Review: Frith Hill and Old Windmills Hills (3rd Interland Selection race)

This saturday just gone, I headed down to South London to race at Frith Hill and Old Windmills hills. This promised to be one of my most competitive races of the year, yet at the same time, I had a little less pressure having already secured 2 wins for the selection under my belt.
On entering, I decided to try a different tactic. It's widely accepted that starting later, a runner has more advantages, in there being more runners around that time, tracks from other competitors etc. But I thought to challenge that by choosing an earlier start time, to see whether, for me this would help, in there being less pressure as I wouldn't be thinking about other competitors, who I'd seen were starting later.
So, the race. 8.2km 285m 23 controls. One of the longer races of my year so already had this in mind before starting, knowing I'd need to save something for the end or risk burning out. Took a good 30 minutes as a warm up, standard routine before most races, 15 minutes easy jogging then 10 minutes drills and then after a further 5 minutes gathering my thoughts and trying to compose myself pre race. Saw in the start box that Matt Cox was starting 4 minutes ahead, but tried to force this out of my head and simply run my own race. Started well, one of those races where after my first step, I knew I'd be moving well (physically) and so was just a case of nailing the navigation. The early terrain proved more intricate than I'd previously envisaged and so had to adjust, using more simplification than I'd thought i would and just picking out obvious attack points and features. But found 1 well, heading straight to the patch of open and then weaving through the trees before attacking the short climb and dropping in to the control. Contoured round to 2, knowing if I stayed on the right level, then I couldn't miss the control, and I was proved right. 3, I think I took the safe option hitting the path rather than contouring, yet maybe it was easier running so hard to criticize without looking in to splits. Back on to the path for 4, thought it'd be easier and a bit more direct than going around the far end of the hill and again, weaved through the hills and almost missed the pit on my right but corrected myself and spiked it without too much issue. 5 took us in to a slightly different area, with more prominent contours, which made it easier to run along  the top of the ridge and dip off to find the control. Same story again for 6, simply running along the top and dropping off again. 7 had a few route choices but I think I made

GPS of routes and course (Red=route Purple=course)

the right choice, heading along the major track to find the car park then across the road and picking up another path that took me almost directly to the control, just jutting off at the end, Poor exit from 7, heading straight in to the nettles and losing maybe 30secs bashing out back to the river path (which was lovely!) and going along it's full length before cutting off in to the trees on a direct bearing and alongside the edge of the open to the control. Running with Matt at this point, over took Harriet on the way to 9, heading down and then up, rather than heading along the top (was going to have to climb on 10 anyway so made no difference). Could see the controls a mile off so was just a simple job to climb the re entrant to the control. 10 was a relatively easy control, cutting up to the edge of the parade field and around it's perimeter to cut off at the junction through the bit of green on to the control. Pushed ahead of Matt on the way to 11, which was a bit awkward as I took the route around the green when I could have gone through, but found the gully's well and just ran along until i found the monument (I think). 12 annoyed me. Poor exit meaning I had to bash through the really green section, instead of taking the easy path exit, so lost maybe 30secs before the road crossing. Still, stayed ahead of Matt until then and spent about 1:40 across the road, walking, recovering and planning the second half.
Found 13 so easily as it was the control after the road crossing, then off to 14, took the straight rotue and executed well, if a little hesitant in the circle, so Matt(who caught up with me at the crossing) nipped ahead. Ran the long leg (15) together, I was thankful for the competition which spurred me on a bit, feel as if i was sitting back and just letting myself run before this. To keep it brief, we headed straight, ticking off the paths as we went before seeing the light green section and running between it up to the junction on the path we wanted, rough bearing in (slight panic as we found another control within 50m of ours) then around the thicket to find it very well. Good route, gaining time on some of the others. Straight again to 16, bit awkward with the green, but battered through and found it. Same story to 17, bit of grafting through but navigation clean. 18 was just a nice leg, across the open which was blinding with the early November sun, then back in to the earlier bit of forest, on to the path and nipping off to punch the control. Path leg to 19, didn't fancy bashing through green and found it well. Poor exit, losing me roughly 30 seconds on 20 then really trying to push on and catch the time, obviously not managing. Straight to 21, catching Matt back up after he made a mistake. 22 was easy, simply cutting straight over the path and around the hill to the control. Straight over another path to 23 and finish.
Won the race by about 1minute over Michael (main selection rival) so really happy with this, also ahead of some top M50's and talent squad member so overall vert pleased. Navigation was clean and was running really well, as I seem to have been in more recent weeks. 3 wins out of 3 selection races so hopefully will be selected for Interland next March.
British schools this coming weekend, then the Hawkshead weekend, then really a break and straight in to base phase which i missed last year due to injury. Onwards and upwards...