sam and the city

Brought back to earth

Good day faithful readers. Have you ever thought that you were particularly good at something, or at least would be good at something if you tried, but then had that theory put to the test and found that you had vastly overestimated your abilities. For example, you thought that you were fit, but then you brushed the crumbs off you stomach, got out of you lazy boy and before you had even taken a step found yourself gasping for breath.

This has never happened to me. Generally speaking I think that I'm going to be reasonably good at something, and then when I have a go am amazed to find out that I'm actually even better than I expected! That was up until the other day, when I tried orienteering...
I've always thought that I've possessed an almost supernatural sense of direction. Given a simple map or vague directions able to make my way to almost anywhere (kinda like Superman being able to leap tall buildings in a single bound). So, combined with my general fitness I thought that orienteering would be a great sport for me. One in which I would excel.
With this in mind I entered myself in a 10km orienteering event around Richmond Park and its surround, picked up my map, planned out my route and lined up at the start. Being a mass start with the first marker 500m away, virtually straight ahead, the race started off as a mad dash. I checked my timer at the first marker and set off after everyone else, assuming that they were taking the same route that I was planning... this was my first mistake! In the excitement I'd headed off on a western route rather than taking the northern route I was planning. After a little while I realised that I wasn't where I thought that I was, but continuing to trust everyone else I continued following, hoping that I would soon determine my location... this was my second mistake!

After following various different people (my third mistake... only ever follow a single person), I suddenly realised that I'd gone way past the second marker and was on my way to the third. Not wanting to look like I was completely lost I decided to continue forward and skip the second marker.

I found the third marker and decided to stop, take a breath, get my bearings and make sure that I found the fourth. Apparently I didn't stop long enough. I headed off and soon came across a road, which I was expecting, unfortunately, unbeknownst to me, it wasn't the road that I thought that it was. Fast forward 15 mins and I find myself wandering around the streets with absolutely no idea where I am!

Thankfully I soon came across another runner who was able to point out on the map where we were... I'd gone way past the fourth marker and was just about at the fifth, which was just on the other side of some bush land. I decided at that point that I may as well continue with only hitting the odd numbered markers and headed off toward the fifth. By the time I popped out of the bush land I'd deviated slightly, which meant I would need to run back a little way to get to the marker. I would then need to run back through the bush land to where I'd been in order to get to the sixth marker... or I could just go straight to the seventh marker, which was just around the corner from where I was standing. I'm ashamed to say I took the easy way out. I did however manage to find the seventh, eighth and ninth markers though, before heading to the finish, so that was something.

Anyway, despite the fact that I spent a large portion of my time being lost, despite the fact that it was raining and I was soaked through and despite the fact that my legs were itchy and red from having run through all manner of bushes, nettles etc, I had an excellent time and will definitely have to have another go... if for no other reason than I refuse to suck so badly at something that I should be good at!

posted by sam @ 5:20 pm