MOC's WRE

Another great weekend after POM. Maybe too physically demanding for me right now. On the long distance I made some mistakes but was satisfied for the flow in some parts of the course. I think that the 12th control was strange with many athletes complaining about it. On the middle distance, 2 big mistakes and weaker legs.

(right click on the maps and "open in new window" has better quality)

Next weekend, training camp in Viseu with the Swedish national team (if I survive tomorrow's 12h emergency room).

POM 2012: no omelets without eggs

It was a great event and I consider the WRE map, one of my favourites in Portugal. I did some big mistakes but, most of all, I felt physically weak. My 2 weeks of training after the surgery weren't enough to do a decent performance but I enjoyed a lot my time in Viseu.

I hope that Daniel Hubmann doesn't mind my courses overlaying his tratrac's. It's great when top athletes show their performances to the general public, so we, weaker athletes, are able to learn with them (my course in red).

(In this newer blogger version, you're only able to check the maps if you download them.)

(photo by Gildo Silva)

Turbo implantation - check

So, I finally had surgery on tuesday, 24th Jan and I've been recovering at home. How did it start?

When I was a child I had a tough asthma. Then it disappeared in my teen years, during my 4 years of competitive swimming, training 3h a day.

Then, 2 years ago, it started to worsen, refractile to medication. My performances were better and worse as the state of my lungs on the race day (worse in Arronches WRE with audible breathing during the footage in the post before).

Then, my immunoalergologist suggested that it was worth to check my nostrils, once it can be a cause of asthma exacerbation and... I don't breathe from my nose. Why? Because I have huge turbinates that are hypertrophied by the chronic rhinitis (pic below, huge "balls" occupying my WHOLE nose) plus a deviated septum. Why didn't I notice it? Because I got used to it along time.
Last tuesday, I entered the surgery room of otorhinolaryngology to make a turbinectomy+septoplasty. Until Saturday, it was painful (I won't go further on this). Now it's getting better, day by day. My first inhalation was heaven and I wasn't allowed to make full inspirations for a few days to prevent syncopes by overstimulation of the vagus nerve (stimulating nostrils areas that weren't used before). I still look like Shrek but I'm recovering well.
2 Weeks of training were lost in an important part of the season but I face it as an investment for the future. Will it give me a better life quality and better results? Life quality, for sure. About results, I would only knew if I tried. We'll see...

(by the way, I had Hb 16.5 and Htcrt 48.1 - considering my forced "altitude training" and lack of high training loads so far.)

Saturday's long sessions

This is why I love this far away western bankrupt country. Just 10min away from Lisbon is our usual Saturday 20k interval playground (last weekend we made this short movie). Furthermore, in the end of January, it's still possible to go for a bath in the end: perfect! - Even better with the lunch by the river celebrating Paulo Franco's birthday with a fresh beer.

(my small pc doesn't allow a bigger resolution at sony vegas)

Arronches WRE

My asthma didn't allow me a good performance 2 weeks ago. Always the same: my nose blocks, my throat aches and my lungs don't like it. Here I post the video of saturday's middle distance (wasn't able to use rgmapvideo on this one).



More news to come, maybe today, once I have a lot of free time in the next week.

First test with RGmapvideo

What a wonderful tool.

I'm now posting last weekend's movies even if I didn't have time to analyze them yet.
After many months without touching a map it was great to experience it again. My lack of shape can be checked in the heart rate area of the screen. =)

Now that I'm at home, it's so anoying to watch me wandering around the controls: "it's over there, asshole!". So much to improve this season. (Captured with 1080pFullHD (125º) - Check Youtube's max of 720pHD for more quality).

Relay - pace and map not exactly fitted.


Middle distance - (check my fall and twisted ankle to the 1st control, crossing the small stream).


In 2 hours I'm departing to Arronches International meeting, where Gueorgiou will also compete. I hope that my bronchitis and sore peroneal tendon will allow me to do a decent performance... we'll see...

along Thailand

So, the big exam was done. After 11 boring months I moved to Dubai/Thailand for 3 weeks with Rafaela. I really wanted to keep training but it was impossible.

Or the place was too hot...


Or too small...


Or too polluted... (ending with red eyes, and a sense in the mouth like if I'd been licking car engines for 1h)


During 3 weeks we did 3500km by public transport, 150km of which by boat...



