Orienteering for Dummies
It's definitely time for an update. I used to write a lot more before the internet (and having a real job). But I guess I had to change some things to survive...like I started drinking coffee to get me through marathon study sessions in physical therapy school. This has been an interesting year to be sure...though I can't think of a year of my life that hasn't held major changes, struggles, inspiring challenges, new friends, or great victories.
As for this year I've learned a whole new sport, orienteering.
Orienteering is kind of what you think it is...but not really. Take a look at this example of an orienteering map from Fuji, Japan. It's not your standard map. For starters, it's extremely detailed and you need to be able to process a lot of symbols rapidly. Wow, what are all those colors and lines? I guess the nuclear reactor plant is on the far right...somewhere out east in the more yellow area and the green is highly manicured green lawn that's easy to navigate? Hardly. The first time I ever got a map, I ran off the map. I knew that I'd run off the map because I'd reached a river where there should not have been a river. The second time I was given a map, I ran off the map again. This time I was in a neighborhood with people walking their dogs.
You have to go to the control points in the order they are written on the map. You start at the starting line (this is a real sport) and once the clock ticks down to YOUR time to start, you flip over your map and take off. You're going to want to use your compass to get oriented (this is orienteering) and figure out roughly; where you are; which direction do you need to go; about how far is the control; what are important terrain features that you might want to use to help guide you (or avoid...like a cliff); do you need an attack point; do you have a good catching feature in case you miss the point entirely? This is a fancy thumb compass and the orienteerer is going from control #6 to #7.
This is a guy who is probably super happy to have found this control. He might be winning or he might be at the end of the pack. And it must be the 90's. But if it isn't...because there were not likely a ton of orienteering photos online in the early days of the internet...he's dressed ridiculous for a reason people. You have to give the man some credit for his participation in such an intellectual sport. We know that really, really smart people don't always know how to dress because they are unquestionably socially awkward. I promise you this guy is socially awkward. Nice guy, just weird. You might also wonder why he is reaching his hand towards the control point...
The control point has a mini-computer. Or some technology that I don't understand, which is why I will never be rich. Remember that the controls are not labeled #1, #2, #3, etc like they are labeled on your map. They have separate numbers associated with the clue sheet...you want to confirm the number is correct before you take your finger SIM card and put it in the hole. You get disqualified if you don't go to the right controls in the right order. Also, everyone treats you like you smell really bad at the after party. This is particularly depressing because there are many, many socially awkward people in orienteering and YOU are the one being shunned.
Aside the challenge of finding the "general location" of each control...they like to hide the little buggers on the harder courses. If you manage to know where you are on the map (and you are actually on the map), you still may find yourself within 15ft of a control and not see it. Sometimes they put the control in an area that's more of a deterrent than anything else. In the example below, I would grow those sharp plants around my windows to keep out burglars. No police needed, thieves' butts would be torn to shreds.
If you don't care about breathing or dying of hypothermia or a lightning strike, this would be a great remote course to run...
Sometimes controls are in areas that aren't so much dangerous because of the weather or vegetation, but it just might be that they're situated in a haven for mosquitos, flies, and ticks. Key word is MARSH. Germany had a lot of ticks. I got off lucky but most of my teammates found them later when showering. Doesn't matter sissy-pants, you have to get your finger to the control point. There were a few occasions in Germany that I eyed the control point from afar and wondered if my life was really worth it.
This control point is hidden next to a big pine tree. Genius!
Another key factor in orienteering is how "run-able" the course is. The photo below looks great to me in terms of run-ability. I can't say the same for the medium distance course I ran in Germany. I'll never know if those wild berries were any good because I was too busy getting stabbed in the legs by their stems.
This is a control point near a root stock. I didn't even know what a root stock was before orienteering. I would have guessed it was a surplus of root vegetables that people keep in their basements or cellars.
So I have the privilege of going to Austria in about a week and a half for the CISM Military World Championship Orienteering Meet. I am only an alternate so I may not get to compete, but I will be taping ankles and taking care of the rest of the team regardless. My week of orienteering education in Germany went well in my opinion despite finishing at the end of the pack (running completely off the map will do that). As a newbie I finished all the courses, some of which were rated very difficult, before the cutoff times. I didn't miss-punch any controls. I didn't sit down and cry because I was running in the woods in the cold pouring rain for 3.5 hours without nourishment. I finished!
Welcome to the world of orienteering!
Comments
Post a Comment