10MILA, or: Scandinavia – Switzerland 7:4

"Relays are much greater in Scandinavia than in Switzerland."

This was my conclusion after my first 10MILA. Let's start about writing why:

Travel:

Hard decision at the airport :)

I was travelling only a short time with the bus, but as I heard especially the trip home has to be very funny. Well, in Switzerland we don't have these long trips because of a very good public transport network. Sometimes it's good to be home a bit faster. So 1:1 at the beginning.

Club:

With the club mates of LS-37 as well as with these of my club I like to spend time. But the finish ones are speaking sometimes a language hard to understand. But because it’s my business to learn it, still equality: 2:2

Terrain:

We have got some nice terrains at home, not really where I live but as I told before, they are easily to reach. Are there bad places to run in Scandinavia? I never saw one. 3:2

Arena:

It was like “wow” entering the arena on Saturday. We never have such big competitions in Switzerland so it was quite impressive to have such a big thing only for a weekend. Two things that have been standing out: Enough toilets (I never had to wait, in Switzerland you never can just enter) and Sauna the whole night long. (Best thing after two hours in the forest, unfortunately at Swiss competitions there isn’t any) 4:2

Relay:

A friend of me said: “You’re crazy to start on “långa natten” at your 10MILA premiere” Well, it was crazy, but in a positive sense. It was the craziest orienteering race of my life.  The first time you got the A2(!) map (I could have left my sleeping bag at home) and see the loooooong route choices. (For example control 7, more than 3km only straight line distance.)

In Switzerland you can be happy to be together with about five people on a fourth leg of a relay. Shortly after the start, I was catching with two other runners a group of maybe 20 people. I could have switched off my torch, it was like day in the night. For sure I did not, control #1 I punched first of the whole group. Two hours of running, reading map, fighting against trees, stones and marshes and as well some opponents have been very funny. 5:2

Accommodation:

At home we are camping during relays and if the weather isn’t completely bad, this is great. The school we slept at 10MILA was also nice, both are getting a point here, because of the trust the school had. Don’t think about sleeping in a school in Switzerland. No school would allow this or they would at least block everything. Both 6:3

Atmosphere:

The atmosphere at 10MILA has been great, there’s no need of description. But at home more people do know you and cheer you, so it’s also very nice there. Probably a bit smaller but more familiar. 7:4 and victory to Scandinavia. :)

I’ve been very happy to start at 10MILA, thanks to LS-37 for giving me this chance. In a bit more than five weeks, Jukola will be held in Vantaa – and because it’s in Finland it will be greater again, won’t it?

Hope to see you there!

Philipp