Training Log Archive: Arnold

Thailand Orienteering Challenge, Day 2
Chatuchak Park, Bangkok

After a good Day 1, it was downhill organisation wise on Day 2. First start was meant to be 10.30, but by that time no organiser was to be seen. He eventually turned up only to announce that due to ‘difficulties with the Thai federation’ he did not have a permit for the race, so we could go ahead and run the course but without controls or timing.

I had suspected all along that he was a slightly rogue operator because the Thai federation had a widely publicised O workshop in Bangkok only 3 weeks ago but never mentioned his event. And so it proved, including the use of a sketchy old 1:10 map of the park, rather than the 1:4 ISSOM one that was newly mapped during the workshop.

As we were already there, I thought I might as well run the course, but really I needn’t have bothered as it was an endless slog going back and forth in the heat. Why I finished I don’t know, as if ever there was a day to shortcut this was it.

I hadn’t slept so well the night before, and it really was baking, so my km-splits got ever slower with the occasional bit of walking thrown in. Oh well.

Still, a fantastic few days in Bangkok with the food and drink much more of a highlight than the orienteering, which was however a lovely bonus. Time to head back home.

Thailand Orienteering Challenge, Day 1
Khlong Saen Saep, Bangkok
O Country no. 49

So this race in Bangkok popped up on WorldOfO a couple of months ago, and it seemed like a good idea at the time especially as races in Thailand are few and far between.

Of course it is an insane idea, especially considering I didn’t want to be away from the family for more than a few nights. But then my Austrian friend Lolli (for whom it is also the 49th O country) said he was also going, one thing led to another, and there I was on the plane to Doha and onwards ro Bangkok.

To be honest I was a bit concerned that this race wouldn’t happen as details were sparse, the entries site was buggy and the entry list had a grand total of 9 people on it. But final info duly emerged, and so Lolli and I turned up to a small canalside restaurant in the middle of Bangkok, where to our relief we did find an organiser and a handful of other orienteers from Russia, Japan, Bulgaria and Germany. 2 each from the former and 1 each from the latter plus us was 8 people - most likely the smallest race I’ve ever done but there was a map and controls and SportIdent, so there you go.

Before the race could start the organiser proceeded to do a formal start draw, where we all pulled a number between 1 and 8 out of a hat and lined up in order. The first time I’ve done that in 1000+ races but it was effective enough with so few people.

The race itself was uneventful, a decent map of wider streets and narrower alleyways rather let down by average planning. But it was good fun nonetheless even though the locals were clearly bemused. For the record I came 2nd, 20 seconds behind the Russian guy who is clearly way fitter than me, but made a few mistakes.

We’re all doing Day 2 tomorrow morning - in a park this time - but then at least 5 of us are going home for New Year’s so whether Day 3 and 4 will go ahead with 3 starters, I really don’t know. I do feel for the organiser as he’s clearly put a lot of effort in (including mapping the areas) and kudos to him for going ahead when most others would surely have called it all off.

Very hard work as body still exhausted from having been ill for the best part of the last month (like 80% of the rest of the UK.) But somehow battled through.

Started quite fast as felt ok, but body ran out of steam really fast, so jogged back.

Very low expectations for this given I’ve had an on-off cold for the past 2 weeks and as usual neither run nor slept enough.

But I felt decent enough and it was lovely to run in the still snow covered park, with the paths hard packed but not icy, making for a great surface.

Home > Surbiton station vv
West Byfleet station > race vv

West Byfleet is actually really nice and part of the cycle was along the Basingstoke canal, lovely.

Horsell Common, 5.3/35

Having cycled to the race, not run for 2 weeks and seen the map, I had very low expectations for this.

Came away having thoroughly enjoyed it, what with the sunshine and the multiple loops through lovely white forest which kept you on your toes - plus the map was excellent.

It certainly helped that I had as close to the ‘perfect run’ as you can, only once losing 20s taking a risk down an unmarked path which dead-ended.

Unsurprisingly very slow and the cold (-2C) made it hard getting enough air in, but it was excellent fun nonetheless.

Came second in the club champs, 7s down to Tom Davies who to be fair lost 3 minutes on two mistakes. Kept Abi in check too :-)