Orienteering

Today I did my 3rd orienteering race post surgery.  I think I ran more in this race than in the other two race, mostly due to my crazy competitive nature.  I'm very pleased with how I did; all my routes were really good with the execution of 2-3.  My running wasn't great... but since I haven't actually been running at all I can't really expect it to be can I?

 

Here is my route start - 1- 2.  I made the decision to run along the road to the creek then look for the re-entrant, great plan.  (I'm not sure if the GPS is off on this map or if I left the road a little early, doesn't matter I found the control easily!).  Then I followed the creek to the next control, luckily I saw the control (and runners), because I never saw the path I was looking for.

 

Leaching 2 I knew I had to follow the path to 3, sounds easy enough but as you can see this is where I made my big mistake.  I couldn't see the path from 2 and was about to start off in the wrong direction when I noticed 2 other orienteers heading off on the path (thank goodness!). I was having a really hard time seeing the path and when I got the large bend in the path I thought it had ended!  I headed off to the right and ended up loosing 15ish minutes wondering.  To fix my mistake I headed back to the path and to the point where I could see the path going down hill, then I was able to reorient my self and got on the right track!  Figures I would make my big mistake on a control that only required me to follow a path!  As you can see I was able to follow the path correctly from 3 to 4.

 

I'm very pleased with my navigation from 4 to 5, my best of the course I think!  The original plan was to follow the path to the creek and then follow the creek to the split and then to the control.  However there was a FUMA boy right in front of me and I didn't really want to run with him to the control.  So I decided I would leave the path right away and head down the re-entrant; this worked out beautifully and I easily found the control.

Leaving 5 I decided to just follow the creek as far as it went and then head straight for the road.  The green area was really dense and I was glad to find that I had veered over enough to hit the path that lead to the road.  I ended up further over than I had planned, but I knew where I was and was easily able to head over to 6.  For 6 I just ran straight from the road intersection into the woods, I knew I had to go up hill so I was looking for the hill as I ran.   Leaving 6 I was walking and reading my map to develop a plan for 7, happened to look and up find myself inched away from walking into a tree.... note to self read the map either standing still or walking in a clear area!



 

Very happy with my route choice for 6 to 7 as well.  Pretty simple, I followed the road to the path, through the clearing then followed the stream to the clearing next to the other stream.  My only difficulties were the dark green, it was very dense.  I need to remember to try and plan my routes around those areas!

 

7 to 8 to 9 to finish were also pretty simple routes.  I planned my route for all from 7 and tried to just run as much as I could.  I got passed by a runner leaving 7 and I tried to keep up with him, but he was fast and I was pretty tired; I was able to (just barely) keep him in sight to the finish.  I followed the creek from 7 to 8 the just followed the road to 9 and the finish.  I had passed the finish and 9 on my way to 1 so I knew where they were which was nice.

Overall I am very happy with how I did today.  I need to remember to correct myself sooner though so mistakes don't cost me so much time.  Next time, if I'm just a little bit unsure I will go back to where I was sure and start over!

~Maggie