Discussion: and...

use the contours in the simplest way possible as a double-check :)

Didn't you get a few alarm bells ringing when you weren't going downhill on your way to 16? Might have helped on exit of 13 too given 14 is 2-3 contours above.

Yep for sure, or at least definitely while climbing on the trail to 16. 13 didn't note the actually being higher in contour-terms while planning must admit, I knew it was kind of on the flattish spur, but not that I needed to climb a bit up to it, so should pay a bit more attn!

But I didn't really heed the alarm bells, because the contours kept not making sense the whole race- I didn't realize they were only 2.5m until after!! Jeez. I noticed the hills were less hilly, but did not put it together... Things to pay attention too, turns out map was also 1:7,500, I also had a few hints that my distance judgment was off, but still didn't quite realize that til after!

But point taken anyways, contours should be my friends!

I think the better lesson is simply not to orienteer at Estabrook. Orienteering there just allows you to practice bad technique. The map is not high enough quality for useful navigation.

I think the map was 1:10,000. N-S lines on map are 500 m. apart.

Right, so maybe I was at least thinking in the right scale, even if not right contour interval! =) And yeah, do agree with feet, having to work out while running and also planning routes what might or might not be reality based on the map isn't something you should train to do... And hate to say it, because I know it's a lot of work, and it's not something I know how/can do myself, I think it probably needs to be mapped from the very beginning again...