Training Log Archive: AliC

NEOC A-meet at Baldwin Hill

2nd to Sam by 4.5 minutes, and just narrowly in front of Hannah by 10 seconds. A mixed day orienteering-wise, some mistakes, but none totally terrible. I may not have always been making sure I kept up with mapreading while going through thick vegetation.

Going over my course with Alexei afterwards was helpful, he was able to point out that in a few places, my bearing-taking was really failing me and that in general I don't really plan routes so much as go straight unless something really obvious pops out. And he correctly guessed that when I see a control or the control feature in the distance, I sort of sprint all out the control, punch, and then have to pause to map read and take a bearing once I get there. So now, am going to use that time instead to proceed to the control at a more moderate pace, but plan next route, and most specifically, how to leave the control while doing so. The goal is flow.

1- Bad bearing from depression at end of reentrant left me puzzled staring at the northern rockwall. Was too high.
3- Went straight, across marsh, up green nose (slow!) and then up hill. Aimed off north, hoping to see boulder patch on the nose, but ended up hitting boulder in reentrant.
4- Stayed low, hit marsh, then around hill, passing the cliff. Checked out the hill with two boulders first, should have read in the circle more!!
5- Blah. Totally pushed by green way way off my bearing and hit the hills to the West. Seriously, must use compass, especially when dodging fallen tree trunks!!
6- Stone wall = handrails pretty much the whole way.
7- I stayed high, knew exactly where I was crossing the stone wall and just traipsed across the row of hill tops.
8- On a bearing, saw water, was careful into control (scarily low visibility!).
9- Not at all good. Went into the green (trying to avoid a little climb- but I'm strong, a little climb is worth avoiding ugly green!) Ended up crossing marsh, going over on my ankle while doing so. Argh!!! Even had the brace on, maybe needed to be even tighter... Definitely hurt, had to walk for a bit. And then was pretty lost, but just went north to stone wall, and relocated.
10- Woo! Easy, fast!
11- Good most of the way in, but failed to make out just before circle features well. A West Point guy kinda led me in.
12- Had decided on the left route actually, but then some downed trees pushed me right, so I opted for that.
13- Went on a bearing, slightly off at end to other control really nearby.
14- Bah. Sailed into the control, almost. But the small boulder on the map looked huge, so I thought it was the huge boulder below the control on the map and that I'd missed the control. So searched above it for awhile, too long, before actually going down to check out. Very annoyed, but I just should have had more confidence. I really didn't pass enough stuff to be at the big boulder!!!

512/2000 - Over a quarter now!

Warm up, including a field trip to see the finish with Jordan.

Control collecting. Stopped raining just before, woo!

521/2000

Red Sunday - Splits