The last half of the year orienteering has been completely infiltrated in my life. Not just as an athlete, but also as a trainer and federation president . Now I must devide in 4 my time allocated only for trainings. All these changes has come in the last 6 months. Because of it I haven’t wrote on my blog even I have checked participations in Muntenegro, Romania, Ukraine. The orienteering algorithm that I used by now is not so functional. It’s time to invent another one to get time time for everything that includes trainings and my posts about my competitions.

Today is a special day: I have a very good mood. Because of it even today I will make some changes, and the first one represents opening this absolutely new blog. It’s known that if you want to do a change, you must only do it. It will be a blog with big visions and themes, which will include not only sport.

However, predominantly I am an athletic and let’s return to the sport. Why I insist ? Traditionaly, from year to year in October-November appears the question: It’s a good idea to continue the activity as an athletic at this level? This tear answer has came very fast. I think you will understand from the lines below.

On the 14 th of October is Chișinău’s Day. This year the capital turns 581 years. Traditionaly, in this week SOTT Chișinău organizes the competition of “Toamna de Aur”. The majority of the athlets are from Chișinău. There were also from Strășeni, Sângerei, Căușeni. What is specific for this competition: it has a special task-of your choice, and are attend a lot of children.

The last time I attend at this competition in 2014. I thought that this year I will take a pause because the level of motivation has decreased. With a very small number of trainings, without big plans for the next season, I practicaly forced myself to participate.

The day before, at the training, I felt myself exhausted, maybe because of the fact I was preocupated with Moldavian Masters Orienteering Cup. Waking uo in the morning, I show myself in the front of the mirror, Every morning I analize myself ( or admire the sleepy man in the mirror). The analyse usually decrease only to the expresiveness of the face and the hair aranger. Today the eyes was alie, there was a satisfied smile, somewhere gleeful. Shortly, an emotional forecast without precipitations and clouds.

When I arrived at the competition centre I saw the start list and the only one competitor was Sergiu. I don’t want to upset others participants from M21E category, but let’s look objectively. From all concurents only Sergiu has an training program and looks for good results in 2018.

Knowing the map from the campgrounds, having the information that I must pass 20 CP from 21, and knowing personal level of fatigue, I proposed myself the next tactic: browse the post on the map on the circle. If until now the eliminated post I chose at the start, now I eliminate it ongoing. It means that when I hear the start I run to the nearest post, meanwhile one post to another, if I observe that one post is not in my way. Posts, being close sometimes you don’t notice from start which of them must be eliminated. And the lasp point from my tactic, maybe decisive: knowing that the map is onpant and that after 5-10 minutes of running, for me runs on pants, even witha small angle are hard, I chose firstly to arrive as soon as possible to the top of the map, then, from there descending into the valley and gathering posts.

At the post nr. 11 I met Sergiu, I understood that he goes all the perimeter of the map, just in the opposite direction, I don’t know why, but I was convinced that I have an advantage, Finaly, I started to feel the fatigue and I pray to got faster at the finish. At the 15 post I try to number how many posts I still have, I numbered 4. I couldn’t underst5and. I reached the finish, but I don’t sign it. It seemed to me that I hat them all, when I looked more attentevely, I found that one was missing. I ran at it and I remembered that there I met Segiu. Paradixical, such a moment and not to memorize it. Strange was that I couldn’t remember to run over there. I went back to the finish and said “neck or nothing, I will mark the finish”. I take the split and I saw how I had 20 posts, Relieved, I made a conclusion, I need a math course from the first form to teach hoe to number until 20.

Now it is clear why I have had a good mood in the morning, I was going to be the winner, Obvious, I feel thankful of the result. So, the question of hanging boots in nails is postponed for a year.

Article in original (Romanian) language on my new blog

During the last month I was at competions just as organizer. Every week started with doing all apoitments and tasks, and end the week as event director to the competition. Today, I had great pleasure to came at competition as participant. Was a traditional race Azimut-Prieteni. I don't know history of this competition, but people say before paricipated hundreds competitors. For a moment, I had a nostalgia, for that period, when I participate every week at orienteering events.

Was a sprint distance (3.5km) of the stright line. Main aim was avoiding recovery period after injury, to run without mistakes and to keep balance between speed and phisical shape, in this period without training. I did my best for my speed posibilities. Average pase was 4.20min/km. I felt just a little pain in injury zone, but in general was a good race. I didn't expect to get third place today. So, I'm really happy to come back in bussines with a podium.

Today, also was an wonderful day, because for the first time at event was with me and my girlfriend. And feel thankfull that she was present during the race, and she enjoy and I got the prize for the third place. Hope she is proud.

Map, results, and photos are already uploaded.