Norte Alentejano O'meeting

This weekend was the Norte Alentejano O'meeting. Between the portuguese runners there was Michael Smola, Darius Sadeckas and Zsolt Lenkei. I was afraid of how my legs would feel, after 1week and a half jogging. Fortunately, after warming up, they did well. You may find the results and Splitsbrowser of the 3 races here.

DAY1- 5,4km (310m - 22c) - The beggining was fast and in the middle of the race we entered the rocky area that was more technical. I did well until the 16th control were I did a 1'20 mistake. In the 17th another 30''mistake. Despite being a bit tired during the last part of the race, I did well.

Day 1, night - 3,5km (35m - 21c) - A race by night. The first part in 1:5000. In the 11th control we had to flip the map over and did the rest of the course in 1:1000. I did it fast but didn't do my best once it was an extra course and I was afraid of how my legs would feel. I enjoyed it a lot, mainly the second map where only a few steps led us to the controls.

Day 2 - 12,5km (300m - 29c) I should have learnt some time ago that I am a thin guy with only a few reserves of fuel so I easily enter an hypoglicemic state (last time was in the long distance of the WUOC in Estonia). This race, it happened again. To the 12th control (the blue circle) I started to feel weird. To the 20th I started to feel really bad. I was able to painfully end the race even if I had to walk in some parts. Our brains only "eat" pure glucose so it's the first organ to suffer the consequences: I started to feel dizzy and it was really hard to focus in the map. This was a painful and easy avoidable situation that I hope won't be repeated. Before this happens, I was doing a more less good race without any major mistake.

To learn to the next time:
- The middle distance, I should focus more in the map in the lat quarter of the races. Even if I'm tired I should focus on it! I have to put this in my mind! No space to luck!
- The night sprint, even if I wasn't pushing me to the limits, I did some bad options and errors. I should try to antecipate the long legs in the previous ones. No stupid running without reading the map!

- From the long distance, I have to eat more in the previous days. My stomach isn't that big so I have to eat less in more times.
- Power gel!! I won't start any more long distance race without a glucose gel in the pocket.