Maria Sá

r e b u i l d i n g

2011-12-07T12:12:00.002Z

First of all I must apologize for not writting here for a long time. As I wrote here before, I've had some problems with the blog and now I still can't post maps or pictures here... Indeed, I really wanted to writte something here before closing this space.
Last season was like a roller-coaster, with several ups and downs and in the end, with a disastrous outcome: I felt sick and tired of orienteering competitions. I really needed to stop, analyse and reset goals. And that's what I've been doing: I had a big break on my training and now I'm slowly coming back :) I love running and training, so I'll keep this way and for sure I'll find the best answer for my future ;)

Golden long distance

2011-06-01T21:53:00.001+01:00

Last weekend the first portuguese national champs started with long and relay.The terrain was really nice, starting by the sea on the sand dunes and then some long legs on the pine forest. My race wasn't good as I wanted. I started very nervous and at control number 4 I was already loosing about 3 and half minute.During all race I never felt I was running on a good flow as I was always making stupid things - from 15 seconds mistake at the control area till 3'mistake on a stupid route choice. I started quite nervous and couldn't manage the feeling during a big part of the race, so my legs weren't working good as well.Surprisingly I crossed the line with the best time and it was great to hear that I got the gold.
Unfortunatly I keep the same problem on my blog on posting the maps so you can't see the mistake show I made. Actualy when analysing and comparing with previous races, I made one of the higher percentages of mistakes - 11,73% (I ran 1h15'53'' and made 8'50''mistake). In the end of spring I improved a lot and averagely I was doing 6% mistake on my races, but now it rised that so very much...nerves??
Relay report in a few days!!! ;) (and hopefully the blog will be working normal and I'll most maps and pictures!)

10 - MILA

2011-05-08T16:35:00.001+01:00

Tiomila is a fantastic race by itself. But like two years ago when I ran tiomila for the first time, the best feeling I bring back home the feeling of running as a team. Five girls giving their best for each other is superb.

In spite of my anemia, I’ve been able to run and spend some good time on the forest. I didn’t know how my body would react when competing again, but surprisingly I felt quite good and back on business.

This year Tiomila was held quite close from SNO-home ground and so everybody was looking forward to this! I had one training on relevant terrain on Friday and quickly understood how to play on this game – it’s fast and detailed so if you lose map contact for a moment everything look the same.

And on Saturday, at 1pm all SNO girls were carefully listening our coach (and runner) Kricko…ready for the big moment! After the meeting I started to feel the nerves and butterflies on my belly…! I ran the last leg on the second team with Jo, Lovisa, Karin and Jeanette.
My race started quite ok without big mistakes, but right after a while I started to lose self condifence and many mistakes appeared. Specially after the map change, on the way to number 150 I lost my concentration a bit and did two huge mistakes on that part. I ran most of the race by my own, but there some following group came and caught me. We ran a few controls together till we separate on the way to control number 162, because of different route choices. Then I just kept the speed running with three other girls and ran as fast as I could on the finish line to get the best place between us.

We finished at 93th place what means that the top100 goal was achieved. But that’s not the end of the story…!

After the race we come back home to take some rest (almost impossible with all the excitement of the men’s team being running). But just after a few hours Karin woke me up asking «Do you want to go running the 8th leg of the men’s SNO 5th team??» I didn’t even think twice and just say «yes! Of course!». We quickly get dressed, have some breakfast, drive to the arena and at 8pm I was starting a long tiomila men’s course. There I realize how tough it was and how hard men have to play. It was a great experience to run with such a huge map, huge legs on such a demanding terrain! ;) Unfortunately I couldn’t see Matthias arriving and celebrating the 3rd position, but just on time to see them on the podium. This year’s tiomila was very special: SNO won the junior relay, then the women did great job, we had 10 teams running the men’s relay (one of those were only girls team) and finally the SNO men reached the podium! That was amazing!!!

Ps- Thanks a lot to Karin, Matthias and Scott, my closest friends there, who are always so very welcoming and help me so much on the way to make some small dreams come true.

(Sorry but there's some problem with my blog and I can't attach my maps...as soon as it works I'll post it here)

f r e e - F A L L

2011-04-17T21:37:00.006+01:00

That's the moment when you uncomfortably feel different, but in fact don't realize big changes or big moves... but slowly you're going down, down, down...During the last month I've been feeling tiredness, exhaustion, some apathy during racing and running the toughest trainings but in fact couldn't find a reason why. Maybe too much work/travel/training...? but even after one week of light training regeneration last weekend I couldn't race as usual...I felt I was just runing on the forest and not fighting to do my best.. running on the same speed as a turtle. Something should be wrong I thought! And easily with a blood sample I realize my hemoblogin was only 10,3 g/dl and my hematocrit 30%...

Well, now that's the moment when I realize I was free falling. Slowly, just watching the view, watting that the parachute opens! It seemed everything was going easily on the right direction with my training - no injuries, just a small cramp on the right leg sometimes...and now I've got this friendly anemia.We never know what is just behind the corner right? Now it's time to rise head and recover as fast as possible!!!

I would also call a "free fall" to the mistake I did on sunday long distance. After 9 controls I did, maybe, the biggest mistake over the last years. Around 10min on a paralell mistake of course took me out from the lead and totally devastated my motivation to run the rest of controls.... here is the jewel:

Long

Middle

Long and wet

2011-03-16T21:34:00.003Z

And so, last WRE held in Portugal this season was brilliant. Looong, hard and demanding, both technically and physically, great arenas and overall organization. Besides tricky and tough course, the rainy days gave some help and made it even harder, as all the hard, grassy and fast ground become wet, soft and tough. 13,4km, a long leg with about 3,7km easily become the hardest long distance race I ever ran in Portugal. It's a pitty that we don't run so often this races in Portugal and clubs don't plan courses like that.
Personally, I was pretty disappointed with my technical performance as I made a lot of mistakes (around 12 minutes), but physically I felt fine and able to keep a good pace during all the race. Happily I finished 5th and made by best score at a WRE. Map here

A part of the WRE, on saturday it was held a nice middle distance - quite easy on the beggining and tricky on the last part. On the start I was feeling very tired and with a huge headache as I only had 4h of sleep!!! (long journey from Porto to Arraiolos on the night before). During all the race I felt heavy and slow running and my technique wasn't so good as I would like for a middle distance. Map here

Luckily I spent a very nice time during the weekend with my swedish club -SNO. Next goal is Tiomila and I'm really looking forward to run my first race on SNO blue and yellow colours :)

No POM for me this year :(

2011-03-08T20:27:00.010Z

Since 2002 I've been running POM...but this year, unfortunately I couldn't take part:( Work at the hospital on monday didn't allowed me to run the WRE and during the other days I couldn't take part of the organization because of work too (my club was the organizing team). It seems it was a huge top level orienteering festival.Congratulations to GD4caminhos that did an excelent job!
Well, and around here my training is going quite ok. Besides my weekly 40h of work at the hospital and thursdays 12h work on the ER, I can manage to do 2 good training sessions per week and of course. I overpass some flu, cramp on right leg...and for now everything seems to be ok.
Last weekend I ran a nice orienteering competition - middle distance in the morning and night relay on the evening.In the morning it was very messy and lost so many seconds on several mistakes...luckily I was the one who miss less and got the victory.

