Jukola Relay Leg 7 (2015-06-15)

Jukola relay - leg 7

Really cool to be in the mass start! I actually got drawn into the wrong first control so maybe lost about 20-30s. It's funny the way different groups seemed to split, I thought the different gaffels for the first controls were much further apart! I actually went between the two main groups (one seemed too far left and the other was following the powerline).

#4 was the long leg. I decided to go straight but there were some groups that split to the left. Actually about half way along the leg everyone who I could see ahead of me went left and I was suddenly on my own. I wanted to aim for the long strip of grey but then the group re-appeared to my left and I decided to run with them because it seemed faster and more secure with the group. Everyone was really hesitant approaching the control so it felt good that I knew where I was and I overtook a lot of people who got stuck above the cliffs before the control.

I could tell the group was going too far right on #6 but I didn't really want to lose the pace by making my own trail. On #8 however everyone ahead of me went left from the drinks point (track bend) towards the square fence but I wanted to go the other way so I had quite a long part of this leg on my own until I got to the other track. I don't know which route was faster. I was leading a group leaving the path bend towards the control and had good contact until the last 100m where I went a bit left thinking I saw the control feature but the ones behind me carried on and got it before me.

The next few controls weren't gaffled so it was a long line of people. I took my gel at the drinks point between 13 and 14 (this was the only drinks point I used). I'd been out for about an hour at this point. First time I've used a gel, I was a bit unsure at first but it seemed to be ok.

On #16 the group seemed to go too far right. When I got to the grey I turned left for the control but many runners continued to the right. I thought they had a different gaffel but looking afterwards it seems to be a common control for every leg of the Jukola so I'm glad I didn't get distracted by the others. However I did visit the other gaffel's control at #18 by mistake which was stupid. The group was moving faster on the grey so it was harder for me to keep in contact with the map and stay with the group.

Around #24 the group seemed to disappear so perhaps they ran away from me or they went the wrong way. So for the last 5 controls I focused on my own thing. Maybe I could have been more direct on #26 but it was quite runnable on the grey bits.

So that was it! It was so much fun and I'm so glad I did it as well as the Venla relay :)