Training Log Archive: MJChilds

Event: Fall Foliage Festival
 

Qualifier at Pine Hill. Trouble with #1, from not correctly orienting my map at the start! Got on the wrong trail and had to relocate. Bad beginning. #2 also a problem. Minpunched! Plan was to run down trail to reentrant with trail, follow trail down but not all the way (just past lg. boulder), then contour around to the other side of the spur and locate the control. I did just that and encountered the control on the boulder sooner than I expected, but that happens some times. Never checked the code--there was no question in my mind that this was the right control--it fit nicely with my plan. Turns out, MYcontrol was actually 50 m further along, more on the flat. I did not recheck my map after contouring around because I had found the control, but it turns out the spur boulder was on Green-X. Must have run right by my control on the way to #3 since I took the route to the right.

Donna Fluegel helped me to figure out what happened. I was upset because I had indeed mispunched, but the wrong control was right along my route and within 100 m on a similar feature (boulder). I thought that was against the rules. I querried Larry Berman (MD) who found Alexi (CS) who went over the maps with me. Alexi explained that the IOF rules are now 20 (30?) meters for similar control features (what are they thinking!!!). He was sorry but felt I had broken the rules and should be DQ'd.

Later, talking with Janet T, she referred me to Glen T for an update on the rules. Glen said the IOF was now 30 m but the USOF rules are still 100 m and the event was under USOF jurisdiction. So, I protested to be reinstated and that was granted, allowing me to run in the A final.

Happy again, and chastized enough to remember to check control codes every time, in the future.

On Sunday, Alexi apologized for being stuck on the IOF rules. I did not feel his apology was necessary, but he went on to say that he did not agree that I was reinstated. I see his point. I just feel differently.

When I first began to orienteer and set courses, I was advised by Gudrun Hjorth, Swedish OF ambassador that courses should be set not to make competitors fail, but to provide a challenge and which encourages success with effort. This has always guided my course setting and I feel that all course setters should consider whether they're setting competitors up for failure and if so, make the changes necessary to avoid it. With the new IOF rule of 30 meters, there is terrific potential to promote failure. Is this what we want? Granted, the code should be checked at every control, but let's remember that it's the entire route navigation that is important.

Perhaps we should train for this new scenario by having several controls within the control circle, all on similar features, and seeing how quiclky we can find the correct one. Are we to the point of splitting hairs in our competitions?

C • boy, sounds like you've had... 2

Pine Hill Final. Blew the first one again. Should have taken the western trail most of the way. Instead, went on the trail right out of the start, picked up the small trail that short-cut through the woods, then lost it at the marsh, fumbling around and coming out at the western trail and having to relocate. Arghhhh! Later, screwed up #5. I think I was looking at the spur on the edge of the circle, because I thought it was going to be down near the stream. What's up with that? I did the same thing the weekend before. Why did I not focus on the CENTER of the circle? Rushing gets me into trouble, again and again. Lost lots of time on that one, too. Others were a little fumbly, but not all that bad. Wish I'd had a cleaner run. Feeling strong, though. :)

Green_qualY - Splits

Green_finalY - Splits

Ran at Shelburne Farms from Farm Barn to Coach Barn via Windmill Hill. Picked up 2 controls enroute, then visited with art show hanging crew, Rita and Linda at show. Beautiful day. Quite chilly--chilled my trachea and lungs in first few minutes. Spent past couple of days driving Andrew home for school break (8 hrs driving) and yesterday, landscape installation work. Don't log this, but it's work!

Time was 55 something. Did not run as well today, got derailed going to #2 by heading to #7 instead. Actually, it would have helped me to have gotten all the way to #7 since I screwed up #7 later. . .at least I'd have been familiar with it. :{

Had a bobble on #4. Decided tonight that I should wear higher magnification reading glasses next time since I could not read the detail I found myself in on the way to #4. Later, going from 6-7, I saw that there was a trail option, but it was hard to see whether there was any climb or not, so I just went straight--I can see the bold red line! I could also stand still for a few moments and strain to see the map better, but I think I'd do best with better glasses. On #7, I headed SSW until I got to the stream near the control, found my reentrant to locate myself, then headed up over the spur, contouring to save a little climb. Mistake. Got into the bland terrain east of the feature and couldn't find the dry ditch. Had to bail out to the stream again and then head back. Had been about 50 m from control but couldn't see it. Maybe it was behind a tree. The other lesson is to try to hit a short linear feature from the side, not the tip. You'd think I'd know that by now. Not a bad day, but not as good as it could have been.

Brown course did not get into the awesome terrain that everyone is raving about. Will have to go there some other time to experience it. Seemed like a good idea at the time to sign up for Brown.

Beautiful weather, gorgeous fall colors, lots of O friends to visit with. Had fun in Saratoga Springs Sat evening, too.

Great Event. Well-organized. Thanks a bunch to EMPO and especially, the Trysons, Hawkes-Teeters, and the Dominies.

Day 2 Brown - Splits