Rocky Mountain State Orienteering Championship July 2014

Fox Park, Colorado Springs, Colorado

PWild from Team Lupine Racing USA, competed in the 35+ division of the State Championship doing the advanced green course.  Here are her thoughts from the race.

I showed up about 1 ½ prior to race start to be able to get ready and to make sure I didn’t hit any traffic. I spent time talking to fellow orienteering racers and was really wondering why JZ signed me up for this.   So here goes…..  I line up at 11:45 and the start time was 12 but they let people go as soon as they were ready.  So you punch start with your electronic punch and then you are able to turn the map over and start.  I quickly took my barring to number two(we started at 1) and took off running.  Leap frogging from tree to tree and got number 2 at the bottom of a re entrant.  I took my bearing again and off to 3 I went.  I over shot number 3 by 200 meters, ran right past it.  Doubled back to my hand rail and found it, that took extra time.  Darn it!  Locked in number 3 and then I over shot number 4, again!  Dang it.  Thinking to my self, relax, you can do this and stop over running everything.  So FOCUS PWild took over and I nailed the rest of them!  I was thankful that one of the numbers had water at it, and quickly poured a small cup and drank it! Thank you!  It was a HOT Sunny course, good time!  As I sat at the finish line enjoying conversation and some snacks out of the sun I hear them call my name… …Paula Pearson, Congratulations you have won The Gold Medal in your division at the Rocky Mountain State Championship!  I was so surprised!   Great day! 

Punch and GO!