the JWOC website for the area, and have done some armchair orienteering with those maps.  I have also tried to expose myself to as many different terrain types as possible so that I (hopefully) have an easier time adjusting to the terrain at JWOC! – Pia

Some hill training and orienteering in rocky terrain. - Alex

The long is extremely hilly, so I have done many route choice exercises. It’s not about choosing the best route; it’s about choosing a good one. Also in the next few weeks, I am going to be focusing on rock detail (for the middle) and side hilling. – Trevor

I have been training on maps with the same terrain as what. I will be facing in Czech. - Jen

At JWOC, athletes get to participate in all the races (sprint, middle, long, and the relay). Their schedule is: 

Monday, July 1: Long Distance

Tuesday, July 2: Middle distance – qualification

Wednesday, July 3: Middle distance – final

Thursday, July 4: Rest day

Friday, July 5: Sprint

Saturday, July 6: Relay

Sage Stomp

This spring has been an interesting one for my training. While looking at the schedule of orienteering meets and camps sometime in December I realized that I would not be able to go to a couple of the staple events this year (mostly because I was in Ghana, Western Africa for 7 weeks, and early June was my RN licensing exam and graduation). So, on this lovely day in December, I started going into pre-emptive orienteering withdrawal, which is probably why I thought it was a good idea to sign up for Sage Stomp the weekend after I returned from my trip. I even convinced myself that I might not be in that bad of running shape, thinking that I would run when I was in Ghana, which I did end up doing most days. However, having to get up at 5:30-6 to run before it got too hot meant that most of my runs were under 45 mins...

So I arrived back the Tuesday at midnight after 19 hours of travel, had a work orientation at 8 am for the next two days and then travel out to the camp. Needless to say I was a tad tired at the camp; ok that’s an understatement, I was completely physically and emotionally exhausted (as only working in a third world medical system can do to you)  BUT I think I was able to get benefit out of the camp non-the-less! The terrain at McQueen Lake thankfully involves some areas of open running with hills and clumps of trees (nice big features for me to navigate off) and it was great to be back on a map! There were, however, areas with less enormous features, and the fact that I hadn’t been on an orienteering map since sprint camp became painfully obvious at those points!

This camp served as reinforcement to me around the complexities of this sport; it is not like a track workout where you can just show up in body and hope that you will get some benefit. Your mind needs also to be present and able to concentrate. By the Monday morning when I was doing (for by this point you cannot call what I was doing running) the last training exercise I found myself continuously getting distracted by the approaching start of my ‘grown up job’ (nursing on an orthopedic surgical floor, my first shift being that night at 7 pm – again great planning Tori), and my RN licensing exam, which I was running out of days to study for... It reinforced to me what coaches have been saying for years (namely Brent..) about the importance of having the ability to refocus (i.e. with a focus word) so that as an athlete you are able to bring your focus back to the map, compass and your race. It won’t always be outside the sport things that are stressful, the pressure of a big race or competition itself can be distracting. It is something that I plan on working on now that I have a bit more spare time!

Spotlight: JWOC!

For the past three years, my June has been filled with the excitement of the upcoming Junior World Orienteering Championships (JWOC).  While unfortunately I am now too old to attend JWOC, I am excited to watch (from afar) our junior team compete in the Czech Republic this July!

This year our junior team is: Alexander Bergstrom, Trevor Bray, Robert Graham, Adam Woods, Pia Blake, Jennifer MacKeigan, and Kendra Murray. You can view their HPP athlete profiles here!

In order to get us excited to cheer them on, I asked our athletes a few questions. Over the next few weeks I’ll be posting their answers, so be sure to check back for the latest junior orienteering news! Today's questions are on what they're looking forward to.

What is your favorite part of JWOC (for athletes who have been previously)?

The whole atmosphere! It’s amazing to see people from all around the world come together to hang out and orienteer. – Kendra

Apart from the actual races, I would say getting to see and explore and new and unique place that I probably wouldn't see if it weren't for JWOC. – Alex

The atmosphere is one of the coolest parts about JWOC. In the quarantine, there are about 300 athletes all excited to race. This creates a very unique and abnormal environment for us Canadians. - Trevor

What are you looking forward to most at JWOC?

