Dontgetlost Peak-2-Peak
Waterdown
I've barely done any orienteering since the winter but I've just decided to do Raid the Hammer so I figured I'd better get out into the woods with a map. (Click for a larger version.)
Peak-2-Peak is a 2-hour score-style adventure run. I planned a route that took me on a fairly direct line to Grindstone Creek, where I could do a small loop to pick up some higher value controls that would more than compensate for the lower value controls that I skipped to get there. I've trained on a lot of hills this year so I figured I'd do better with a lot of climbing vs. a lot of running.
I got off to a terrific start by screwing up the first control I'd planned to visit (36). It was a low value control but I wasn't sure of my exact position for 5-10 minutes. I was heading the correct direction and counting ridges though. When I finally emerged from the thorny forest onto a path, I could hear voices of people off-trail looking for my 2nd planned control (45). So it wasn't a disaster although it took me almost 34 minutes to punch my first control in a 2-hour race - yikes!
After that, I turned my brain on and executed my plan about as well as I could have hoped for: 39, 43, 44, 41, 49, 48. My original plan was to go to 42 next but I realized I could get 40 points more easily by looking for other controls on the way back to the finish. After all, I'd skipped almost all of them! That turned out well. I was able to get 34 as planned, then decided at the last minute to go for 46 in the "Bullseye" section where part of the map was blanked out. It was worth 75 points, With 10 points/minute as a late penalty, that bought me 7 minutes!
After that, it was just a scramble to get back to the finish line at the Harry Howell arena. Anvil had mentioned that the map was incomplete for the plaza near the trail to the finish line (which included control 100 worth 150 points). I couldn't remember the name of the store he'd mentioned that was near the trailhead. In trying to decipher the map (not actually that hard, now that I look at it on the couch), I ended up in a field with vegetation over my head. That couldn't be it. I went back out to the parking lot and saw Emil Gadjanski running around Value Village. Value Village!!! That's what Anvil had said!! I ran as fast as I could but let's face it - that's not very fast. I finished 38 seconds overtime.
So much fun and what a spectacular autumn day in the forest! Bob was a rock star, clearing the course in 1 hr 32 mins with 1150 points. Given that my navigation at RockstAR in July was dubious, I was happy to be 1st of 21 Female Masters with 695 points (705 minus 10 penalty points). As validation of the "high value controls" race strategy (which I learned from GHOSLO years ago), the 3rd Female Masters visited 15 controls compared to my 10. I went for a nice lunch afterward with Bob, Hermes, Amber and WandAR. We missed Goose, who had to go to the hospital with a family member.
I didn't take any photos during the race but I couldn't help being a leaf gawker in our own neighbourhood on the drive home.
Humber Station Road
Beside our driveway