Training Log Archive: j-manIn the 1 days ending Oct 17, 2009:
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Saturday Oct 17, 2009 #
Event: WCOC Paugussett
Note
Directing WCOC local at Paugussett, Newtown, CT. (Brooksvale probably fell through.)
Ooh--this is sweet terrain!
Ooh--this is sweet terrain!
Note
Today's red course.
Ross is the Mack Daddy Playa.
Ross is the Mack Daddy Playa.
Map Hike/Run 1:00:00 ****
shoes: Inov-8 Mudlcaw 330 August 2009
Left the DeWitt's at 7, but a stop to pick up water and snacks meant that I didn't get into the woods until 8AM.
(As an aside, some of the area around Paugussett is remarkably rural/bucolic. There are numerous narrow dirt roads that my GPS thought were good ideas.)
First shlepped the water to 37, and then did 53, 35, 34, 33, and 36. That finished off the south section. I realized, however, that I was out of cross sections for the control stands. I hoped to find Rick's car open and find some there.
Arriving at the northern parking at a little after 9 I discover Rick getting ready to go out. Apparently, a road was closed and he was delayed.
Still, he offered to put out 63, 64, 65, 40, 41, 42, and 43, but that meant I picked up 44, 45, 60, 61, 62, 58, 59, and start and finish. That was a little more than I bargained for, and I was hard pressed to get it done. In fact, I only got back to the parking lot, extracted the maps, and was ready to go at 10:03. And, at that point, I hadn't streamered the way to the start. But, I was able to do that before the second starter got there, and all in all, assuming no misplaced controls, setup was successful, if harried.
2 hours in the woods this AM, but I will take credit for 1. The orienteering was easier than last night in the dark.
(As an aside, some of the area around Paugussett is remarkably rural/bucolic. There are numerous narrow dirt roads that my GPS thought were good ideas.)
First shlepped the water to 37, and then did 53, 35, 34, 33, and 36. That finished off the south section. I realized, however, that I was out of cross sections for the control stands. I hoped to find Rick's car open and find some there.
Arriving at the northern parking at a little after 9 I discover Rick getting ready to go out. Apparently, a road was closed and he was delayed.
Still, he offered to put out 63, 64, 65, 40, 41, 42, and 43, but that meant I picked up 44, 45, 60, 61, 62, 58, 59, and start and finish. That was a little more than I bargained for, and I was hard pressed to get it done. In fact, I only got back to the parking lot, extracted the maps, and was ready to go at 10:03. And, at that point, I hadn't streamered the way to the start. But, I was able to do that before the second starter got there, and all in all, assuming no misplaced controls, setup was successful, if harried.
2 hours in the woods this AM, but I will take credit for 1. The orienteering was easier than last night in the dark.
Map Hike/Run 2:00:00 ****
spiked:21/26c shoes: Inov-8 Mudlcaw 330 August 2009
At a little after 2, I set out for control pickup. Unfortunately, it seemed like a pretty daunting task. Rick had kindly offered to rush out to get S, F, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 57, 44, and 45. Definitely a help, but still leaving a lot.
My route involved picking up the streamers, then 49, 46, 50, 31, 66, 32, 52, 47, 51, 67, 48, 43, 42, 40, and 41, before back to the car.
Did fairly well, although got off my compass a little out of 48. Still, good training.
Anyway, then I had to go do the south. Started with 38, 55, 39, 56, 53, 35, 34, 33, 36, 54, and then 37.
Got back to the car a little after 6, allowing for 30 minutes to move between locations and pack stuff up, still left 3:30 of orienteering/schlepping. 26 controls. I'll take credit for 2 hours.
My route involved picking up the streamers, then 49, 46, 50, 31, 66, 32, 52, 47, 51, 67, 48, 43, 42, 40, and 41, before back to the car.
Did fairly well, although got off my compass a little out of 48. Still, good training.
Anyway, then I had to go do the south. Started with 38, 55, 39, 56, 53, 35, 34, 33, 36, 54, and then 37.
Got back to the car a little after 6, allowing for 30 minutes to move between locations and pack stuff up, still left 3:30 of orienteering/schlepping. 26 controls. I'll take credit for 2 hours.