Racing on new terrain, meeting new people and all the hype! - Robbie

After each race when everyone sits around and talks about their race, and you get to talk to lots of people. – Kendra

Meeting new people, travelling to Europe and of course the orienteering! – Trevor

This year, I am most looking forward to soaking in JWOC: the atmosphere, the maps/terrain and the people.  In addition, I am really looking forward to seeing all the different countries represented.  I have never before been to such an international event! - Pia

The races. – Alex

  

I am most looking forward to meet new people and the great experience of orienteering in a different country. - Jen

The next post will feature questions about their training for this year to prepare for their races.

2013 Canada Cup Series Starts With A Bang!

In an event filled weekend, Sage Stomp hosted the first Canada Cup of 2013. This long distance race was held at McQueen Lake near Kamloops. The open grassland area challenges all runners, even those who have visited the area in the past. 

Damian Konotopetz of Manitoba ran a strong race, beating second place Will Critchley by only 6 seconds! Eric Bone of Team USA came in 1:02 behind Will for a close 3rd place (Eric is not eligible for Canada Cup points). The 3rd place Canadian was junior team member, Adam Woods. Congratulations to Damian, Will, Eric, and Adam for each running an impressive race!

M21E - Standings after Sage Stomp
Athlete                       Club   Score
Damian Konotopetz CdeB 25
Will Critchley                EOOC 20
Adam Woods        GVOC 15
Graeme Rennie        GVOC 11
Mike Rascher        GVOC 8
Wade Tokarek        SAGE 6
Jiri Krejci                GVOC 4
Ian Collings                GVOC 3
Jared Kestevan        GVOC 2
Sergio Fernandez        GVOC 1

On the women's side there was a small field of only 4 runners. Vancouver's Louise Oram gave a convincing win, over 18 minutes ahead of second place Catherine Hoofd. Jackie Bonn of Kamloops came in 3rd, with Tori Owen of Calgary in 4th place. 

W21E
Athlete                Club Score
Louise Oram          GVOC 8
Catherine Hoofd    GVOC 6
Jacqueline Bonn    SAGE  4
Tori Owen          FWOC 3

In the Best Club in Canada category, GVOC holds its top spot after the first race, with 58 points, ahead of Coureurs de Bois with 25 points!

Club
Club        Score
GVCO          58
CdeB          25
EOOC          20
SAGE         10
FWOC           3

Here's the link to the full, official standings. You can view the results and splits on WinSplits! There are also some photos up on the GVOC Facebook page. 

2013 Canada Cups (scheduled to date)
August 3-5 ~ Western Canadian Championship, Manitoba (sprint, middle, long)
August 23-25 ~ Eastern Canadian Championship, St. John, NB (middle, long)
September 20-22 ~ Ottawa O-Fest, Ottawa, ON (combined Saturday/Sunday results)
October 11-14 ~ Canadian Champs, Hamilton, ON (sprint, middle, long)

Laos and Vietnam Adventures

Back in March my dad and I embarked on an epic journey that began in Bangkok, Thailand.  The trip started with a 10 hour bus ride to the Laos capital of Vientiane.  The next day was spent walking around and visiting the sights of the city and enjoying the beautiful French architecture.  We also stumbled upon the Lao National Stadium and I ran a lap of the track in my sandals!

Then we were off to the town of Vang Vieng via a mini bus.  The one thing that was an obvious difference between Thailand and Laos was the slow pace of life that exists in Laos.  This was evident by the minivan ride from Vientiane to Vang Vieng.  The ride was slow as it passed through small villages, around windy corners and up some steep hills.  The ride took 3.5 hours to cover a distance of 150 km.  We finally arrived in Vang Vieng, a town made famous by “tubing”.  “Tubing” involves renting a tractor inner tube, getting a ride 5 km. out of town and then riding the inner tube down the river back to town.  The next morning we brought along a good map of the town and surrounding area and went for a run through the town and into the countryside.  We were attempting to get to a cave, but unfortunately the gate leading to the entrance was closed, so we were not able to enter. 