At night relay it was great fun!! As the last runner and because my team was a bit too late I had to start on a mass start. I was on the leading group to the first control but after a while on the way to the second control I found myself alone on the dark forest.Everything went well (according to my experince on night orienteering!!) on the dark long 7km with very interesting final part: at the espectators control I was just 20'' bahind the leading group. After two controls on the forest I was able to get the lead but in the end I wasn't enough fast to run 200m on track to beat these men. I was happy and tired. I just love the feeling ;)

When the doctor become the patient

2011-02-23T21:33:00.004Z

The daily life of a doctor at the pediatric hospital is like survinging on a jungle. You are surrounded by thousand of virus and bacteria that can catch you anytime... and easily you become the patient :) There're two weeks I've been feeling weaker, coughing and sneezing (without fever), but last week I couldn't hold it and got a terrible flu. I'm still recovering and hoping to be better for next weekend competition. I'll run a mixed night relay, 6 runners from different categories that starts at 4pm...I'll run the last course (7km) by night and I'm really looking forward for it!! Till saturday I have to keep killing my virus but it won't be that easy...tomorrow I'll have 12h work at the E.R. and friday still 8 hours to work. That's my work, my passion and I'm happy with my job. Children are lovely and it's very rewarding work :)

Who is the boss?

2011-02-07T13:51:00.004Z

The human body is complex. To walk, to eat, tu run, to do eveything in our lifes, our brain sends a message to all the rest of our body (many synapses involved and all a big story between) and it answers to our brains request. So it's easy to understand who's the boss between all this: Mr. Brain!!! So, when your brain is not on the best shape it doesn't matter if your legs are stronger than ever... the boss don't let you do what you want. That's what happened to me last weekend competitions... the boss was mad so the poor legs weren't allowed to do the right job.

Plan: give some rest to the boss and keep killing the legs ;)

Let's get it started!

2011-01-11T17:13:00.004Z

Last weekend portuguese orienteering season started with a nice competition at Coruche. The terrain was soft and nice, perfect to warm up the engine and spice my training motivation.
My brain and legs are still adapting to the «orienteering mode» and I felt some problems during racing, mainly about the speed on the middle distance, lack of confidence when approaching the controls and direction skills.
I feel happy to be back on business ;)

Maps: middle and long

Results middle:

1- Saila Kinni 29:08

2- Kristin Lofgren 33:56

3- Maria Sá 36:04

4- Mariana Moreira 36:23

5-Andreia Silva 39:01

Results long:

1- Saila Kinni 1:01:39

2- Kristin Lofgren 1:10:46

3- Maria Sá 1:11:22

4- Andreia Silva 1:12:21

5- Mariana Moreira 1:13:56

Tell me quando quando quando

2011-01-02T16:57:00.005Z

While some discuss the future of orienteering in Portugal, others keep training hard like the future is setted on the safest routes. It's a way to face the sad moment portuguese orienteers are living. I would say that right now, orienteering in Portugal «is lost»! Orienteers don't know when or where (or IF) will run international races, selection races and so on.

So, the best to do is keep training and fighting for our personal goals for 2011... (just hope our federation take us to the right place to make it possible). This time I spent a few days at Norte Alentejo, on a training camp organized by GD4caminhos and Ori-Estarreja clubs. 4 days, 8 orienteering trainings and the goals for the camp were achieved. It's fantastic that now these two clubs train together finally I can participate on nice training camps from time to time.

Even being on a dark shadow I keep my fingers crossed for a bright sun for the portuguese orienteering... cause WE ALL deserve it.
Happy New Year!

From top to top

2010-12-23T18:13:00.004Z

After 2 months closed at home it has been time to travel around the world, meet friends...mostly to have fun and enjoy life:)

I have to say that it's so great and I'm so happy to be back on my life again...! About my training it's going well but it wasn't so easy on the beggining. After stopping for 2 months I had to learn all again and built something to start training. After 4weeks my body is (finally) getting its normal state, but there's still a lot of hard work to do. It's only the first steps!

First (S)top was Sodertalje- Sweden. Next season I'll have the luck to run for SNO and for a few days I had the pleasure to know how such a great team works, meet new friends, run some trainings over -10ºc with snow up to my knees, have some fun...It was really nice time and I feel so lucky and at same time so motivated to belong for such nice group :)

And from the cold weather of the north of Europe the next (S)top was Tenerife :) Humm...so warm and beautiful place for training and for spend some nice days! We (tried to) climb «El Teide»(almost 4000m high), ran nice orienteering trainings, ran around there and visit the most precious parts of the island. I loved it :)

And now I'm back home, ready for the next (S)top -it's Cristhmas!! Merry Cristhmas to all of you! :)

Season-analysis in a nutshell

2010-11-30T11:58:00.005Z

I would call to the last season «terribly demanding». Not because of competitions neither because of load of training at all, but mainly because of the huge amount of work at university and between this, training and some competitions. Here are some numbers (47weeks of training):

I ran about 239h of running, which 41h of these are of orienteering;
Only 18% of my training was orienteering training;
I had one foot small surgery between - costed me 1month out of training;
I only ran 18 competitions during all the season;
I spent 5h/day average studying from january till august, then 10h from august till middle of september and reached the top with 15h/day during october and november...

Well, these are only numbers...I had my goals setted in the beggining on the season: some were reached, other not and actually I achieved one not expected. I believe that the lack of orienteering training and competition can explain something about the not-achieved.

I know I had a terrible amount of things to manage with and it seems tough, but when you have the best family, boyfriend and coach in the world, things become easier. Thank you so much :)

I'm happy and glad when comparing these numbers with the final result of such a demanding season :):)

Welcome back to your life Maria :)

2010-11-27T17:22:00.003Z

Finally I have my life back. I can feel the wind on my face, ear the birds in the morning outside, watch the sunset on the sea, taste a delicious hot chocolate in the evening and smell the wet ground after a rain shower.

After one year of study and preparation to the final exam of the Medical school, finally I'm free :) During the last two months I was totally focused on my study and so I spent around 12-15h a day on my desk studying, rarely going outside home,whithout proper sleeping, big doses of coffee and huge stress load. Just outside of my room to have meals. That's insane to study for such exam.

Happily this study marathon is over and I have my life back. I'm glad I could manage to achive my goals. Now I have a month of holidays till januray when I'll start working as a doctor :)

Mostely the feelings are of relief, happiness and motivation for the upcoming new goals!

