O-ringen Day 1

Today is the day, the first day of O-ringen. We woke up this morning and got on the bus to go to the event. We drove into the arena and we were gobsmacked, it was huge. 15'000 people squished in to 2km2. The place had heaps of kiosks, a sports shop, lolly vans, public showers, child care, 6 different finish chutes, a finish leg over a temporary scaffold bridge put up for the day and an artificial stream to wash clothes in.

(sorry no photo, guess who forgot to bring their cameras... Luke and Mum)

We all had good runs and 2km walks up hill to the start. None of us got 100% totally lost and none of us finished last (none of us even got close to the top 100 though, the Sweds run really fast). When we finished our shoes were covered in mud, in some places it was like running in a chocolate cake. The wallaby tracks became fully fledged tracks and the real tracks were just ripped up into mud. In one spot Luke lost his shoe but he found it again.


Well we had to finish our experience off with an O-Ringen shower. It was a big canvas tarp around a square field, one side had over thirty shower sprayers and no covering from any body's view in the square. I definitely learnt the meaning of European style. You walk into the "paddock", take off your clothes and join the queue to wait for a free shower nozzle. Then you get up on the platform, have your shower and then go back to where you left your clothes in the paddock to get dressed.
Here's my tips for a good shower...
1. Get in and get out as fast as you can.
2. Keep your eyes looking at the horizon or your toes
3. Don't make eye contact with anybody
4. Don't sit down on other peoples chairs in there
5. Don't sing in the shower
6. Don't bump in to anybody.

Jake

Location:O-ringen City 2012