PWT - Park Wonderfull Tour ;)

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

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

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

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

inspiration

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

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

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

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.