In just 2.5 weeks, the selection races for this year's main goal: the World Orienteering Championships - also called WOC 2023. This year, the World Championships will take place from 11-16 July in the middle of the Alps in Flims Laax, Switzerland. If you love forest orienteering, it's hard not to be excited about the host nation and the location of the event. Difficult and hilly terrain awaits to navigate in a fascinating natural setting. It is incredibly far from the type of terrain we have here in Denmark, so it will definitely be a big challenge. At the World Championships this year, competitors will compete in the middle and long distance as well as the relay.
In action at the World Cup finale last year in Davos, Switzerland. (Foto: © IOF)
The last period has been miserable to say the least. Barely 5 weeks ago I got sick, and the sickness has just stuck with me. After about 3 weeks I felt close to symptom free, but still something was stuck in my system. I monitor my resting heart rate every night and it continued to be completely off. The same as soon as I got into activity. It is only within the last couple of days that I feel my body is starting to give the green light for training again.
The last 5 weeks in km:
- 78km. The week I got sick.
- 5.5km. Probably should have stayed home.
- 37km. Tried some slow jogging, just to get a bit of load on my legs.
- 39km. With the national orienteering team in Norway all week in the hope of getting well.
- 56km. Recovering, and among other things tried out a 6x1000m session at the end of the week with a controlled intensity.
Before I got sick, I had a period of 10 weeks before, where I averaged just under 12 hours of running a week. Normally I calculate my training in kilometres (and with focus on the content of course), but this year with focus on the forest World Championships in Switzerland with a lot of training in terrain and hills, it makes more sense to calculate my training in hours. This meant that I was getting in pretty good shape when I got sick, and fortunately it is something I think is not completely wasted. If I can get two good weeks now towards the selection races, and with the training I have in the bank, I think I can get to a reasonable place physically.
The first round of the World Cup is in Østfold, Norway next week. Of course, I will not run it. Frustrating as there are good World ranking points to pick up as well as the technical benefits of running quality competitions. Fortunately, I have a few days in Switzerland before the selection races to get a map in my hand.
The last period has certainly not increased my odds for a World Champs selection, but I still believe that it is possible and I will do my best! Then we'll see. The programme for the selection races will be as follows (more information can be found here):
- Sprint distance: Bot Fiena Trin. 3.7km, winning time of approx. 25min.
- Middle distance: Crestasee. 4.1km, winning time of approx. 35min.
- Long distance: Arosa. 12.5km, winning time of approx. 100min.
I will be doing a weekly update here on the website every Sunday evening at 8pm, so you can follow the project. You will find out if my health continues to improve for the selection races, if I smash the winning times, if I take more than 5 gels on the long distance, buy cheese instead of chocolate in Switzerland, get selected for the World Championships and much more.
