Parking field. Sunny. Mountain top. P!55ing down, windy, cold.
So, seeing as I'm not really racing at the moment I thought I'd volunteer to marshal at the Tour Du Calch. I was on Check Point 3 so it meant I could get a decent hike out and back in the sunshine - well that was the idea anyway.
What a difference a few hundred metres of altitude makes. It really was quite pleasant down at the race HQ. (And I actually sprayed on some sunblock before I headed out - although I'm not telling you that). I set out with plenty of time but as I neared the top ridge the weather started to get ominously inhospitable. So it was out with the map and compass in order to make sure I made it to my check point spot on time.
I eventually made it to the general area of my check point. It was a check point without a specific feature so I needed to recce the area to make sure I was indeed at the right point. Mr C's hand drawn orienteering style feature sketch was spot on and I was indeed at the right spot - as borne out by my GPS plot which shows me as near as damn it on the 620 contour.
So, having reached my spot, like a boy scout, prepared for all conditions, I put on extra layers to try and keep out the cold and rain and waited for the runners. Fortunately I only had about a fifteen minute wait for the first runner and they were all through inside the next fifteen. Marshal duty fulfilled I headed off the mountain as quickly as my feeble legs would let me.
Back down to the race HQ you would not believe it. Sun shining. Back to being a lovely day. Glad I went. Good training session.
So, seeing as I'm not really racing at the moment I thought I'd volunteer to marshal at the Tour Du Calch. I was on Check Point 3 so it meant I could get a decent hike out and back in the sunshine - well that was the idea anyway.
What a difference a few hundred metres of altitude makes. It really was quite pleasant down at the race HQ. (And I actually sprayed on some sunblock before I headed out - although I'm not telling you that). I set out with plenty of time but as I neared the top ridge the weather started to get ominously inhospitable. So it was out with the map and compass in order to make sure I made it to my check point spot on time.
I eventually made it to the general area of my check point. It was a check point without a specific feature so I needed to recce the area to make sure I was indeed at the right point. Mr C's hand drawn orienteering style feature sketch was spot on and I was indeed at the right spot - as borne out by my GPS plot which shows me as near as damn it on the 620 contour.
So, having reached my spot, like a boy scout, prepared for all conditions, I put on extra layers to try and keep out the cold and rain and waited for the runners. Fortunately I only had about a fifteen minute wait for the first runner and they were all through inside the next fifteen. Marshal duty fulfilled I headed off the mountain as quickly as my feeble legs would let me.
Back down to the race HQ you would not believe it. Sun shining. Back to being a lovely day. Glad I went. Good training session.
