Både Jo och Helen kommer Storbritannien men har bott i Halden redan några veckor. Jag har bett dem att svara på följande frågor:
Jo Shepherd
How did you get in touch with Halden SK and why did you chose this club?
I contacted Halden SK when I was searching for a 6 month industrial placement, which is a requirement of my university degree. I wanted to find a project in a place where I could improve my orienteering and train with like-minded athletes. I knew Halden would be the perfect place to go because the club is renowned for being one of the top orienteering clubs in the world and I had already been to Halden twice in the past for training camps with the Scottish and British junior orienteering teams. I put together an email with a letter to the orienteering club and my CV and with the help of a few orienteers forwarding my message, soon my letter reached the president of the orienteering club, who is a past employee of Norske Skog Saugbrugs and who helped me secure my 6 month project with the company. Even before I arrived in Halden I felt so welcomed by the club members who contacted me to offer help with finding accommodation and answer any questions I had about moving abroad.
Where do you come from? What did you do (studies, job) before coming to Halden and what do you do here now, besides training?
I come from the Highlands of Scotland and I have been studying towards a degree in chemical engineering with environmental engineering in Edinburgh for the last 4 years. I am now 22 years old and in my final (masters) year, and I'm really fortunate to be doing my industrial project at Norske Skog Saugbrugs until mid-December. I am also taking weekly norwegian lessons.
Tell me a bit about your orienteering background, your best results and/or also about your most exciting orienteering experience.
I started orienteering through school at the age of 9 and my whole family got involved when I won free family membership to my local club at the Highland schools orienteering championships. Less than a year later the Scottish Championships was held near my house and to my family's surprise I won the 10-year old category! I have won the Scottish championships for my age-category 8 times and was also British champion for my age-category when I was 14. As a junior I represented GB at the European Youth Championships and Junior European Cup and in 2013 I reached the women's top-10 short-list for the GB VM-team. My most exciting orienteering experience was quite recently at Nighthawk, an orienteering relay held near Oslo and my first race with Halden SK. It was my first time night-orienteering in Nordic terrain since I was last in Halden five years ago so I was a bit nervous but had a good race and the team spirit of Halden SK was fantastic :)
What is your favourite club training and how does the club environment differ from your club in Britain?
My favourite training is probably the Thursday night orienteering-technique training from the Høiås club hut. In Britain, orienteering clubs don't tend to have their own club hut but it is such a fantastic way of getting the whole club together - young, old, casual, elite, novice and experienced - there is something for everyone! Afterwards everyone can relax and have a good chat and maybe even a waffle :) I also enjoy Eva's strength training on Mondays because even though the training is really tough, she is a really motivational and inspirational coach and I like how the training is very orienteering-specific.
What do you expect from the club and how long do you plan to stay? Do you have any dreams/goals?
My project lasts until December and then I must return to Edinburgh for the final 6 months of my degree. However I really like it here in Halden and my boyfriend has already agreed he would be ready to move to Norway when we graduate next year if we can both find jobs here :) Next year the World Championships will be held in the Highlands of Scotland where I grew up, so to race there would be a dream come true. With all the fantastic training opportunities here in Halden, I really feel like I am in the best place to make that dream a reality.
Do you have a favourite orienteering discipline, terrain?
My favourite discipline is possibly the relay because an achievement as part of a team is one of the best feelings. I also think that the extra pressure of racing not just for myself but for the whole team helps me focus and many of my best performances have been in relay competitions.
Any (other) hobbies?
I enjoy running and walking in the mountains and have walked or ran to the top of over 70 of Scotland's Munros (mountains over 3000ft - there are 282 in total). I also secretly enjoy listening to a number of Nordic metal bands, my favourite being Sonata Arctica from Finland.
Do you think and if so in which way can you enrich the club environment?
I hope that I can help the other elite runners in Halden SK prepare as best as possible for the VM next year in Scotland with my local knowledge. I also hope that by being at most of the training I can be part of a regular group that works together to motivate each other and help each other to achieve goals beyond what we could reach individually if training just on our own.
Jos träningsdagbok på Attackpoint
Helen Palmer
Foto: worldofo.com
How did you get in touch with Halden SK and why did you chose this club?
Jeg har kjent ganske mange av Cool Chicksene lenge og vært på besøk i grensebyen mange ganger. Jeg valgt HSK på grunn av det fantastisk treningsmiljøet og fordi jeg ville også bli "cool" etterhvert.
Where do you come from?
Jeg er født i Cardiff Wales men oppvokst stort sett i Nottingham, England.
What did you do (studies, job) before coming to Halden and what do you do here now, besides training?
Jeg er utdannet som fysiolog og har doktorgrad i molekular biologi. Jeg har jobbet som post doktor og forsker på NTNU i Trondheim med hoved fokus på hjernefunksjon. Nå har jeg bestemt meg for å ta pedagogisk utdanning. Akkurat nå studere jeg engelsk årstudium på HiØ og skal søke PPU neste år.
Tell me a bit about your orienteering background, your best results and/or also about your most exciting orienteering experience.
Jeg har løpt på det britiske landslaget i flere år med 23. plass som best fra VM-langdistansen. Jeg har en gull og en sølv medalje fra stafetten på Student-VM. Jeg har en Norges Cup seier fra 2011 og 5 x top 6 plasseringer fra NM (3 individuell og 2 fra stafetten).
Orientering tilbyr mange spennende opplevelser. En av de mest spennende for min del var kanskje på et Høiås Natt Cup løp i fjor når jeg mistet lykt, ramle ned en stup og overlevd helt uten skade!
What is your most favourite club training and how does the club environment differs from what you experienced earlier?
Halden Skiklubb er definitivt de mest eliteklubb jeg har vært involvert i. I at de har proff trener og mange landslagløpere, muligheter for fellestrening nesten hver dag og egen VM-samling. Jeg tror kanskje jeg liker stafett trening i høy fart best. Eller rolig langtur.
What do you expect from the club and how long do you plan to stay? Do you have any dreams/goals?
Jeg forventer at vi skal jobbe hardt sammen men samtidig ha det veldig gøy mens vi hjelpe hverandre til å bli bra, bedre, best! Jeg satser mot VM i Skottland 2015 og Strømstad 2016. Jeg er ut etter den deilig mestringsfølelsen mer enn resultater. Rent resultatsmessig har jeg et drøm om å ta medalje på NM en gang.
Do you have any favourite leg at Tiomila, favourite orienteering discipline, terrain?
Favoritt TioMila etappe er lange natta! Eller kanskje den kort dag etappe uten gafling.
Favoritt disiplin er staffet eller individuelt kanskje langdistanse.
Favoritt terreng: Østfold terreng selvfølgelig!
Any (other) hobbies?
I Oslo har jeg drevet litt med improvisasjon som er kjempemorsom. Jeg skrive blogg om min orientering satsing som heter 1000 dager. Nå er vi på dag 680. Det har ikke gjort meg bedre til å orientere enda men jeg liker å skrive!
Do you think and if so in which way can you enrich the club environment?
Ja! Jeg er en varmhjertet, åpen lagspiller og iblant også en brukbart o-løpere.
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