Terrain: woods, very rocky and just as ridgy, but very little elevation change once you're on the Escarpment
Weather: chilly and overcast, very comfortable
The start was a long hike away, and I didn't have a regular watch on me, so I technically missed my start; but they slotted me in a few minutes late. I was the last starter on this course, so I'd be chasing everybody in my group.
There are so few features here other than endless rocks and rock piles and rock beds, so orienteering off-trail is a bit risky for the likes of me. After yesterday's sprint legs, I was pretty cavalier on keeping a good line from point to point, so I veered off-course many times.
 |
| Route Link |
Already from 2 to 3, I ran out onto the wrong trail, and broke my own cardinal rule of checking the trail direction by compass, so put on about 400m to run up and come back when I realized my mistake. I veered off course for the next control as well, but ended up in a rock bed where the subsequent one was, so ran back for 4, then straight in the opposite direction back to 5. Quite pathetic.
I got out onto a trail after this, and realized I'd caught up to another woman on this course, although not the same age group. We decided on taking opposite trails around an officially uncrossable feature - she went on a main trail, while I took a small one, which turned out to be a Bruce side trail that my roomie and I had hiked a few years ago. Definitely the scenic route! Went by the glacial pot hole we'd photographed then - and got told to get a move on out of the way by a pair of hikers who had the same idea! The other lady ended up beating me to the meating-point (a bridge), but I know I enjoyed the ultra-rocky Escarpment edge more.
Generally the long traverses went well for me, but every time I wanted to quickly jump into the bush for a control, I'd veer off and have to backtrack. Controls 6, 7, 8 all veered off at least 50-100m - how many minutes did that add? But I nailed 9, hopping from one rocky feature to another, and then 10, 11, 12 and 13 (all closer together).
14 was off a trail with another trail leading out to it, but it didn't meet the first trail exactly (great mapping actually!) so I guess-timated by distance instead. By the time I was going out to 15, which could have been a long-ish light green traverse, I learned my lesson: I cut back out to the main trail, then cut back in, guided by contour lines. 16 was another veer-off. The last control was 17, and this time, I veered extra-wide, but thankfully I was on the edge of the Escarpment, and I knew where I'd ended up due to the direction the slope was facing. But wasted a few minutes for sure.
So the big lesson is that I need more practise sticking to a compass bearing. That likely involves a few things: checking the compass needle itself, picking out target features in the distance to stay on-track, and of course being aware of surroundings - which is difficult on such a flat map. As punishment, I flatly lost my age group, coming in 5/5. Still, I love Escarpment country, so nothing could really ruin this day.
--Distance: 9.8km
--Duration: 1:36:31
After the race, I caught a guy in a jacket from last year's North Atlantic Orienteering Champs - he highly recommended going up for these events, especially the marquee race I want to do in Ilulissat, Greenland next June - the Arctic Midnight Orienteering. I'm so much more excited now after a southerner's recommendation, not just the awesome invite from the race organizer.
p.s. I raced on my calf brace today, but after 3 races back-to-back, my ass bones are not happy.
No comments:
Post a Comment