... and was part of the medical team of the Ironman Asia Pacific and got really enthusiastic with Triathlon.


Overall, it ended being a really nice trip... The touristic places were really nice. The untouristed places made me, once more, remember the value of our European way of living.


In the second last day, and after 3 weeks eating in the street food stalls, I got a gastroenteritis at a McDonalds (!). Altogether, I lost 6kg, from which I'm still recovering (today's breakfast=5 waffles).

Now I have a loong way to recover the shape. Yesterday was the day zero! Let's go!

Contour Roam first test

I received it and I had to try it! The goal is to start analyzing my navigation in some months from now, but I concluded that it's also a nice camera to have some fun.

I made a short movie with footages from my usual Sunday long training session (20k) from my home, through Monsanto park (my

everyday playground), along the river and back
home.



Some notes about it:
- Trying to discover the best way to use the headband. In the 170º mode is difficult to hide my big head;
- Used 720p; 30fps; 170º. Haven't tried the full HD mode with more resolution;
- Didn't stabilize the image; my small PC wasn't able to do the job without loosing quality. I'll try VirtualDub later;
- Easy portable camera anywhere with a short "wow-start recording" time.

CONTOUR ROAM first test from migueorienteering on Vimeo.

And now, back to my boring life... A few weeks to go.

Accidental orienteering song?

I've stepped into this one that I had to share:

You're taken by the woods even though you're aware
of the slippery cliffs and the big black bears
and the salal snares taller than yourself
Ferns growing as thick as the trees
You're looking for a flag at the top of the hill
It's a race against the light
And one false step could mean staying the night
That's why you should never travel alone
You should never travel alone
and you know that one false step
and you might not make it home
And so you watch for loose rocks under your feet
Stepping onto wet stones, crossing over creeks
Climbing up cliffs and over dead trees
You watch your step, you get your footing right
A broken compass could mean staying the night
and you should always know where you're going
Even if you've got a map
you should always know where you're going
And you know that even if you've got a map
you might not make it home

You take your time just to breathe the air
and appreciate having never met a bear
You capture the flag at the top of the hill
With daylight to spare
Orienteering comes naturally
You read the map right
One wrong turn could mean staying the night
and though you carry your phone
You should never travel alone
And you know that
because one false step
and you might not make it home and

Even if you've got a map
and you know where you're going
You're still a long way from your home
And even if you've got a map
you should never travel alone
And you know that
But you're not dead yet
and you might just make it home

End of 2011 season

I've participated in the portuguese training camp to WOC 2012 27Sept-2Oct in Switzerland to close the season. The last race with a forest map had been 3 months before so I wasn't expecting too much. However I got better day by day and enjoyed the Swiss terrains. I liked the World Cup race but was disappointed by some avoidable losses of time.

TICKS, TICKS, TICKS...

In the last day in Swiss terrains I extracted a tick from my hand (had been there less than 2h). 2 days after I got swollen and painful axillary lymph nodes and I was advised to do antibiotic profilaxy to Lyme disease. Probably this is a recurrent thing among orienteerers once ticks are spread all over Europe, but in Portugal (and Iberic peninsula) it isn't a problem. Even if the rate of infected ticks with TBE (tick born encephalitis) is between 0.5% and 3%, I'm considering being vaccinated to TBE once I like to be on the safe side.

All over Switzerland 5-30% (up to 50%) of ticks are infected with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. An estimated 3’000 people yearly contract the so-called Lyme disease caused by this bacterium. Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics.

In Switzerland, in 2005 the cases of TBE (tick born encephalitis) drastically increased with 200 cases, compared to an average of 100 per year during the preceding 5 years. Certain patients can experience paralysis of arms, legs or facial nerves, which can lead to permanent disabilities. There is a well-tolerated and efficient vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis.

+ info about ticks at here, here and here (last one by british orienteering).

WHAT'S NEXT...

Now, a 15 day deserved physical rest. Can't wait for next season. It'll be the first one as a doctor, rather than a student. Without exam seasons, that means 52 WHOLE free weekends per year to train as an animal. I've signed for Maratona Clube de Portugal, a club with world class athletes and I'm confident that I'll be able to improve my physical capabilities.