Note
I think my first WCOC event directing job was a success.
I think people enjoyed the courses and the weather, aside from a few sprinkles, held up. That made a huge difference.
I do have a few thoughts:
• Participants are very skewed. 23 on red, vs. 1 on white and 2 on yellow. I had the right number of maps for orange and above, but way to many for the beginners.
• It is pretty easy to run a WCOC meet. At the beginning, Susie and the Walkers were very helpful getting people registered, but once they went out, I was pretty much running the show solo. After a while, most of my attention shifted to processing results vs. registering people.
• If you had to, you could do this meet with two people.
• I spent a ridiculous amount of time on this event. I left home at noon on Friday, and was out of the woods at 7:30. On Saturday, left DeWitt's at 7AM and got home after 9PM. I was doing nothing besides orienteering or driving.
I reflected that I was doing this for several reasons:
1) I enjoy course setting. 2) I like WCOC and the people. 3) WCOC has been very kind to the US Team and this was a small way to give back.
At the same time, it occurred to me that the opportunity cost of my time really is 0, so that there is nothing else better I have to do. Which is kind of sad, I suppose. It would have been surprising to me as a precocious Turk roaming the halls of Steinberg-Dietrich that I would one day be in this state. Or, stated differently, that the biggest sacrifice/contribution I can make to orienteering is in the form of largely manual labor rather than pecuniary.
• I am used to more people for control pickup at DVOA meets. Paugussett has a layout that really makes control setup/pickup difficult for one person. 8.5 hours for setup/pickup is not fun.
• My beginners courses were too long/tough with respect to distance. I could have spent more time on them, but it is really hard to come up with a good option there. If anything, the trail network is deteriorating.
I think people enjoyed the courses and the weather, aside from a few sprinkles, held up. That made a huge difference.
I do have a few thoughts:
• Participants are very skewed. 23 on red, vs. 1 on white and 2 on yellow. I had the right number of maps for orange and above, but way to many for the beginners.
• It is pretty easy to run a WCOC meet. At the beginning, Susie and the Walkers were very helpful getting people registered, but once they went out, I was pretty much running the show solo. After a while, most of my attention shifted to processing results vs. registering people.
• If you had to, you could do this meet with two people.
• I spent a ridiculous amount of time on this event. I left home at noon on Friday, and was out of the woods at 7:30. On Saturday, left DeWitt's at 7AM and got home after 9PM. I was doing nothing besides orienteering or driving.
I reflected that I was doing this for several reasons:
1) I enjoy course setting. 2) I like WCOC and the people. 3) WCOC has been very kind to the US Team and this was a small way to give back.
At the same time, it occurred to me that the opportunity cost of my time really is 0, so that there is nothing else better I have to do. Which is kind of sad, I suppose. It would have been surprising to me as a precocious Turk roaming the halls of Steinberg-Dietrich that I would one day be in this state. Or, stated differently, that the biggest sacrifice/contribution I can make to orienteering is in the form of largely manual labor rather than pecuniary.
• I am used to more people for control pickup at DVOA meets. Paugussett has a layout that really makes control setup/pickup difficult for one person. 8.5 hours for setup/pickup is not fun.
• My beginners courses were too long/tough with respect to distance. I could have spent more time on them, but it is really hard to come up with a good option there. If anything, the trail network is deteriorating.
Note
I was pleased with the performances. I only had sort of calibrated the red course, and was expecting a winning time of 60-65 minutes. And, I expected the winner was going to be Ross or feet, should either of them show up. And show up he did. Ross laid down a 62:20 or something, and pleased me on several levels. Just another in a long succession of smack downs. But, I think the most relevant one for next weekend is this one: http://www.dvoa.org/events/results/ev_show.php?eve...
The approach to running well there will serve him well in a few days.
I was surprised that no one else was in the 60s, however. Given the field, I expected at least one or two other people to be in the mid to high 60s. I think they underperformed, on a relative basis, for whatever reason.
The approach to running well there will serve him well in a few days.
I was surprised that no one else was in the 60s, however. Given the field, I expected at least one or two other people to be in the mid to high 60s. I think they underperformed, on a relative basis, for whatever reason.