Still looking for the answer

2010-09-22T20:11:00.006+01:00

After PWT race a journalist ask me «What was your best ever international result before coming to Peth?»...ups...funny question... I said «I don't have any :)». He smiled to me and ask again «so what made the difference today?»
That's the answer that I'm still looking for. There are some reasons that can predict a good result but there are so much more that easily can destroy all your training homework...I've been seriously thinking about this question and after reading my coach's blog (here)I became aware of the good training job we did together for this race.Is this the answer?...Maybe that fact of only being focused on sprint... or maybe the fact of still being a better road runner than a forest runner...

Above there is the map with my route choices (red) and better routes than mine (blue) in 4 controls. I ran this course on 17'37'', 2km race, but according to the tracking I ran about 4,2km !!!
After deep analyse of my course I realize about 52 seconds mistake (that's a lot!).I ran quite slowly to the first control and to the second one I took some seconds to understand what was in the map and what I should do. Then mistake to number 8,9 and 11(stupid route choices). On the way to 13 I was running quite slowly trying to understand if 14control was on the upper or lower part of the stairs...Mistake to number 20: I was on the «only running mode» and missed the entrance to the control...and then to number 22 I thought «run to the street you already know» but this route was a bit longer and costed me some seconds more. And well, 52 seconds and some extra meters...

Next weekend I'll run the Iberian Champ (in Leiria-Portugal)on sand dunes terrain.I'm not that well prepared to run on this type of terrain and the long distance scares me a little bit:) we'll see...!;)

PWT - Park Wonderfull Tour ;)

2010-09-13T21:29:00.004+01:00

This story begins in July when I received the invitation to run Park World Tour in Perth. This time, I wasn't really sure about what to do. In one hand I had a lot to study and to be focused on, but on the other hand running Park World Tour seemed to be such a good challange for me and for my training during these months between July and September. Besides, it was an honor for me to be invited to such a international top level competition that I couldn't say no!! So the goal was setted and I started my preparation for this race on 11th September.

But September arrived so fast and it was time to pack my bags to Scotland! I packed it with a bunch of good running trainings (PB on 200m-32'- and 400 10x intervals- 1'14'') and also a few good orienteering park trainings...but we never know if 2+2 will be 4!!!

Last saturday Park World Tour started with the qualification race at Scone Palace. Map seemed to be simple but in fact, orienteering there was very tricky. I must say that I couldnt find a flow on my orienteering and neither a moment of full concentration - I missed controls and had to run back, I run on the incorrect order, uf!...well so many mistakes that after a while I decided just to jog to the finish line- it was worthless to waste energy there.

But my preparation was to the Perth city center race (Final) and I had a hope that I could succeed well there. I was focused, motivated and aware of the mistakes that I could easily do. During the race I just tried to do my best on each control, running the fastest as I could on the long legs and the most focused I could on the trickest ones. But to be honest I never felt that I was running fast because I was too afraid to do mistakes and was so very carefull on my orienteering, reading all the details. When finishing my race I was happy and pretty satisfied, but i wasnt aware how good it was, till the first sweedish girl came and I still staied on the leading chair :):):)

I finished 6th best girl in this PWT race!!!:):) It feels so good to be rewarded for this big effort and finally feeling that such a good job that I've been doing with my coach wasn't worthless. Earing the worlds of Per Forsberg during this price giving ceremony, calling my name between such good sweedish runners was great. It had a really important meaning for me this achievment.

I took home a lot of good feelings, lessons and experiences from this race: I learnt some scotish dances :):):) ; I went to the airport on a Mini 30 years old car (!!!) ; 2x5x52x10 (maybe one day); and I hope this result push me to further challanges!!!

pictures and words

2010-08-30T23:13:00.007+01:00

After four days of resting and recharging (just a little bit part of) my batteries, I'm back home there's one week and I haven't been doing anything different than,

It's been really demanding to keep studying 8,9 sometimes 10,11 or even 12 hours a day and manage to find time and a rested body to run and train adequately.

The scheduled life is going on and my motivation to keep it is really high as I have my personal goals very well setted. But I have to confess..sometimes I feel...

vacaciones

2010-08-17T00:39:00.003+01:00

The bag is packed and I'm ready for 4 days of peace and love...

and orienteering too ;) [of course!!!]

inspiration

2010-08-02T22:13:00.005+01:00

These two women on portuguse suits are presently the best 5000 and 10 000m female runners in Europe. I admire them a lot and I confess that I suffered so that much watching their races, fighting for medals during this european champs last week...They brought home two bronze medals (one on 5000 other on 10 000m) and a big bag of motivation for further achivements!! Its great to see portuguse female runners on the top of the european runners and for sure it's inspiring for training :)

Lately my training is going on the right direction towards the main competitions in september. After the end of classes I have more time, specially for rest, so I can get more from training than before. Apart of this I keep my daily studying - about 8h per day- preparing as best as I can for my exam in November...!!! So my «summer life» is almost the same as winter or spring life, as I keep sleeping, eating, training and studying acording the timetables - like a machine.

As I appreciate a balance on my life, I decided to take two periods of rest during this hard study time - last week I spent 4 days in the south of Portugal with my family, enjoying the sun and the beach- and in two weeks and a half I'll spend some days around Barcelona (where? it seems to be a secret till the date I'll arrive there :):)

So till 17th august the «machine» will be here studying between these four walls and time to time watching and vibrating with woc races ;)

I dream about moments like this :)

The end

2010-07-16T22:44:00.002+01:00

Today I finished six years of hard study on Medicine. I'm a doctor now... :) I'm quite speechlesss and with a mix of good feelings...but overall I'm really happy and glad. Thanks a lot to all of you who have been walking along with me during this time. Now it'll starts a new chapter on my life!

3 days OFF

2010-07-12T20:52:00.008+01:00

3 days off, 5 min floating on the mediteranean sea, eat some tapas and drink a beer in the evening, run some nice orienteering races, walk throught Barcelona without any rush, sleep siesta and just enjoy being resting were magic to recharge (a part of) my batteries.

Sprint map

About my orienteering it was quite funny on the beggining of the race, because on the way to the first control my map flow away from my hands and I had to run to catch it and then be back on my race.I did some stupid mistakes and my speed wasnt the best for a sprint race at all. But for a vacation competition I'm satisfied :)

Now unfortunately I'm back to the hospital, to the library, to the book... and keep holding this flow till november...

