The first official race of WMOC 2017, the Sprint Qualifier. Most age classes have two heats, and the top 50% in each go through to the A final, leaving the lower 50% to run in the B final.  Everyone has different aims – the speedsters who know they will make the A final have to choose whether to take it easy and save their energy, or show their colours and run hard.  The midfielders go all out to try and make it into the A final, and have a nailbiting wait to see everyone’s finish times.  Some of us are just happy to get round without a mispunch.  For me, I was in the second category – an outside chance of the A final if everything went my way.

We arrived at the Auckland University’s Epsom campus, where the arena was full of the colour and noise that only a big international event can offer.  I didn’t have too long a wait for my start time.  I went through the usual pre-start routine, and before I knew it I was picking up my map and heading off.

A quick glance told me instantly that the map was incredibly complex, which would even out the field and suit the smarter navigators.  It was clear a careful approach was needed right out of the start triangle. I followed the curve of a wide path and soon found myself in a maze of buildings and confused runners, with several controls in sight. I made a couple of wrong turns before I spied the swimming pool and corrected myself, but I lost valuable time on the first control.  The next leg had an obvious route choice, but a closer look revealed trouble ahead – impassable barriers. I had to look for another option to get me cleanly into the centre of the map.  I spied a tiny path, a narrow corridor and a flight of stairs that would give me clear passage to no 2.

The next four controls were easier, and I chose the cleaner routes without trying to look for shorter options – better to make a quick decision and run.  This got me safely to no 6.  I’d already noticed a lot of people standing still studying their maps intently, and I knew a lot of people were going to struggle.

Next was my long leg, right across the campus.  There were several route choices, but I went for a simple one that got me there without error.  I quickly picked up 7, 8 and 9.  From there I was in what I called the “washing machine” – the highly complex central section with multiple levels, stairs, balconies, ramps, and dead ends.  People were running all over the place.  Time to slow down and check the map very carefully.  Across a courtyard, down a set of stairs, turn left and find no 10 under a canopy. More stairs, across a garden bed, find no 11.  The route to 12 was plagued with danger, so I took a very safe, wide option which probably cost me time.  Made sure I was on the upper level for no 13.  The leg to 14 was probably the hardest of the lot – every option I looked at seemed to have a barrier at some point. Finally figured it out – yay! Now just a straightforward run around an angular building for 15, a quick dash to the giant moa sculpture to punch no 16, then a charge down the chute to the finish.  I loved every second of it – a wonderful venue, a proper sprint course, and suitably difficult for a World Masters event.

In the end, I placed 34^th of 60 competitors in my heat – 4 places away from making the A final, and just 30 seconds down!  I felt pleased and disappointed at the same time – a really good clean run, but I could have saved that 30 seconds on the first leg.  So is it better to be at the tail end of the A final, or be a contender for the consolation prize?  I know I’ll be pretty motivated to make a good showing tomorrow, whereas being in an A final would see me just trying not to come last.  Either way, I can’t wait.