Owls Count

When designing and creating websites it is important to consider ease of use for those visiting the site. For the average person this is fine, but trying to imagine how a website looks to a colourblind individual is not easy. Now, however, there is a web tool which applies filters to your site, so you can view it as a person with various colourblind problems would.

Also available is the Color Laboratory. This site allows you to try out colour combinations and apply the same filters to them. The idea here is that you use this at an early stage in the site development - so that you can avoid problems later on.

The sites linked to above also contain links to articles and information on colourblindness - well worth reading.

I really struggled to get moving today. The calf muscles were sore and running was difficult. I went round the first seven controls, including the long leg across the map, then retired. Which is rather a shame, as the course and area seemed to be good. From here it will be a couple of weeks off from orienteering - a good chance to let the body rest nicely in time for the JK.

In other new Wimborne Orienteers, my club, achieved Clubmark today.

On Saturday I attended a first aid course - to complete the final part of my Level Two British Orienteering qualification. I have been trying to attend such a course for a while, but the potential courses have, before this one, clashed with other commitments.

On Sunday it was off to Harewood for the first round of the Compass Sport Cup. This year Wimborne had slightly fewer member than last year and, so, were running in the Trophy competition (as opposed to the Cup competition). Harewood seems to be an area slowly being overrun by brambles - meaning the through or round route choices were quite important. While the wind was whistling up the car park field, once into the forest it was nicely sheltered.

I ran fairly well and mostly navigated well. I spent 30 seconds looking for number three - just did not see the control at the bottom of the depression. I lost concentration at number eleven and ran straight past my control, thinking that I had another path to cross before getting to it, and lost a minute or so running back when I realised what I had done. Going to fourteen I got caught in the brambles - missing the track through them that many found.

Overall I seem to have got round the course faster than expected. Certainly being less than 35 minutes (65%) behind a top Finnish international is a good result.

At the end of the event Wimborne Orienteers held an EGM. At this we approved the new constitution, which incorporates a few changed that are required for achieving Clubmark status.

Glorious weather to be running in today. Nice and sunny, but a reasonable temperature. Running at this time of year is good.

The course was really quick today. I ran 7:42mins/km, which is quick by my usual standards - back in January, for a slightly shorter course, I was over 9mins/km. I navigated cleanly and managed to keep concentration the whole way round. Really, really enjoyed it.

My heel is still hurting when I run. However, it is not getting any worse and does not seem to be slowing me down. I know several people who have cut the back out of their shoes, due to heel pain, and I am thinking of doing the same. I have an old pair of O-shoes somewhere and will likely give it a try this coming weekend.

I did not go to the BAOC event last week, as my heel was still sore. This week, with the event being fairly close I decided to go along. The heel has not fully recovered, but was good enough to run on.

I ran fairly well today. Managed to keep a consistent pace for most of the course. I made a small mistake at ten - when I ran north into a block of light green and came out of the east side. Other than that my navigation was clean. A good run on a good course on a reasonable area.