M&M - maps and mistakes

2010-07-07T22:22:00.008+01:00

After so many weeks saying I was going to post the last competitions maps, I'm finally doing it ;)! Here are maps from absolut national championship (1), long distance national championship (2) and relay national championship (3).
I succeed very well as I won all these races, but after deep analysis (you can check it on my route choices and mistakes) I'm sure my biggest problem in not concerning with my running skills...for sure 70% it's because of my (so very)weak orienteering technique. During these 3 races, overall I lost about 20'22'' (!!!) and I managed to win all....so, for sure my legs were the one which worked well (not my brains :( There's a lot to analyse and think about (BIG???) changes when planning 2011 season.

sweet candies in the mountains ;)

2010-06-28T23:56:00.002+01:00

Give Good

2010-06-26T21:45:00.004+01:00

I spent last week between the mountains of the north of Portugal, doing my internship in comunity health. I think the image above explain one of the most important things I've been learning here... It's been great to be working here as my tutor allows me to do consultations by my own. People here are kind and the village is surrounded my great mountains, forests and small rivers. It smells nature:)
There's still one week left here in the mountains and then it will be time to take 3 days off :) I'll try to post the maps of last competitions and tell you more about the time spent here ;) see u.....

celebrating ;)

2010-06-10T22:09:00.007+01:00

little gift to my super heroes ;)

[sooner I'll post maps]

Time to celebrate :)

2010-06-06T22:02:00.002+01:00

Definitely I have a bunch of good thinks to be happy. During tha last two weeks many things happened...competitions, work, studying, end of my master teses, training... and between all, mixed with a big dosage of stress, I could manage it quite well.

First of all we had absolut national championship in Sesimbra. This is one of the most (maybe the most) competitive race we have in Portugal! After bad feelings during qualification, I could manage to refocus and performed good enough to be first :) In fact portuguese junior girls have their batteries on their top and they ran so great on this race! Also, it was held the universitary championship at the same time, which I get the gold medal too :)

Of course that after one weekend out of the library, it means twice of work during the week. These next two weeks passed on a rush and when I realize it was 4th june (last friday) and I was defending my master teses, on the Aula Magna of my faculty. I'm happy with my performance here too as I get 18 on 20 maximum possible. It was awesome feeling!

And to finish as best as possible, yesterday I managed to get the gold medal on long distance national championship, on such a technicaly and physicaly demanding terrain - whinch in fact I love. I must say I was a bit afraid of this race...I was tired but mainly it was so hard to change my concentration from my master teses to orienteering. It was kind a shock to my brain :)

But definitely the gold on today's relay was what tasted better :) We weren't the favourite team to win but my team mates run so very well that my job (as the third to start) was the easiest - I just ran a normal race till the end and celebrate it this talanted girls :):). I want to thank them so very much for this victory - it was my first ever victory on a relay during portuguese champs. Susana, still junior, and very young in orienteering -her calm, passion and total focus were incredible when she passed the spectators control as the first senior. And then Isabel, already veteran, managed the first place with such a confidence and great experience that my job was nothing compared to their. They were great! Thank you girls ;)

sooooooo......after this 2 weeks I think is time to celebrate :)

Crossing the finish line

2010-05-06T23:33:00.007+01:00

If you would come to Porto during this week you would see students wearing very strange clothes everywhere and so many festivities at every corner. We are having «Queima das Fitas»!!!

It celebrates the end of graduation courses, symbolized by the ritual burning of the ribbons representing each faculty of the University of Porto (UP). It lasts for 8 days, one for each UP's Faculty: Letters, Law, Medicine, Sciences & Technology, Pharmacy, Economics, Psychology & Education Sciences and Sports Sciences & Physical Education. During this period, a series of concerts and performances are held, turning Porto in a lively and vibrant city. It also includes a parade of the university students, sport activities, gala ball, and many other public events and traditions, such as the historical nighttime student fado serenade (Serenata Monumental).
The Ribbon Burning festivities are the big yearly celebration for the students and townspeople as well. The festivities run for a full week with the traditional nighttime fado serenade in the square in front of the Tower of Clérigos. The square is packed with students in their black capes (looking like Harry Poters :) and according to the ritual, studies are forgotten for a week of joy and all-night revelry.

The high point of the festivities is the Cortejo, a parade with dozens of elaborately decorated floats, each in the color of their respective faculties, carrying placards with ironic criticisms alluding to certain teachers, the educational system, national events and leaders. The parade is made up of thousands of "newly liberated" students set apart by their top hats and walking sticks.

In the end we're tired, but happy ;)

So... finish line is over here... But a career and much more than a job are coming!
Thanks to those who have been walking with me along this 6 years!:)

Plan B

2010-04-22T14:33:00.007+01:00

Between the daily rush, I found myself between the two main things I work in my life to: medicine and orienteering. Last monday I finished my master teses (public presentation will be in June), I finished my internship on internal medicine with excelent mark (19/20), I'm reading for the second time the «Harrison» internal medicine - this big book I'll have to study hard till november - and of course the preparatives of the end of my study are coming up!!!

About orienteering, my words are seldom...I don't have been doing map training ( nobody in my region prepares some training to can take part). My work is only towards my runability and building my shape again. Unfortunately, I'll can't take part on european neither world champs this season because of my study and final examination...so...let be SMART! I'm planing and thinking a lot about my next goals for when the good times will come, and so, this time now is precious to improve things that I can't improve when there's a lot of competitions and stuff like that.
Last weekend I took part on the first national competition of mountain races organised by the athletics national federation and I was 9th overall and 4th senior. Running on mountain really seems to me like running orienteering without a map. It's half (or less) of the fun, but at least, I can prepare myself 100% as map training is not required here. It's seems to be a good plan B for my motivation ;)

Go to the witch!!!

2010-04-11T19:08:00.004+01:00

Should I really go to the witch?

-3 weeks without training because of the wart;
-1 week without trainning because of flu;
-I lost the 1st place on sprint for 8seconds;
-Major opponent runner started 2minutes behind me today on yellow and easy map;
-I lost the 2nd place on middle for 3seconds;

fly, flew...flu

2010-04-03T19:18:00.002+01:00

After many weeks without running because of my foot finger, I got sick with some kind of virus for almost a week. Just in the moment when everything seemed to be back to the normality... My start of season really looks like a rollercoaster... when is this going to stop?

Because of this

2010-03-16T22:54:00.010Z

This is myself on the last 3 weeks...looks cute doesn't it?;)
Yeah, in fact it wasn't funny at all. Since beggining of this season I had a wart growing and growing on the top of my right foot finger. It was very painfull and even I started having pain on my left hip because during running I was trying to don't put so much weight on this side. So, after many treatments and without any change...I had a small surgery and 3 weeks without run.
We are so used to get some thigs from our daily life that sometimes forgot how really important they are...Running is one of them for me and I realize it on the worst way. It was so strange to be on the library till the time of closure and come back home without running. Going to the hospital, then to the library and coming back home, day after day, became my daily life and I also realize how's the life style of so many people that sorounds me on this hospital. It's crazy!

You can check my little wound on the picture :):)
All went fine during surgery and after it too. Now I'm back on business, but sinceraly first trainings after stop are so though(phisicically and mainly psicologically...) Step by step I'll get my shape and the most important now is that I can feel the wind on my face again!

The king and the little little

2010-02-09T22:38:00.009Z

Last days have been very different than usual. Instead of going from classes to the library, and from the library to training and instead of learning from doctors during classes, and from my coach after training, these last days I performed on very different stage with a very different teacher. I spent 4 days from map to map, from training to training, on Mira area, training and learning with Thierry Georgiou.

