Training Log Archive: davelevine

Event: QOC Fountainhead
 

Fountainhead (180)
Blue - 20 controls, 9.2 km, 295 m

Actual Distance Traveled: 11.6 km
Actual Climb: 354 m

The weather was gorgeous even if it was a little cool when I stepped off. I was dressed warmly but quickly shed both buffs (one for my neck and one for my head) and my gloves fairly quickly. I also opened the underarm vents on my jacket soon thereafter.

The first three controls weren't difficult to find although maybe I could have done a better job with route selection. I also got a little inadvertent help from other orienteers when searching for these controls.

The next five controls I found completely on my own. I didn't see or hear anyone from about the halfway point between 3/105 and 4/106 until I was halfway between 8/110 and 9/115. My biggest mistake in this part of the course was not using the main north/south trail as much as I could have. When I left 3/105 I considered heading east to the trail but instead decided to take the more "direct" approach and headed southeast through the woods. I'm sure this slowed we down. I eventually gave up and angled over to the north/south trail and followed that most of the way to 4/106.

When leaving 10/112 I headed south towards 11/111. It was a short leg and I started daydreaming. I lost track of which direction I was headed in. As I later learned I wound up close to 11/111 but rather than circle around I decided to head back to 10/112 and start over again. I got there in time to meet Craig Shelen who was doing the brown course and nowhere near where he needed to be. I helped him get his bearings and then went back to look for 11/111 which I found fairly quickly, this time around.

I overshot a few of the remaining controls by a little bit but didn't make any other colossal errors. Could I have done a better job with route selection? Yes, but I'm happy enough with my results. I found all the controls in a reasonable amount of time for me.

I did have a little bit of trouble with the map early in the course. It was very detailed (lots of contours and lots of trails) which made it a little overwhelming to read. Eventually I got away from that part of the park and focused on terrain features that were fewer and further between.

Blue - Splits

Home to Takoma Metro

Crystal City Metro to Office

Office to Crystal City Metro

Foggy Bottom to Upshur St

Upshur St to Division St