Fetch Orienteers
49 watchers
Sep 2023
6:17pm, 15 Sep 2023
43 posts
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mityellow
Yeah, being unafraid to simply stop for a few seconds and check you are happy - especially if it is the event at South Gare? As that is in the dunes. I'm not there this time, but orienteered there a year or so back and really enjoyed it - but sand dunes always make you have to think! Tick off features mentally as you go past them and trust your compass. Otherwise - just enjoy it and don't worry about the results/if you get lost for your first few events. |
Sep 2023
6:17pm, 15 Sep 2023
3,227 posts
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paulcook
Thank you. Don't think I would have appreciated that otherwise.
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Sep 2023
6:22pm, 15 Sep 2023
3,228 posts
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paulcook
Ooh, cross post. Yes, it's at South Gare, in the dunes, so yes I wasn't expecting it to be so obvious (unfortunately). The compass work is one of the reasons I've had an event on my radar for a while. In a few years of fell running, I've barely pulled it out of my bag - I briefly needed it on the Teenager with Altitude race earlier this year when the fog came out of nowhere but it was a nigh on perfect north bearing I wanted so even that was simple. |
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Sep 2023
7:12pm, 15 Sep 2023
44 posts
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mityellow
I really enjoy sand dunes and whilst they can be indistinct, there's also lots of features so it can work both ways. I'm sure you'll really enjoy it  There's a few orienteers from my club heading to that one including at least one on Fetch. When orienteering I find I take a lot more quick/approximate bearings compared to say when I am hillwalking. Partly as the thumb compass doesn't have numbers to take a specific bearing anyway! Does vary though - long legs across featureless forest/moorland are where I tend to rely on longer bearings for obvious reasons. Technical areas like sand dunes I use the compass to orientate the map but then (try to!) watch the features around me and keep rotating the map so it matches the direction I am running. |
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Sep 2023
8:40pm, 15 Sep 2023
3,229 posts
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paulcook
Had a little practice run over an old map tonight. Certainly was far from perfect, though some of that was as the land isn't the same as when the map was done 3 years ago - more woods and vegetation for a start off. I came up with 2 novicey questions, though I've already forgotten one. If I remember I'll come back. But are the flags on the course numbered? Or do you have to work that bit out for yourself (especially given there's obviously several different maps going on at once). A more think aloud question I had, is it common to retrace steps backwards and forwards? I found myself doing that tonight, and on an urban course I ran a few weeks ago. |
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Sep 2023
9:24pm, 15 Sep 2023
45 posts
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mityellow
Yeah, so every control (flag) on the course has a unique number (normally 3 digits). On your map you will have control descriptions (loose descriptions also available). As well as telling you info about the control (e.g. ditch, north end) the description also tells you the 3 number code for that control (so control 1 on your course might be control number 150). So you can check you are at the right one. Not sure if you've come across control descriptions? Bear in mind these will be symbols for most courses. This website has a link to the list with all of them (most are self explanatory, I still forget the obscure ones! https://www.maprunner.co.uk/iof-control-descriptions/) Hope that all made sense - an image might have been more helpful... |
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Sep 2023
9:25pm, 15 Sep 2023
46 posts
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mityellow
Actually, you can see what I mean on Shortcut Cam's map photo on Page 134
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Sep 2023
9:45pm, 15 Sep 2023
3,230 posts
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paulcook
That really helps thank you. Yeah, I printed a bunch of maps earlier this year but hadn't got round to using any of them until a few weeks ago. Found some more at work today including the one I ran tonight which is barely 2 miles from home and away from an urban setting. |
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Sep 2023
6:54pm, 17 Sep 2023
3,231 posts
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paulcook
Well that was certainly different. I’d entered the green category before reading the different categories on the British Orienteering website. I was advised the dunes makes it difficult so switched to the light green. I nearly struggled to find the first flag - so many were hidden in nooks and crannies I hadn’t expected. Some were a doddle others so difficult. It certainly helped (confidence in particular) build my compass skills. And in the end I won my category albeit only out of 3 entries. |
Sep 2023
8:15pm, 17 Sep 2023
3,806 posts
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Oranj
That sounds great paulcook ! I always find it a confidence boost to get the first few controls our of the way easily (in contrast, stumbling about for them can ruin the rest of my run if I'm not careful - it can mess with your head). Dunes are tricky and the planner will have made some controls hard to find knowing the direction you're coming into them.
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