Training Log Archive: Jay-T

Vs Josh. Not ideal conditions ('slightly' damp).

Event: DVO Oakwood EM Urban League
 

Straightforward stuff - as expected, but no other realistic alternatives.
Lost time on a couple of occasions when I gambled on being able to get through the light green easily and I could not (#7, #9). Still persisted though, and it paid off on #14!
More competition had I run Course 2...

http://www.derwentvalleyorienteers.org.uk/results/...

Event: YHOA Night League
 

I had been looking forward to this – first night event of the season and a new area to me.

Keen to get going before the masses I arrived in plenty of time and timed my warmup to be at the start at 1755 (first start 1800). Unfortunately I was informed by the start team that they hadn’t had the ‘all clear’ from the Controller to let people start, and that this was not expected before 1815. Loathe to wait 20mins and end up cooling down again, I asked to start at my own risk (presuming that the Controller was simply checking that controls used in the day event had not been vandalised etc.)

So far so good – out on the course at the time I wanted with the forest to myself.

Didn’t start particularly well, losing over 5mins in the first part of the course, finding it difficult to interpret / trust the map – lots of missing paths. Big losses at #2 and #7.

En-route to #8 I was startled by another light coming towards me. It transpired that it was the Controller, who stopped me to ask whether I was competing. I affirmed, explaining that I had requested an early start ‘at my own risk’ and would be n/c if there were any issues... Lost concentration as a result of this brief discourse and didn’t know exactly how far along the path I was, but eventually found the flag tucked right down behind the wall, binning another minute.

As I ran away the Controller shouted ‘be careful at #126’... Strange remark, I thought, which I contemplated as I meandered towards #9.

On to #10. The aforementioned #126. Carefully attacked from what appeared to be the boulders by the path, ticked off the rocky clearing and found a boulder which seemed approximately correct. Nope. More rocks than marked so checked a couple of different ones nearby. Nope. Almost on the boundary to the east now, but the approximate mapping of the edge of the settlement was of no real assistance. Found the wall and tried to re-attack but no luck once more. Tried reading the vegetation but that was also extremely ‘broad brush’. Eventually bailed out to the path to the west and followed it south until I hit the ditch. As I was trying to work out how the tiny section extending northeast shown on the map was meant to tally with the watercourse I could see in front of me disappearing far into the distance, two lights came bobbing down the path towards me. The Controller and the Planner! “Looking for #126?” they cheerily queried. The Planner proceeded to enlighten me as to its position (much further southwest than where I’d been searching). The Controller evidently didn’t agree with its position and suggested another boulder (of the vast array one could select from) some way north (a bit more like it, but the map was so inadequate who knows!) I don’t know where the flag was ultimately placed (or how high it was hung) as I went back to punch the control at its original position – not without getting lost again – before leaving them to their discussions and carrying on. 12mins or so of wandering here.

Binned another 7mins or so over the remainder of the course – little motivation and still really struggling with the map which was frankly inadequate. More hide and seek than orienteering.

I can’t really complain as I admittedly started before they were ready. Had there been a problem due to a vandalised control or malfunctioning SI unit I would have had no qualms whatsoever. However, the fact that the location of a control was being deliberated 30mins after the advertised start time is absolutely astonishing.

http://www.aire.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#100

Out.

Meander around the locale whilst I decided what to do.
Sampled the 'outdoor gym' equipment briefly.

Intervals around the football pitch.
4 x 1 lap (320m), jog recovery one side of pitch (100m / 70m).
58 (33) 61 (23) 63 (40) 63
A start.

Downhill back via the canal.

Orch.