Final Days Until WOC

     It has been pretty busy for me since I arrived in Europe with non stop training and racing. I really enjoyed all the races at O-Ringen in Sweden where I managed to win the middle selection race for WOC. It has been decided that I will be racing the Sprint, Sprint Relay, Middle and Relay at WOC.

O-Ringen Stage 4 Middle Selection

     I arrived in Scotland earlier this week and it is hard to believe it is summer here. It seems like it never stops raining and the temperature is more like what you would expect in the fall in Canada. But I must admit that if it is not raining the temperature is ideal for racing.  

     I have done my last few training's before WOC starts and now I am resting up for the sprint qualification on Friday. I am really excited to have another try at making the sprint final and also getting to run another forest race since I have not run one in a few years now. The middle/relay terrain reminds me a bit of my home terrain in Manitoba which is helping with my confidence. It is also a nice feeling knowing I am in best shape I have ever been leading up to the world orienteering championships. I have done everything I can in my training to be ready for these races and I am more prepared than I have ever been, so the results should take care of themselves as long as I keep my orienteering under control. 

Elgin GB Sprint Selection Race

Middle Training

Train on,
Damian

O-Ringen and Canadian WOC Team Selections

     I have not posted anything in a very long time, so I thought I should try and write something before the madness of O-Ringen starts. I have been in Europe for just over a week now after an excellent winter training period where I ran 2:35.81 for 1000m and 4:09.87 for 1500m on the 200m indoor track.

     After a week of lighter training I think I have overcome the jet lag and my training has been going well over here in Sweden.  I did a few great training's in Gothenburg and now I am in Boras where I was able to get on a few more maps before O-Ringen starts which are being used as the Canadian selection races for the World Championships. Day 1 will be the long selection, the Elite sprint on Tuesday evening in Boras will be the sprint relay selection and Day 4 will be the middle selection.

Here are a couple of my training's I have done:

Sprint training in Gothenburg.

Last short training before O-Ringen went well.

     The O-Ringen races are going to be very physically tough because the ground is very soft, a bit rocky and uneven and the blueberry bushes all combine to drain your legs a lot quicker than normal. The orienteering also has its unique challenges with all the rock features, so the compass will be very important for me. My training has gone to plan and now I am just resting up before the long selection race tomorrow (Sunday).

Train on,
Damian