Happy endings - I just love them ;)

Like a movie (those where they marry, have children and are happy forever) my season is finished :):):)
My last race, my last km «on the field» were in Spain, Toledo, on Iberian Championships.

This is map from middle distance. Well, for sure it doesn't fit on the «happy ending» style because it was literaly a disaster! I dont know, but I think this time I was more woried with my running speed then with my orienteering technique. So I was absolutely «lost» on my goals for this race and when I thought «this map looks very very fast» I lost all the possibilitys of doing a good race.

But fortunately we had another race on the afternoon, and I was really motivated to do a good job. It was held on the historical city of Toledo,with many crowded and tricky streets. In my mind I had it clear «don't run too fast! otherwise you'll make mistakes». It worked quite well, but some hesitations and a bad route choice cost me some seconds. But in the end of race I was happy with my «orienteering speed». It seems that I had a clear lead with more then a minute to the other runners but well, then Ona Ràfols from Spain came and she beat me...by one second ;)
Besides looking frustrating (in fact it was a bit) I was happy with my race, with my speed, with my good recovery between races and well...you know...Toledo is a wonderfull city so you just have reasons to be happy :):):)

Next day we had long distance and I felt really motivated to do a good race. I started quite well, without big mistakes, but after crossing a hard green on the way to the 6th control I lost my direction and the sense of which hill is what...I didn't stop to check, and well, in fact I stopped...but too late, when I was on the path above. And obviously when I was running towards number 6 I saw Ona Ràfols who started 3min after me...
We ran most of the course together and in one hand it was good because we were pushing harder but in other hand I think we made mistakes because of running together. On the last part I had a bit more fuel on my body and I finished I was about 20seconds faster... Ona wons (1:03:06) I was second (1:05:45) and Alicia Gil Sanchez was third (1:11:01).

And coming back home, with all «training baggage» of the season packed, I had such a great smile! Finally I can say that this season I made a big step on the right direction and my motivation to keep walking like this is high :)