Lots of good suggestions and different approaches here so I’ll focus on MapRun end game.
Regarding georeferenced PDF files, I suspect it might be easier for students to just convert the PDF to an image and then re-georeference and produce the KMZ (given the KMZ will be image based anyway). This can be done in Google Earth itself, using the Maprun Console tool mentioned by TimMcl or other applications. I think it is important to remember that a KMZ is a fairly generic term for a GE compressed set of files (KML and images etc). MapRun has specific requirement for content and format such as using the bounding box format with rotation, image file naming (with or without tiling) etc. Nothing complex but you cannot assume any tool will produce a compatible KMZ. Many of the current tools now produce compatible KMZ files (OCAD, OOM,Purple Pen indirectly). Using a good app for digging into compressed files along with a good text editor is really helpful when dealing with these (in Windows I use z-zip and Notepad ++).
The MapRun console currently has the tools to make both a KMZ map from an image and a basic KML course. I’m not sure what your plan for actually setting up an event as this requires an admin so partially centralized. However Checksites can be set up by anyone and you do not need a KMZ, although Check site has limited functionality when it comes to results being shared. Alternatively, the KMZ can be blank anyway if using paper maps. Side note, the latest version of the console (not yet generally available) allows for no KMZ file being needed.
Now the damn confusing part: I’ll use OOM as openorienteering mapper – the installed app while OpenOrienteering Map is the web based “easy Street-O map” toolset.
Tim also mentioned OpenOrienteeringMap: The easy Street-O map creation tool (
dna-software.co.uk) which is an updated version from the original web based application. This is a great tool to make simple maps based on OpenStreet and simple courses (both Score and Pt to Pt) all in one with all the corresponding exports for MapRun if desired. A bonus is you can use this to form a basemap for OOM if you want to do some more map adjustments. There are a couple of handy tricks to import from OpenOrienteeringMap to OOM that I can provide if needed (using a high res jpg with world file). OOM will then export a KMZ if needed (all this can be done in OCAD as well but I’m sticking to free stuff). This can also be sucked into Purple Pen for more advanced course setting if needed.
I’ll note that Purple Pen will now export the courses to KML rendering the various IOF XML to KML conversion tools less useful! Regrettably PP does not yet do the KMZ map export directly. Indirectly you can export an image along with the world file, import into OOM then produce a KMZ. I know there are other ways as well, this is just using the more standard tools. Still a bit of a pain.
As Matt said, setting up MapRun for individual training can be a bit more work than might be needed so I’m not sure if it would be better to show the students how to use OpenOrienteering Map, OOM and Purple pen. My guess is they would pick it up pretty quickly and it would provide some additional skills and enable MapRun to be used when it made the most sense.
Let me know if you want any deeper dive into the bits and pieces. I’m finding many of the tools I use (some I wrote) are becoming less useful as MapRun exports are showing up in the various free applications. Having said this, there are a bunch of sites offering various conversion tools.