I must say it was a mix of sensations training side to side with «the king of middle distance».It was fantastic opportunity to train, to analise, to learn ...and to realize how much and how hard the best orienteers in the world train, how often they run with map... and how far away I am from this reality...I'm little little little....

Do it with style ;)

2010-02-02T11:42:00.002Z

Portuguese orienteering team got a fresh new style on the last world champs. Many orienteers realize about our new Trimtex O-suits and how beautifull it looks like on our national team.
Besides looking beautifull and stylish, it’s very important to run with high technology clothes on so very different kind of weather through all the season. As you know, sometimes lighter clothes or warmer clothes can help you a lot during your orienteering races ‘cause to take extra grams with you is absolutely useless. Luckily, this season I’ve got a sponsorship from this fantastic brand, Trimtex, which allows me to run with high quality clothes in the forest.

If you are a quality adicted too and if you would like to have your club suits on the best orienteering fabrics, with your own club colours and own club design, you have a great opportunity now! Trimtex will be represented in Portugal O’Meeting 2010 (POM) with special offers for the Portuguese market. Please feel free to talk with Isak Bergman – responsible for the portuguese market or with myself, and for sure you’ll find the best solution for your club!

And I'm doin'it

2010-01-30T21:24:00.005Z

Life is still going on acording the timetables, the list of things to do today, training to run tomorrow and the chapters to read till the end of the week. It seems to be like a great formula to scheduale everything on such few 24h per day, but it's also kind of boring.
But something has been changing as I'm making a bigger effort to spend time with map :) Reading, runing and analysing maps.
Last weekend it was great to have 4 orienteering trainings with the national team in the south of Portugal- Coruche and Arraiolos.It was good time to pratice many things that I've been thinking about to improve.

Today it was time to say NO to the book and run towards the closest sand dunes map and enjoy the sun and the ocean.I ran quite nice o-training but mostly it was very nice because of breaking the rules of studying and get motivation for next week trainings.It was fantastic to run on such scenario!

Most interesting maps of last weekend trainings:

First steps...to analyse

2010-01-18T11:26:00.007Z

Since the beginning of november I've been very focused on building a good basis of training and the main goal is to perform a good role on...traning. Not competing. However, it's been a very busy time for me (as all year seems to be like). I have been studying a lot for my end examination in november, working on my master teses, having classes, training...and eating and sleeping :) Basically, I've been like a machine rulled by timetables to all activities. So I think it's quite obvious that time for ORIENTEERING training is few: in december I only ran 16km of orienteering, which comparing to the 340km of running, is nothing.

1 +1 is 2...the same as orienteering races without orienteering training is...mistakes!

Two weeks ago I ran the International Meeting of Arraiolos and I proved myself that training without map for long periods make this happens:

long distance (2nd place):

sprint distance at night (1st place):

middle distance WRE (1st place):

After deep analysis of the disaster of such races, it's possible to find out some reasons: (1) lack of map training, (2) some related difficulty with concentration on my own orienteering and (3) different kind of cartography used on this maps.

This time the maps were drawn by finish cartographers that used very different criteria than those used before on this type of terrain. In my oppinion, it's very good kind of cartography and very helpfull for the orienteers as only the main features are on the map. Althought, I think it is very usefull on very detailed stony areas but not absolutly necessary on other areas with not so much stones... Personally I preferd the middle distance map, drawn my Tiago Aires and Raquel Costa, portuguese cartographers and elite runners too, besides using the same style of long distance map. I confess I love the way they draw maps and it was a pitty that they dind't draw the map of the long distance.

Now it's time to find a hole on the scheaduled life for some orienteering training and beginning to work on mental training too ;)

365 new pages

2009-12-31T16:27:00.003Z

After reading a good book the feeling of missing these pages, these adventures, these characters we're getting used and loved always stays... The good thing is that we never know if the next book will be even better!
Like a good book, 2009 is ending. Tomorrow 365 new pages are starting...

Happy new year!

Buff Epic Run(ner)

2009-12-23T22:25:00.003Z

epic - adj. - taking place over a long period of time and involving a lot of difficulties; very great and impressive

Soooo...what could I expect from the Buff Epic Run in Barcelona? :) Around 10km course with several obstacles to get through, including mud pools, straw walls, tube mountains, tyre barriers and rope mazes... "Que vols més Maria??" :):)

It was very funny and quite crazy race too... a lots of adrenaline running through my veins and a very happy ending! (surprising 2nd place - just a few seconds behind Laia Andreu, the 5th best runner on skyrunning world series)

If you really want to understand how crazy was this race check out here ;)

After crazy races and lovely days in Barcelona, it was time to come back home, work some extra hours in hospital and, finally, stand close from the fire place and also cook some delicious christmas dishes :)

Merry Christmas to all of you!

Get out there

2009-12-10T23:11:00.002Z

Map and compass! yeah? everybody hears this when you ask: what do I need to start orienteering? And they asnwer: map and compass!:) That's the first step!
Then you start and quickly you become addicted and addicted to run orienteering. Suddenly that's their time to ask !: - Hey! Would you like to start on night orienteering races? And of course you say: - Yeah, sure! What do I need? - Well, you need map, compass and headlamp! :):)

OK. I have the map...and now, I have the compass and the headlamps too:) Since yesterday I became a Silva girl and I'll be sponsored for compasses and headlamps. Great! That's really nice to have such a great support! Thanks a lot! :)
I'm trying the new compass on next saturday training, but I already believe on a fast and very stable compass ;) For sure I'm having a new help on my courses. Take care;)

Besides that I also got sponsorship from Mund socks which look great for my feet, specially for so many kilometers of training and hard forests that we find everywhere. My feet say thanks a lot too!:)

GREAT! ;)

Into your heart

2009-12-08T16:03:00.003Z

Yesterday I was on my first cardiac surgery...scalpel, clamp, suction...we're there!
We're into her heart! There it was...beating one hundred times per minute, during long 78 years, quiet between the lungs, full of feelings, full of life storys, full of mistery! Surgeons didn't know nothing about her heart... They only opened it, fixed and closed it. They don't even know her name... How many amazing storys should have been there? Thousands I bet.
They had her heart on theirs hands God! They just know she had a big aortic failure! Yes, for sure they will remember this heart, this bypass, this aortic valve...but maybe, in a few weeks they will meet «this heart» on the streets and they won't recognize it...

The fact is, they were six hours opperating, without any other visual contact besides her heart, her blood, her aortic valve...the only thought on their minds was this heart,this valve, this life! And they saved it! They saved all the feelings and life storys too. They saved this 78 years old heart...they saved this life!

What to do now doc? QUARANTINE!

2009-11-30T17:36:00.002Z

Vomiting, headache, muscle pain, fever...nowadays it only has one meaning on doctor's head : you have the flu! H1N1 caught you girl! You have to spent the next seven days at home: QUARANTINE!

