Ås by Night & Fog Cup Enebakk (10-12-2019)

Strange race! I started early so I could break trail in the snow, hit the first two controls more or less OK, then I spotted some lights near #3 and left my compass course just before I would have seen it. Spent almost 4 min here.

OK to #4 & 5, then towards #6 I had good control despite losing both my head lamp and cap (rain & snow cover for my glasses) early on. I managed to get everything back on my head while moving towards #6, then just as I spotted it I realized that I had lost my map!

I first considered just running along with the competitor I had caught up with a few controls previously, but when he suggested that I could just follow our tracks back to find the map I agreed and told him to go on. I retraced my steps almost back to #5 without finding it, and the same result when I returned to #6. :-(

At this point a H17K runner came along (Thank You, Tomas Bedin!), he was very helpful and allowed me to take a look on his map for the next leg and take out a compass course. I had to watch him closely but tried to maintain my course.

To #8 we did the same, I suggested our route to the left since that would give a better attack point, but I see now that going right, i.e. to the north was probably just as easy.

As we got close to the control I realized from map memory that we were too low down in the hillside and suggested turning uphill. Even though we did this in the correct spot it took a minute or two to locate the control.

I had two other runners beside me to the last two controls, so I have to give a big Thank You to those who helped me finish the second half of the course! Just finding my way back to the finish without a map would have been very difficult!