Discussion: US Nationals

Why are you in the F-Green category?

I'm supposed to be on Brown (F55) but I still want to run Green. I don't care about medals and I don't want to (potentially) take one away from a true Green runner. So I signed up for F-Green.

Hey, you should join me in F35, it's very lonely over there!

That was very thoughtful of you.

There's only one F50 on Fri & Sat ... and none on Sunday. You should, at the very least, run F50 on Sunday.
I never was as thoughtful as you. I figured if I can beat someone on Green when I'm old enough for Brown, then that's legit. But certainly your viewpoint is valid as well.
(Personally I hate it when an older person runs down and doesn't run in the age group closest to their true age ... eg, you running F35 ... or JJ running M35 ... but clearly that's not a universal opinion. When I was the rankings chief, I'd rank people on the age closest to their true age. Ha! :-)

Oops, I take it back, I missed Brenda on F50 on Sunday.
Do you know for sure that those registered on F50 are actually in that age group? This time, probably, but what if I had decided to run F50, or Kissy or Eileen? Just a thought experiment ...

Isn’t the rankings thing in the rules, Peggy?

Might be. I don't remember since it's been ages since I've done the rankings and I haven't paid a ton of attention to it. (*Should* be if it's not! IMHO ...)

Looks like Green *ranking* (if you have enough ranking days on Green) would be in F50. No reason you couldn't run in F35, though.

Rules re: Rankings

F.1.9 A person may receive annual rankings on two different courses, provided that on one of the courses, they obtain daily ranking points (no credits) for the full number of days needed for ranking, else they shall only receive ranking on the course and class nearest their own Orienteering USA age class. If they meet these more stringent requirements on one course, the second course need only meet the normal requirements.

Yes, I will be ranked on F50, I already read the rules and confirmed with Valerie. That's OK, I actually want to be ranked on F50. I just feel differently than others about running in classes outside your age group. And I really don't care about the medals. Finally, several true F50s and I had a conversation about this exact topic in Laramie last month.

I'm not a fan of people not running their age, either, except for 21-34, since I feel that's the "open" class. Thankfully, I've beaten JJ every single time we've been in M35 together.

I jumped at the chance to run M35 as soon as I was able. One reason was that Blue Longs are too long to be fun for me. The other reason was that it gave me a shot at a national championship. I remember my college roommate Peter saying to me when we were college students, "We're the only two members of OK who haven't won a national championship." (I don't know if that was true, but it certainly feels true!)

Speaking of M35, there will be a fresh crop of champions this year, as Boris, Greg, and I are all not coming. I'd like to say that I'm boycotting the not-really-a Sprint format, but I'm actually working that day, directing an event for Eric, so that he can attend US Champs Nationals.