This I heard last tuesday afternoon, after spending all monday's night vomiting :( next seven days at home and of course no running, no training, no competition...:(
After three days at home the phone rang and I got the results of the test: it was negative!! So i was free again:):) and of course next day I was back on training! I started slowly and carefully and on sunday I was already able to run part of the race a bit faster than previous trainings. I hope that this week I'll be back on routine;)

I miss...

2009-11-21T22:56:00.003Z

I miss the river, the park, the snow, the laught of the girls, the nice words of the coach, the thursday night orienteering trainings, the kilimanjaro, the sunny but very cold days...

I miss Jagniatkow kilometers path, the cross laps, the long long trainings on Sundays, the skiing time in Szklarska Poreba...

I miss the friends and I miss the coach! Yes I really do.

Winter trainings are much pleasant and much easier when you run on such a nice group of friends and with such great coach...Training more than 500min per week alone, with my headphones, is boring. I've been remembering a lot the nice winter training I had last season...

I really miss it a lot!

Saturday night da ba da dan dee na na na ;)

2009-11-16T21:39:00.003Z

Saturday night da ba da dan dee na na na... pretty baby;)

No..saturday night wasn't time for training on the dance floor but it was the same fun! I ran night orienteering training, 7km, 17controls and 61min runing. I was quite satisfied with my training..! Last season I started to run a bit more at night because before I was always too scared to do it. So it was pretty nice to me to feel confortable in the forest, thinking on map and nothing else (like monsters or bad men in the forest ;)

I made a stupid mistake to the first control (yeah..it was the first one since many months) but then everything went fine. I could run as much straight as possible (there was some green) and I tried to avoid paths also to make it worth.

It was also funny because on the previous weekend we had a training camp of the national team on the same map and actually we ran on the same places and even in the same controls but, sincerely, I didn't realize about this during night! With my small lamp I just could read the map and see some meters in front so everything seemed new :)

Happy endings - I just love them ;)

2009-11-08T19:57:00.007Z

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 :)

Planning your winter season?

2009-10-26T22:10:00.010Z

The mercury is falling, the days are shortening and becoming crisper, you've flung the flip-flops to the back of the cupboard for another year and dug out the scarf and gloves. It can only mean one thing - winter is on the way.

For the skier and snowboarder it's the most exciting time of the year, as thoughts turn towards a prized two weeks in the mountains.

Fortunately in Portugal the sun shines all winter and we prepare one of the best orienteering races: NAOM! Problably sounds familiar;) This year it will take part in Crato, a small village in Alentejo, on the south warm and sunny part of the country.

Soft terrain, rich of stony details and some tricky streets for sprint night race are waitting for you!

Take a look at http://www.gd4caminhos.com/naom/2010/

II Trofeo Sierra Norte - Madrid

2009-10-23T16:45:00.006+01:00

Last weekend I flought to Spain to re-start on orienteering game. Pine and stony forest, tricky areas on middle distance, sounded really nice but I was still praying to don't have pain on my tendon...so I was decided to run carefully.
My teory of «slow speed, no mistake» didn't work very well. In fact, when I started my race, my legs were a bit confused about the speed. After swimming and riding bike, running on the forest was pretty different and it was hard to find the «correct» speed. I always felt running very slow, so I was all the time pushing harder. Luckily I survived quite well with all the training of the previous months;) I still made some mistakes but I was fast enough to get the first place. Truly speaking I was surprised! And happy :)

1. Maria Sá COC (Barcelona) : 1:05:46
2. Ona Rafols COC (Barcelona) : 1:07:02
3. Esther Arias Enero P.GUARA (Huesca) : 1:16:34
4.Anna Serrallonga Arques GRIONS-GIR (Girona) :1:17:39
5. Alicia Gil Sanchez COLIVENC (Alicante) : 1:20:20

After some nice evening in Madrid, I felt really tired to run middle distance. In the other hand, running a bit slower seemed nice to avoid mistakes... yes, I felt tired, but I had the nice feeling of fighting all the time, against mistakes that could appear with my tiredness. In the end I was second,one minute and a half behind Ona Rafols.

1. Ona Rafols COC (Barcelona) : 31:22
2. Maria Sá COC (Barcelona) : 32:44
3. Alicia Gil Sanchez COLIVENC (Alicante): 37:07
4. Anna Serrallonga Arques GRIONS- GIR (Girona): 37:16
5. Esther Arias Enero P.GUARA (Huesca): 42:32

Article of Catalunya newspaper ;)

Working on...

2009-10-15T11:32:00.002+01:00

My imune system is working on producing a big army for influenza virus that can appear easily on coming winter. Last tuesday I was vacinated for normal flu but unfortunately i've been suffering of unpleasant side effects like mialgias and asthenia...Boring! Hopefully I'll be protected for all winter for this kind of virus...we'll see!

My musculoskeletal system is working on recovery of my tendon and it seems to be working pretty hard :) yesterday I was on phisioterapeut and aparentely I'm cured of this small stress injury! Thanks God! But of course re-start running has to be slowly and carefully with a lot of stretching in end of training. Nutritional care seems to be really important too!!

Next weekend I'm flying to Madrid (Spain) to run national competition on nice spanish terrain. By the way it will be my first race with the catalunya colours! Next season I'll be running on COC (club orientacion de catalunya) colours in some spanish orienteering races. Tipical spanish pine forest and some stony areas are waitting for me, but of course I'll be there running carefuly because of my tendon, so it will be a great opportunity to run without mistakes :) I'll try;)

And finally my brain is also working on my final teses of my study. I'll make a review about the impact of gymnastics training on growth and maturation, nutritional behaviour and bone density of child gymnasts.

Also I've already started to learn the huge book «Harrison - Internal Medicine»... I think in the next 365 days it will be the «person» which i'll spent more time with:) I have to learn quite hard because november 2010 i'll have examnation wich will decides a big part of the direction of my future life as a doctor... so start slowly, life begining of running season, and then closer to the «competition» work harder ;)

Riding and swimming

2009-10-12T11:43:00.002+01:00

All season went perfect when we talk about injuries...Unfortunately now, just in the end of season, i've got some stress injury on my left quadricipete tendon. Two years ago I had the same problem (a bit more serious) and now it seems to be back :( Last week was spent on the crazy ambience of the pediatrics emergency room where all child are forbiden to have a normal flu...all of them are suspected to have swine flu and so...the caos! My time for refresh brains on training didn't exist and only a few hours on phisioterapeut make me feel «on training».
Last weekend I started to swim and ride bike and today i'll make the experience to re-start running...i'm crossing my fingers for nice feelings :)

Bronze girls :)

2009-10-06T10:00:00.008+01:00

This is a team! We trained together for THIS! This is the real feeling of belonging to a "family". This was a REAL relay. I am REALLY HAPPY!! :):):)
HEY SLASK! HEY SLASK! HEY SLASK!

(photos by picasaweb.google.pl/lublin.bno)

Salomon Mountain Race

2009-09-24T13:53:00.003+01:00

Our lifes are printed of first times: our first steps, first words, first friends... And step by step we made our first choices. We choose our sports. We run our first orienteering races! :)

Last weekend I ran my first mountain race! This part of season has been great as I'm allowed to run more relaxed and I've been having great fun. So why not to try mountain races? 14km with 560m uphill seemed quite though but if you take it easy, enjoying the experience and the magnific views it looks very nice.