 

 Countryside Near Vang Vieng

 

A stop on the run at the Song River

Our journey then continued with roller coaster minivan rides that lead us to the northern Laos city of Luang Prabang.  In this city we toured some of the numerous temples and monasteries, took in a night market, walked around and of course went for a run.  The next day got up early and went for a run along the Mekong River and through the town of Luang Prabang (which is a UNESCO world heritage site). 

Mekong River

Luang Prabang Architecture

We then returned to our guesthouse and prepared for another long day riding a minivan to the town of Phonsaven, Laos.  We came to Phonsaven to visit the Plan of Jars, as our last stop in Laos.  The next morning we headed off to Plain of Jars with a map in hand.  We ran 8 km. to the Plain of Jars and walked around the Plain of Jars Site 1.  One unnerving part of the trip was the fact that we had to be careful where we walked because not all of the site had been cleared of unexploded ordinance (UXO) from the Vietnam War.  It was very evident that there was a war, as there was a man-made cave that was used for hiding during the war, bomb craters and some blown-up jars. 
 

A rice field along the route to the Plain of Jars

  

Laos and Vietnam flags along the route to the Plain of Jars

 

Plain of Jars Site 1

 

After visiting the site we headed back ruuning into town (with a stop for some banana energy at a roadside stall).  The next morning we boarded a bus at 6:00 am. bound for Vinh, Vietnam, 12 hours later we arrived!  Then, we had to get another overnight bus headed to Hanoi, Vietnam.  When we finally arrived in Hanoi, we were greeted to a metropolis jammed packed with millions of scooters.  It was amazing to see all the things that the Vietnamese people were able to carry on scooters.  I saw five people on one scooter; I also witnessed large plants, cartons or eggs, televisions and fans being carried.  We spent the day visiting Ho Chih Minh Mausoleum and wondering around the old city.

Ho Chih Minh Mausoleum

The next day was spent visiting some more sights in Hanoi including the Hoa Lo Prision, some temples including the impressive Temple of Liderature.  I woke up early the next morning to go for a run around the old city and Hoan Kiem Lake.  It was surprising how many people were up at 6:30 am. doing different exercises such as walking, running, bicycling, dancing, meditation, badminton, etc.

Hoan Kiem Lake

 

After my run, we were off on a two day tour of Halong Bay (one of the 7 natural wonders of the world).  When we arrived at Halong Bay we were greeted by an amazingly beautiful sight, even more so than the pictures that I had seen.  We departed the port at the city of Halong and we were off on our clockwise loop of the bay.  The day was spent visiting a cave, climbing to the top of an island viewpoint, swimming in the cold water and kayaking.  The next day we visited a peal farm and then headed back to the port.  Immediately when we got back to Hanoi we headed to the “open tour” bus pick-up point and we were off on the overnight sleeper bus to Hue. 
 

Halong Bay

After a long overnight bus ride we arrived in Hue, Vietnam.  Hue is a city rich in history, as it was the imperial capital of the Nguyen Dinesty between 1802 and 1945.  We walked around the old part of the city and visited some of the palaces.  I thought that this would be a great place for the a sprint race as I walked around the palaces and gardens.  Maybe the next stop on the Park World Tour?  The next morning I went for a run around town with a simple city map.  I ran through the market (seen in picture), continued along the Perfurm River, along the city moat past some temples and then back to my guesthouse.  Then it was time for a very quick shower before boarding a bus for Hoi An, Vietnam.

Market in Hue

Three hours later we arrived in Hoi An.  We walked around the UNESCO World Heritage Site old town stopping at some old houses, museums and shops along the way.  It was a short visit in the town, as we boarded yet another overnight bus bound for Nua Trang.

We spent a day at the beach relaxing in Nua Trang and then that night we took our fifth overnight bus of the trip headed to our final destination- Ho Chich Minh City, also known as Saigon.  When we arrived in the city we found a place to stay and then immediately booked a tour to the Cu Chi Tunnels.  The tunnels are located about 50 km. north of Saigon and were used as hiding places for thousands of Vietnamese during the Vietnam War.  It was a very interesting place to say the least and cool because you actually got to crawl in some of the tunnels.

 

Tunnel

The next day and the final day of our trip we spent more time exploring the old part of Saigon.  We did some shopping for some last minute souvenirs.  Then that night it was time to fly back to the “big mango”…Bangkok.