Going the distance

Wednesday afternoon three speedy members of Team USA will be going the distance (and going for speed) in the long distance final at Lavarone. The women will be running 11km with 435m of climb and 23 controls, while the men will have 16.4km/820m/33. The first starts are 12:21 for the women and 12:26 for the men. The live coverage should be available from the WOC website shortly before the first starts.

Here's a closer look at the three who are running. At the time of this blog posting the runners themselves were not available for comment, so I made most of this up.

Ali Crocker
Start time: 12:27 (6:27am EDT)
Best WOC long: 18th, 2013
Nickname: Killeraligator

Club: Southern Michigan Orienteering Club/Cambridge Sports Union

Strengths: amazing aerobic capacity (likely from salsa dancing)

Weakness: giggling

What I suspect she would have said if interviewed: "Rahr!"






Eric Bone
Start time: 13.18 (7:18 EDT)
Best: Q20
Club: Cascade Orienteering Club

Goal: beat most of group 3

Strength: most experienced WOC runner on the team (14th WOC!)

Weakness: arrived sans luggage

What I suspect he would have said if interviewed:
"I'm Eric Bone and I am ready to race."

Alex Jospe
Start time: 14:27 (8:27am EDT)
Best: Q20
Club: Cambridge Sports Union

Results goal: top 60

Process goals: I will have solid attackpoints for every control, and will change gears as necessary through the race to keep my navigation and speed in sync. I will keep my head in the game no matter what happens out there.

Strengths: very high pain threshold

Weakness: gelato

What I suspect she would have said if interviewed:
"Did you bring me chocolate?"