Uphills were though but I enjoyed it very much as I could run it all the time, on nice speed while I catch some runners ;) The worst was when going down, I was so terrible,that all that runners that I catched before pass me running down like wild horses!

In the end I finished 4th senior and 6th overall. I was very surprised with such nice result specially cause I was quite «close» from the podium, where most of the girls are from the national team and the winner is vice-european champion 2007. It tasted good to feel the wind on my face running on such a nice speed.

And all this last part of season is full of nice races. First I ran 10km on Barcelona, where I was 4th; them I ran 5km on my hometown, where I won and got my new PB. It's nice to finally realize about my shape!

Next weekend we're going to the moutains with the club and next wednesday i'll fly to Poland to fight on the last orienteering race this season with my club mates on Polish Champioship Relay!

Check results of Salomon Mountain Race here

Still...WOC

2009-09-11T15:12:00.007+01:00

A bit late but I hope still on time, I writte here about my woc races - most positive and negative thinghs to get from this championships.

Middle Distance

This wasn't my main goal for this championship. Always the gap fom first to the 15th is very thigh and my preparation wasn't for this kind of distance...mainly I ran it because I was the only portuguese women on the field and also because some notices from previous trainings showed that some race before the important one should be really good for my feelings - physically and mentally. But now I realize that maybe something to think about, is to choose the races we should be on top and let the really good runners run the 3qualification races and relay.

I started at the same minute of my friend Hanna and, magically, we punched the last control at the same second...it was such a feeling when your training partner and so good friend is that «close» from you on such a competition. Sprinting to the finish with Hanna was great! Unfortunately both of us lost our chances on 4th control and also running speed wans't enough fast to be on a final I think. Mostly I didn't made big mistakes, but I wasn't fast enough.

Long Distance

Long distance was, for sure, the race I felt better prepared and mentally stronger to run. I started very focused, condifent and when I put my feet on this forest I felt so light and strong! I saw the left route choice and start running on the path. Quickly I was already on the first reentrance, run on the same contour level and start running up on the stones...one two three and I beat my knee on a stone, lost my balance and felt down on this stony reentrance till I stop on the bottom of it. Wow! I have such a big pain on my head, neck and knee that for some seconds I thought if it was possible to move...Yes I can stand up but move my leg is really difficult. Well, as you can imagine my concentration and motivation when downhill too...I was running so slowly and painfully. I finished race as best as I could. Our coach went with me to the ambulance and when doctor realize about what happened with me in the forest I went to the hospital on the ambulance. I was feeling ok but suddenly I felt asleep that for sure wasn't a good sign of my neurological state. I just remember to wake up on the Miskolc hospital where I made cranial, cervical and abdominal CT (yes...spleen rupture was a differencial diagnosis!). Doctor recomend me take big rest and some painkillers. Some accidents like those need 3weeks of full rest as I heard after.

I think it's nonsense to make a deep analyse of my orienteering after beating with my beat from 10m high...

Sprint Distance

Two days after we had sprint race and according to the doctor I shouldn't run it. But as I wrotte here before, this moment I was much more a runner than a medical student! After such good preparation I couldn't just stand watching the others running. I decided to run sprint and take my last chance for this championship. Right or wrong I was on the start line decided to fight for a place on the final. I started really bad as you can see beneath, and after first control I knew I had to run so very fast and without mistakes to reach such goal. Everything went fast and perfect till spectators control. I was on my limit, my vision was blured and I had the feeling that I could fall down at some moment.I was on the final as I see now on the split times.I wasn't enough healthy and the last controls were the hell. In fact, even now, I don't know how I ran these last controls...as some told me, I felt down on the finish line. I just remember to wake up on the ambulance again. I heard the doctor saying I'm crazy and unconsciousness...3 weeks she said loudly!

Friends

The best thingh of this championship was the ambience we lived there. Portuguese team isn't the queen of medals on WOC, but for sure when we talk about good ambience for sure we would be one of the most feared teams.

Also the support that I got from my family and coach was extremely important and here I say to all of them THANK YOU SO MUCH! And finally a big hug of friendship to my polish friends that were like a «mum» to me on such championships. DZIENKUJE BARDZO! :):)

Strongest woc team;)

Ah! By the way, now I took good rest and feel healthy again. Besides this woc were a personal disaster I learnt a lot during all the preparation and my motivation is on the top again!

so close...and so far

2009-08-20T20:45:00.002+01:00

well, what to say?? i'm absolutly speachless...today's sprint qualification was a dream till spectators control and nightmare after it. I missed quite much to the first control, but then i decided to ran as fast i could to reach the final. I felt my skin on forest, i ran on my maximum. I really did it! And after spectators control, after such nice speed,any mistakes, so nice split times after huge mistake to first, i was on 15 place. The door to the final was opened...but my health wasn't good enough. After falling down on stony ground, beating with my head and back on a stony reentrance on long qualification, i was forbiden by doctors to ran. Of course I know what a doctor should say, but i'm much an athlete right now than a doctor. Who could just stand looking others running qualification with the feeling that, for sure, you would be on final? Well, so what I can say more? Three controls from the end I've just collapsed, I was dizzy and ready to fall down in a moment...I ran like stupid, trying just to finish my race and go to final. It was hard to read map, read where were my controls, where to go...Even now I really dont remember anything about this part of race. For sure it wasn't me this time...And again on finish line I overpassed my health possibilities to be awake and i just remember to wake up on the ambulance...again!
Now there's nothing to do. I hope I had a time machine to go back and be healthy to ran long and sprint. Ok, I know that it was good to be so close from final, it was much better than last years. But man, I WAS NOT in the final. That was my goal. I can be on my best shape ever, for sure i am, i could have top10 split times, but unfortunatly good runners aren't those who are good on trainnings, who are on good shape, who have 15place on spectators controls...
That's life!

Camp in mountains - take 2

2009-07-28T22:10:00.005+01:00

My stay in Poland gott a great finish as I learnt how to navigate on slopes, run same countour controls and, mostly to do orienteering with general and big features.
After 10 days running on south west of Poland, and a weekend on lovely Wroclaw, we packed our stuff and travelled towards the south east of Poland, to a small village, Limanowa, where small orienteering treasures where waitting for us. In fact, it was really challenging for me to re-set my orienteering technique for such terrain. We notice this in May, during Limanowa Cup that my technique on slopes and big hills was really poor. But fortunatelly I can say, now, that during this camp I made big improvements on such type of terrain! This week of orienteering was really important for me.!

