If It's A Sweaty Thirty Degrees, It Must Be Tuesday.

If it's a sweaty thirty degrees, it must be Tuesday. We head for Deakin University and Geoff's scouts orienteering event. A one-hour score format on a detailed colour map with split starts and electronic timing on a tricky multilevel area. Looking forward to it. High numbers get more points. To build in extra mileage there are some bonus points available. It pays to do high numbers first, low numbers later. A double circle means go up. A lot to remember.

I don't recall parking in a multi-storey carpark for orienteering before. I set off heading for 17 and run into trouble immediately. There are more levels here than I think and it takes me a moment to realise I can go higher. I'm not the only confused person here. I decide on 14, then overshoot 18, then back to 20, which proves to be tricky from the west. I skirt round by the roads to the north. There is a university freshers function going on here, with distracting music and chatter. I have more trouble at 19 which is not there. I tour the area and find it eventually. 

It is now time to head north across the creek. An anticlockwise loop is obvious and straightforward. Finally, I head back to the uni buildings, overshooting again at 15 before visiting all the small numbers, finishing with 7. It is quite hard to work out what I've done and what remains. I get to the finish after 50 minutes with 6.5km travelled. 8mins/km is pretty good for me on a technical multilevel area. I lose time in several places, but others fare worse, allowing me to finish fairly well up. A final score of 264 out of 270 is a pleasant surprise.

The usual good turnout provides a lively atmosphere around the barbie. My brains and legs are suitably frazzled with the high temperatures and many steps to negotiate. I think I would prefer a line event, though. The score format often leads me into brain meltdown. However, with electronic punching, at least I can't lose my control card again.