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Topic created by WindWalker on Mon Oct 10, 2011 at 8:28 pm
Sorta off topic, but there is some orienteering related stuff at the end.
I decided to give the Adventure Racing thing another go. Sunday there was an Adventure Race at French Creek, it was about 22 miles in length and consisted of biking, running, canoeing, special tests and orienteering. Butch, the promoter, found me a partner since this is done with a two person team. I never met the guy before race morning and really had no expectations for the day other than to push myself hard and enjoy the day. Turned out we qualified for the Masters class, but since we were the only masters, Butch lumped us in with the open male group. No glory in winning a class when you're the only ones.
First off was a special test with a frisbee. We aced that and moved right into the first bike leg. We rode a few miles then had to ditch the bikes and go for about a 4 mile run, which had us going off trail following ribbons that took us across the top of the small lake. Yeah, it's pretty swampy in there, like knee deep muck and water, sorta like some O events I've been to. Back on the bikes to finish the bike leg out.
All along I felt like we were doing pretty well, not many teams seemed to be passing us, but it was hard to tell for sure.
After the bike leg we had another special test which we aced and then off to get our canoe. A quick carry down to the lake and we were off for two laps around the perimeter of the lake, carrying over the fishing pier each time. Everything is the hard way in these races. While were were paddling around we came to the conclusion that we were in third place. Wow were we surprised. My partner had done a few of these before and knew the team that was in the lead and said they will win ,they always win, they are both very strong. Ok, but what about second?
After we carried the boat back up to the trucks we ran back to the transition area for the final leg - orienteering. The first place team was already gone and second was just leaving as we arrived. A quick drink, some gel and we were in hot pursuit. The course had 6 controls set at a yellow level and was about 3 miles in length. I was pumped for this and grabbed the map and said let's go. We could see the second place team running about 200 meters ahead. When we got to the first control they were wandering around looking and followed me in. Just like that we were in second. Off to #2, they followed. They tagged two right after us and then I decided to step it up a bit and try and lose them. We bailed off the trail and attacked. We we came out at the road from the top and I was about 50 meters from the control. I yelled to my partner that we were good, since he was doubting my route choice. I looked behind us down the road and there was the first place team wandering about. Wow, we were now in first place!!!!! But as most of my orienteering goes, I was pretty excited and rushed the next control. I was having a hard time reading the 1:15000 map and running at the same time and picked the wrong intermittent trail. I quickly realized my mistake and ran back out to the road. That mistake was enough to put us back in second, they were way faster runners than us, especially after the hard race already behind us old guys. By the time I was leaving that control the now 3rd place team followed my exit from the control and tagged it and made quick work of catching us. We got the last control right before them, again they followed our lead. I was in 'O mode' and quickly plotted our route back to finish. We ran around the inlet, over the bridge and used the trails. We got around the other side and the team that was behind us said we went the wrong way, that we had to go through the water. No positions were changed and we ran farther, but Butch, the Promoter, docked us a position for not going through the water. So we ended a great race in 3rd place overalll and 2nd place Open Male. Not bad for two old guys.
So in the end this race was almost won by the better orienteerer, not the faster runner. I wonder if the other team tagged on our lead cause I was wearing my DVOA jersey? Anyhow, I just wanted to pass along my thanks to everyone here for all the help and support given to me in learning this cool sport of Orienteering! We almost won an adventure race because of it!
Sorry I missed Hibernia, it looked like a cool venue.
Mike -
Reply by Vadim on Mon Oct 10, 2011 at 9:11 pmCool story Mike. Thanks for sharing with us and congratulations on making podium.
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Reply by markwalsh on Wed Oct 12, 2011 at 4:47 pmHey Wind.......sounds like you had a good time doing a little bit of adventure racing.
Congrats on your placing in top three.
Was it linear contols ( had to visit in order ) sounds like it was.
Rogaine much more fun and challenging......point values associated with each control. Adds more decisions to the mix.......have to get certain mandatory cp's for each discipline but as long as you get them all not real important in what order you get them in.
Tends to eliminate teams who have trouble with nav from following each other and then outkicking them at the end.
G.O.A.LS. adventure racing does 4 or 5 a year out your way.
They have one this weekend called "the edge" in southeastern PA I believe.
Who ran the one you were in at French Creek?
enjoy
-Mark
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Reply by WindWalker on Wed Oct 12, 2011 at 8:11 pmYes it was linear. This was put on by Breakaway Sports, Butch Ulrich. His races are not hard core adventure races, I feel they are geared more towards the fun side. Not crazy expensive, good food and swag, good organization, tough enough to get a great workout but not so tough that you can't finish. And I love riding/running at French Creek.
I am aware of the GOALS events and may consider one next year, but the longer races require more of a commitment from the training standpoint. After coming off of racing mountainbikes competitively, I'm not sure I want to jump back into another training commitment.
It was a good time for sure if your twisted enough to like that sorta thing.
Mike -
Reply by DSevon on Thu Oct 13, 2011 at 6:49 am
You are right about the training need for GOALS' 12 and 24 hour races. However, their spring (Savage) and fall (Edge) races are most definitely within your physical abilities (I've seen you run
). The advertised distance is a possible maximum, but I don't know if they are ever that long. Certainly, last year's Edge wasn't that long as every team completed the entire course (most under 5 hours). Ron Barron and I are doing the Savage on Sunday.
I got into orienteering in order to learn the navigation component for adventure racing, and like you have done much more orienteering. Ron and my nav experience showed itself at the GOALS 12 hour race near Hawk Mt this summer. We were playing leap frog with a team of mid-20ish guys for a period of time. They would go blasting past us on easy trail sections, but our navigation was better so they would pass us again during the off-trail sections. Also on that race, we were coming up on a big, broad saddle where there was a control. Two very experienced adventure racers were already in the area searching for the control. When Ron and I arrived, the one racer shouted to her partner: "here are the DVOA guys - they'll find it". Fortunately, we did find it. -
Reply by markwalsh on Thu Oct 13, 2011 at 1:31 pmWind... if you used to mtb competively very few of these shorter adventure races will be that hard core.......most of the longer ones and even the 6 hr ones have rogaine formats so you go as hard as you can for as long as you can or want.
Not sure what type of racing you did but there's tough single track that skilled riders handle easily and other's walk those sections.....the rest is pretty straight forward.
There is no rule that says you can't walk or rest.
I'm sure you wouldn't be going handle bar to handle bar since there are so many controls and point values and stratagies to consider not to mention some allowing you to choose the order of your disciplines.
You don't have to finish in first place or even top ten ........it's the journey and the challenge that's important. At least for me.....although it is a charge to place after expending energy etc.
You sound like you would be a tough competitior with your back ground......The NYARA allows solos to enter almost all of their events and terrain tends to be a bit more challenging ....kind of like west point or harriman vs some of the DVOA events in orienteering.
Some courses of course are easier then others.
With your varied interests, kyacking included, you should hook up with some folks.....post your times and back grounds to their yahoo groups or facebook pages and see how far you can take it without the training becoming a drag or all consuming.
