It's not fun to know, that everyone around me has the same controls...
May 13, 2008 ... by Jan Sidla
Interview with Dana Brozkova.
Congratulations to the gold medal from the Czech Ultralong Championships and to the 6th place in 10MILA. But let me first ask you a question suggested by Michal Smola: Dana, how many caches have you already found?
Well, I checked my account on www.geocaching.com and today I found my 71st cache. I don't want to collect as much caches as I can, but I focus on caches in interesting places and in different foreign countries. I checked that one cache is near Ventspils, where the center of the European Championships will be :)
How many have you established or created or how do you call it?
I haven't placed any cache yet. There is a rule, that you can only create a cache when you have found at least 100 caches, so you have enough experience.
Coming back to 10MILA I enjoyed ladies' last leg much more than the 90 minutes' tedium of the three inseparable TracTrac circles of Emil, Daniel and Michal. Was it enjoyable in the forest too?
It was enjoyable and changing in the forest, but I heard, that not all TracTrac units among the first ladies functioned. And at the public control it was a surprise, that there are 8 ladies instead of 3 showed by TracTrac. But I think, that it is a pity, to have the last leg on 10MILA non-forked. It's not fun to know, that everyone around me has the same controls.
The one hundred and eight minutes of our Ultralong Champs was another story, or was it not?
There was a mass start with a long leg to the first control with a butterfly afterwards. I came first from the butterfly with my sister and I stayed in the lead alone, and only heard my sister some seconds behind me. It was good, I prefer to run alone.
By the way, what type of races do you favour when it comes to the length, time and difficulty?
My favourite course is the 80 minutes' long distance with long legs. I like some longer races, as were the Ultralong Champs, too.
So, what would you like to run at the WOC?
I consider Long and Sprint, the same combination as I chose at the previous WOC. But I haven't taken the decision for 100% yet, the other possibility is to exchange Sprint for Middle.
Do you think that the advantage of home terrain is substantial in top orienteering? Or better, how big is the advantage of being Czech in the Czech Republic? Hungarian in Hungary? Norwegian in Norway?
I think, it is an advantage to compete in home terrain even among the top orienteers. It gives you more confidence, it is a terrain where you have the longest experience. Some parts of the Czech terrain, like different vegetations and green areas, are really special.
Except of the WOC, is there any race you are looking forward very much?
No, but I have a lot of races before me and I try to look forward to each race.
You changed your personal coach after (or was it before?) the WOC in Denmark. Are there any particular methods you changed or added?
I changed the coach before WOC in Denmark and after, but the training methods are still similar. With my new couch we added more athletic exercises.
Your Czech club SC Jicin has raised dozens of youth stars and handfuls of Junior World Champs medallists in the last 10-15 years. Why do you think, that none of them continued as you and your sister did?
It is more difficult to be a success in elite senior category then in junior category. In the Czech Republic you can do orienteering in elite class during your high school studies. Orienteering isn't here so popular as it is in Scandinavia and there is no chance here even for the best runners to become a professional. That's why is better to focus on your working carrier and do orienteering only like a hobby.
Yes, everybody would agree, I guess. But again, what helped you personally to overcome the junior/senior gap and keep going? Is there any piece of advice you could pass along to the young?
It's difficult to say. I met the right people, which helped me to get where I am, and I have a big support from my family. Maybe one advice - keep doing things in the same way, in seniors it is still the same orienteering.
How are your doctoral degree studies going? Do you prefer field research to manipulating genes in your back room?
I prefer both :) It's amazing what all you can find in DNA. And also how little piece from it we know.
What kind of holiday are you planning after this orienteering season is over?
I like adventure holiday, and for this year I'm planning to go trekking in Ladakh. Ladakh is the north part of India, it is called Little Tibet and I'm looking forward to the high mountains, monasteries and new adventures :)
Thank you for your time and "julay."
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