Just got selected in the top running division

Dom_m

My university organises an event called Inward Bound. Its an orienteering race where you're blindfolded, driven around for about 3 hours, then dropped off and told where the finish line is, and how far away you are (within a 10km / 6m band) but you're not told which direction you've been taken.

The first thing to do obviously is work out where you are. Then you start running. There are 8 divisions and each team has 4 people. Each residential college competes against the others, so my college will field 32 runners in 8 teams. Division 8 runs about 20km (12m) and each division is progressively further until you get to division 1 which is 100-110km (62-68 miles) - as the crow flies. Obviously if you go in the wrong direction it could be further!

We've been training for a few weeks (actually I've been sort of training for several months, but training as a group, specifically for the event for 4 weeks) and there are about 60 people who run (not every day).

I just got selected into the top division. I've never thought of myself as a runner before, let alone a good runner! I'm kinda stoked

I think part of it has to do with commitment, rather than purely based on ability, but its still pretty cool that I'm considered one of the top runners in the college when most of the other runners are 10 years younger than me (I'm a post grad in a college mixed with undergraduates and post graduates). All these kids who just met me have a very different view of me than I do of myself, since mine is based on a lifetime of being fat and theirs is based on 5 weeks of watching me run faster than them, and play field hockey!

Well I just ran my furthest ever distance: 20.5km (12.7m) carrying 8.5kg (18.7lb). Now I just have to work out how to go 5 times further with a 12kg (26.5lb) pack. Hahahahah. Damn.

All I can say is lucky I just lost 7kg (15lb) or the extra weight would be impossible!!!

KatWood

That sounds really cool. My sense of direction sucks though so I hope they give you a map and a compass:laugh:
100 kms in one day? Wow that is one long run! And I though completing a half marathon was impressive.

Congrats and let us know how it goes!

Fabulocity

:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: Congratulations!!!!!!

pipinana

haha, I'd soooo get lost... But it sounds like an awesome race! Have fun, and CONGRATS!!!

SugarHi

This is fantastic! You sound prepared, and ready for it. I'd love to hear about it once you return. :flowerforyou:

drvvork

:drinker: Congratulations!!!!!! Sounds like a fun event!!!! Congratulations on your distance - You are doing Great!! :flowerforyou: Good luck in your competition!!! :bigsmile:

Dom_m

That sounds really cool. My sense of direction sucks though so I hope they give you a map and a compass:laugh:
100 kms in one day? Wow that is one long run! And I though completing a half marathon was impressive.

Congrats and let us know how it goes!

yep, you get a lot of maps since you don't know which one you'll end up being in! And each person has a compass. And they teach you how to use them in order to work out where you are and where you're going (you get dropped off in the bush (this is Australia) and you have to use features from the terrain, creeks, that sort of thing to work out where you are.

BTW - half marathon IS impressive. So far that's the furthest I've run, and I'm impressed with myself
hahahahaha.

Dom_m

Also, thanks guys for all the support