It’s always difficult both helping to organise an event and racing it too. This weekend past proved to be no exception. I had been a bit stressed in the lead up to the Sprint Champs as it is two races (double the drama!) where we had to calculate the second race start times based on the first race. Although relatively easy to do (thanks to AutoDownload) it was the first time I’d been responsible for it. I’m going to start with the race on Sunday as I’ve produced a shiny video for it, and Saturday was crap (from my perspective)
Sunday – Nopesport Urban League
Right, this the race I’d been looking forward to. In 2010 I had jogged round the short course as I was recovering from an injury so I was excited to be racing in St Andrews (where I went to Uni) again. I had agreed to run late as I was helping on the IT systems again and ended up being the last starter. Sunday up until then had been considerably more chilled than the day before so I was ready to rock.
I had a very good run. Probably lost some time on the long leg (3) by going left instead of right but most of this was likely down to leg speed. I had a few other sub-optimal route choices but was always in control and had planned ahead. A very pleasing race! You can see the map here.
I ended up 5th, just 3 mins behind Ross McLennan (Oleg about a min quicker but missed a control out). Given Ross’ 10k pb is 6mins quicker than mine, and this race was about 9.7k, I am very happy with this result 
For anyone who is interested, I filmed the whole thing… enjoy!
Saturday – Scottish Sprint Championships
Saturday didn’t start particularly well; we arrived at 8.30 to find the sports centre shut and the lady inside telling us it opened at 9. Ok, can cope with that. At 9, get let into the building but she won’t open the back door which we’d booked. Also hasn’t heard of orienteering (‘oh, you’re not the archery club?’). huh? So I basically just asked her to open the door then wandered off to set up. (the planner, who’d arranged it, turned up later and sorted it out)
Anyway, this meant I wasn’t in the best frame of mind when it came to running! The first race went reasonably well, a few minor wobbles and a few curses at controls that were fast asleep but reasonably well raced. I ended up 12th in the first race which was ok.
The gap in between races went pretty well. A few minor dramas with the start list production but nothing serious. The problem came as I was going into the start pen when someone said there was a problem with download. I’m sure they’ll be fine I say, but then thinking about it. The race itself was ok, big mistake on 8 lost me 30 secs – I took a tumble on the way to 5 and wasn’t focused going through 6 and 7 then read a 3 as an 8 and found myself back at 3. Oops. This meant my 30sec man, Rob Kelly, caught me. I then put the boot in and really focused, and was very clean on the rest of the course to actually make those 30 secs back (he made a mistake though). Anyway, it was all to be in vain… At download afterwards Lesley Ward rocks up and says ‘I’d like to DSQ myself for crossing some out of bounds’, then points at the map. I have a closer look… ‘arse, I crossed that too’. So yes, DSQ, lovely. In the end there were about 10 people disqualified for that particular bit of oob, which looked like a path on the ground. Not my best day.