Training Log Archive: cedarcreek

Event: Canoe / Kayak Orienteering
 

Indian Creek Metropark, near Reily, Ohio. Putting out and collecting controls for a group of juniors attending an environmental camp. They are the same courses that Mike set and put out a few weeks ago. I was at work until almost 8pm the night before, and I really needed to put out controls then. So, I was running late. I got the south loop for Course 1, then the north loop for Course 2, then three controls near the parking lot, and the group arrived. All but one had never orienteered. A quick lesson, and then they were off. First group back in about four minutes. It was clear that I needed to emphasis a start interval to spread out the groups. Also, the camp preference for a buddy system without some scheme for them to switch off navigation or talk about it really backfired. They just ran fast. Course 2 might have been a bit too easy. Hard to say---Probably switching off would have been adequate.

As soon as the kids started Course 2, I set out the cemetery loop for Course 3. Course 3 was significantly harder, so I talked about folding the map for each leg, thumbing your position, and aligning the map to north (we didn't use compasses). I wish I had my training presentations on my thumb drive. I can't believe they aren't there already. I used some TROL camp charts (like 5 charts). We also talked about poison ivy (the Bash thread was fresh on my mind)---Two of the kids said they had problems with it in the past. I explained number 1 to them, which helped. And number 8---I recommended they go all-the-way left around the trees and use the field next to the cemetery rather than go through the woods.

They all had trouble with Course 3. One of the instructors didn't, I guess---He was second to dersu in the results. It took a long time before the juniors came out of the south woods. Most at that point sped up, but a few didn't. Several had gotten into stinging nettles in the south section. Several found controls from course 4 and 5---I don't even know how they saw them. (One maybe---the other---no way.)

I passed out Orienteering pamphets. It would have been nice to hand out TROL advertisements. No biggie. The instructor said he could probably forward to his email list something from us.

It would have been really nice to have a few experienced juniors there. Mike recommended that I arrange for them, but I was so busy at work I didn't even think about it until about 745pm, and I just gave up on it. The instructors spread out, especially on Course 3, but I don't think they really understood what was going on.

The rain held off, but I did get wet pulling controls. I was pretty hot, and way more tired than I should have been. Really nice day, though. Wonderful day to be out-of-the-office.

I've been planning bike rides using the Strava Heatmap. It's pretty cool. Be sure to toggle between Bike/Run/Both as you look at it. It shows where bikers and runners tend to go. I've used it to plan rides by trying to link up highly-travelled routes.

Also---It's got pretty amazing trail data for orienteering mapping. I can't get output in a georeferenced format, but it is certainly possible to line it up as a template, the old way.

C • heat map 5

Little ride from home. The new GPS is killing me. I forgot to hit the "Play" button (i.e., not a "Rec" or "Start" button), and the stupid thing doesn't just record all the day's tracks. So---frustrating. Also---batteries died. My fault. Didn't have spares---thought I did.

Really fun little ride, although a bit of scary traffic here and there. The climb up Camargo was *easy*, even with my low-gear-limited Cannondale. I did it with a 42-28, I think, and there was just a bit of standing.

I wouldn't do this ride unless it was a weekend.

The new Summit Park in Blue Ash is looking good. Grand Opening like August 10th.

Pretty dead when I finished. I definitely need more than one ride a week.

Event: WOC 2014 + 5 Days of Italy