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Topic created by markwalsh on Mon Sep 19, 2011 at 10:42 pmHudson Highlander XVI - October 2, 2011
fresh from hvo web site... 10-2-11
The Hudson Highlander is a GO!
HVO's signature, annual, metric-marathon length (26.2 km) orienteering and trail running race.
Full information about the Highlander -- and 13 km Lowlander -- can be found here.
There will also be a concurrent HVO local event, which will serve as the recreational courses for the Highlander. Beginner through intermediate level (WYO) courses only. More details to follow.
Posted by Daniel Thursday, September 08, 2011 (18:05:11)
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Reply by Guy-O on Tue Sep 20, 2011 at 0:46 amFresher...
There will also be a concurrent HVO local event, which will serve as the recreational courses for the Highlander. Beginner through intermediate level (WYO) courses only. More information can be found here.
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Reply by kathyu on Tue Sep 20, 2011 at 3:56 pm
Dave and I did the Lowlander last year, and it did us in, but we had so much fun, I definitely want to try again. The terrain is complicated and challenging. The camraderie (did I spell that right?) is great. If you are up for a challenge, this is it. On the way back in, we ran into a pair of Hungarians on bikes and they were happy to see American orienteers. This is where the registrars told me I share a birthday with (my idol) Sharon Crawford! September 24 is the big day and it's coming up soon.
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Reply by WindWalker on Tue Sep 20, 2011 at 8:33 pmSo is this just a long O event or are there other things mixed in? Do you have to find controls in order or pick the ones you want like a Rogaine? A little more info would be great. 8 hours seems like plenty of time if things go well
It looks like it's close to West Point so I'd expect similar tough terrain. Thing is White Clay is that weekend and there is some cool mountainbike trails there that I was thinking of hitting on Saturday before the O and making a weekend of it. Tough choice...
Kathy, you also share your birthday with me Happy Birthday!
Mike
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Reply by Sandy on Tue Sep 20, 2011 at 9:11 pmThe Hudson Highlander is usually a very long orienteering course with a trail run thrown in the middle. So you might have a 6 km course on one map and then a map exchange followed by a 7 km course on a new map then a map exchange then a 5km trail run then a map exchange and finish with a 8.2 km course. It is all on the Harriman maps - the maps used for the 1993 World Orienteering Championships - which are all contiguous. The terrain is difficult - both technically and physically - and finishing in 8 hours is not as easy as it might sound. Lose map contact and you can waste lots of time out there - there aren't a lot of things that make relocation easy. The terrain is rocky, there is usually lots of blueberry, there are lots of hills and there aren't many trails so it's also a physical challenge.
That said, it's a great event and I plan to go (although I'm only signed up for the Lowlander). -
Reply by FredR on Wed Sep 21, 2011 at 9:03 amI did my first and only highlander a few years ago (to "compete" with Tero--the worlds greatest). I found it as physically challenging as any on the O-marathons we've done and it took about the same time for me (5+ hrs).As Sandy said, the technical challenge is high as well, although that can be mitigated somewhat by the mass start and groups that tend to form up.I'm seriously considering it again this year. Anyone from the N and/or W side of DVOA-land interested in car-pooling?Fred
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Reply by markwalsh on Wed Sep 21, 2011 at 12:46 pm
The Lowlander was my first solo O event ...coming over from a few adventure races I thought "couldn't be that hard".
If I hadn't run into some highlander folks finishing up their 4th map(?) (...my second leg) I might not have gotten in within the 8hrs. Humbling and fustrating ...especially the long legs.
Same in the first section .......ran into some folks who when we put our heads together we got what we needed (more like adventure races) but alas they lacked desire and endurance and I was out on my own again on the second map.
Even after going twice as far as me, and harder, the highlanders I hooked up in the second half left me in the dust .
I picked their brains a bit about what they were thinking and how they were attacking the terrain as we moved along one of the longest legs.....it helped a bit later on.
By no means easy .....terrain is similiar to west point and all the cadets will show up to run it.
But 8 hrs is enough time for the highlander if you are in shape and don't lose contact with map to often.
8 hrs easily enough time for lowlander......I did about half the race on my own and the other half keeping pace with others.
