Training Log Archive: Tatty

BAOC/SCJS Long Valley South. Bit of a bummer as was given the wrong map, a Blue course map put out at the Green box - David was on the Blue at the same time! I know I should have checked but thought the M50 doing it was reliable. We had the same first control, I didn't check the code at 2, and then spent over 10 minutes trying to find my 3 but perpetually coming back to David's number 3! Eventually giving up and going onto 4 when I looked at the description and realised it was wrong. I then finally checked the map and realised! Decided just to go for a run and went round some paths and then to the Finish!

WSX CSC race at Agglestone, near Swanage. Open, very soggy heath land. Map not brilliant, despite being a new map. The area around my final control bore little resemblance to the ground shapes! huge error at 2. Could see the building as I left 1, but veered off to right, completely overshot and ploughed on down hill through thigh high heather and gorse. Faffed about at the top of a big tussocky marsh before eventually realising I'd gone too far! Left 2 on the correct track but when I got to the end turned right not left. Didn't dawn on me that I should not have been going down hill! Fine through 4 to 8, but another big error at 9. Got to the path network to the west of the control, but very confused by all the extra tracks. Wandered around and then went up the hill to the top of the ridge. Finally it dawned on me I'd gone way passed the control and then saw people leaving the control. All 3 errors were because I wasn't reading the contours. Poor result, 16th, but I still scored CSC points for the club. As usual we were well beaten by BOK.