Camp in mountains - take 1

2009-07-11T20:06:00.002+01:00

W dzemie siła drzemie :) jam is like fuel for runners :):) This I learnt on last camp with coach Kajo in Polish mountains. For so tough trainings, jam is your best friend ;)
During nine days of camp (2nd July - 10th July), I did 15 trainings and about 18hours of running. Most of training were to improve strenght, power and a bit my speed on mountain terrain. Uphill intervals on tough forest was the hardest training and second level 6x8min my favorite:) Running intervals on though forest was really nice too, specialy if you got lost after 3minutes running like a wild animal on unknown forest;) But well, I simply love this forest and this mountains, so every training here is great!
Besides training, there was also two afternoons of rest to visit some very nice places and have some fun. We visited Karpacz, very nice village in mountains, where I almost died on a crazy roller coaster:) It's great to feel the mountain ambience on such places! And also great, was to drink a lovely and delicious coffee expresso, like portuguese one, on a tipical mountain house in Jagniąntków.

What else...this weekend is mostly to take some rest and recharge batteries for next camp in Limanowa, which starts next monday. Tomorrow I hope to find some time to visit Wroclaw and maybe to do some shopping too;)

Tough terrain ;)

Me and coach

Flying ;)

June - our m-O-to

2009-07-09T19:42:00.000+01:00

This is our national team, representing Portugal out boundaries on EYOC, JWOC and WOC. On beggining of June we had selection races on the north of Portugal, on our "big mountains" (baby mountains as you see on map below ;)
Well, pretty bad races for me...on sprint it was hard to see previously what to do next and "on-time" orienteering made my stupid race. Even though I won with some seconds ahead. I can't say the same about middle distance...My brain became lazy and probably my eyes too, as I lost about 15 minutes only on one control looking around on a stupid way, when I was 5 meters close from it. Disaster!
But mountain girl was ready to fight for a good race and on the day next I ran quite nice long distance. Still some mistakes appeared but after such bad races on the day before it tasted quite good.
Well, and some days after our names were on a list, and now our faces on this smily picture showing who we are :) " Crescer como grupo" is our moto, and translating, it means something like to grow as a group. That's the way we are working together and becoming better and better.! Well, and we can see very good results until now: 9th place on eyoc -sprint(Mariana Moreira W18), 11th place on jwoc-sprint(Diogo Miguel), 14th place on jwoc-sprint(Tiago Romao) and also Diogo and Tiago will be running on tomorow's jwoc A middle final.
Don't you believe there's still some relay medal for us out there? ;)

May - Pieces of reality

2009-07-04T20:23:00.000+01:00

Stress is a big enemy. Sometimes I dive into it and it's hard to find a way out. On races I start nervous, thinking too much on what I should and shouldn't do and forget to run normally focused as I do. I got lost on stress. That's what happened on sprint national championship. Luckily we had two courses and on the second one I could reset my brain, found myself out of stress and be ready to fight hard. I ran very well, fast and almost without mistakes but not enhough to win the one minute lost in the morning. So I was second for 15".

Speechless. On the day next I ran middle distance national championship. I didn't like very much the terrain (a lot of paths and spipky green areas) and to find controls without flags. Althought I ran quite ok, I was speechless when I finished disqualified...

Friendship. After this bad race something much better was on the way...I took a flight to Poland and quickly I was on my second home, wroclaw :) It was very nice stay, to see coach, Hanna, Wojciechs and erasmus friends also. We ran 3 nice trainnings on mountain and run Limanowa Cup. I ran good sprint (1st) and quite good long distance (4th) but other races were better to forget as competitions but excelent as trainnings to learn about. Overall I was 3rd.
It was just amazing! I missed it for long time ;)

Suprise. Busy girls don't get nervous :) I had exam on saturday morning and after a few hours I was running absolut national championship qualification in the south of Portugal (ok..I know Portugal is not so that big ;) It was like running on sauna, under 36degrees...so I took it very easy to be healthy on the day next...cause final was a bit more serious business ;) I took it carefully on the beggining but after a while I was map making as map maker didn't do it so very well on this area.! It costed me about 4minutes and, in my mind,the chance of winning this championship...but big surprise was to finish race and know that I was the winner :):) cool ;)

My oasis

2009-07-03T08:04:00.000+01:00

It seems strange to writte about May and June when I have much fresher news to tell... Last Wednesday I arrived to Poland, where I'll spend next 20 days. Here sun doesn't shine on portuguese way, and Gods seems to be fighting and angels be crying as I heard on yesterday's morning training. I ran 60' on second level speed, quite nice, specially because of the beauty of the nature surrounding me. Now I can't see snow here (like last time), but it's still beautifull and peacefull. Yesterday's afternoon, during training, I realize how though is this forest and how different it is from what we have in Portugal. It sounds music to my ears when I know that makes me stronger runner on mountain.
Today I'll run ans stretch a bit in the morning with my fingers crossed for my sister's race in EYOC. In th afternoon I hope to be full of joy to do some strenght and running technique training. Gooooo Portugal!!

April - TIOMILA? Yahoo :)

2009-06-30T09:50:00.000+01:00

That was time to run one of the greatest and most exciting o-event in the world, Tiomila- relay. Yippee:) For the first time I ran that relay and I must say that it was the best ever event where I ran! I've got the pleasure to run the last long leg and all went fine. 9,5km on swedish terrain didn't seem pretty easy, but that 10mila terrain suited me well and I could put the finishing touches...we got 10 places better ;)

Well, but April wans't a fairy tail and big examination on the end of the month almost killed me. Luckily, after some battles with big big books I survived and it's possible to say that I manage with the situation very well:)

Besides that, we started to have national team trainning camps! It's simply delicious to see that finally we have a «TEAM» and everybody is working very motivated and positive mind.Our two camps were blessed with sunny days, great ambiance and hard working! But, hey, candies taste much better after though work;)

(April: 14h I level;60' II level;56' III level;40' strenght;2h gym;8h map)

March - Right Direction

2009-06-29T18:23:00.000+01:00

March was time to prove myself that I can do my orienteering well enough to be satisfied. February wasn't easy month...I came back from Poland, I got anemia and first competitions were not good. Everything didn't just go according to my plans. I had difficulties with my attitude and I wasn't feeling like competing at all. So I was beaten by myslef and others too.
But March brought me faster trainnings and more orienteering competitions. March: 12,5h I level ; 50' II level; 30' III level; 2h strenght; 3h map; 2h gym

Then long national championship was coming and I decided to take revanch of myself, even though I had to manage with a lot of work on university. I wasn't pretty confident before the start and decided to just orienteer well. So, surprise, surprise, I made a nice competition and my legs were working quite well. I took the golden place and first long distance title on elite class. nice :)

So, maybe I wasn't so bad at all, and all my trainnings were going on the right direction :)

Long distance national championship (map)

Back on business :)

2009-06-28T22:19:00.000+01:00

After some months with «empty» blog, I decided to refresh it and...here it is! My new blog where you'll find news about me and my adventures on competitions, trainnings and university maybe:)

As I didn't writte so much about the present season, on the next days I'll writte a kind of diary of the last months of trainnings and competitions! ;)

Hope you like it! Enjoy;)