in: Cristina; Cristina > 2005-12-31;
| # Posted 2006-01-01 08:09:22 | |
| PG: | Some suggestions, take or leave as you see fit.
1. Setting annual goals is great. 2. It's also good at the same time to look back at the past year as see what you've accomplished. Make of list of where you've improved and how much. It will be handy and fun to refer back to this. 3. It's also good to do a self-evaluation of your strengths and weeknesses. This should be the basis for forming your goals. This should also be written down as part of your annual plan. 4. As far as your proposed goals: -- You can run on a map more often than you think, it just may not be an orienteering map. But you can do a lot of very useful training (both physical and skills training) on a USGS map. And you will train your eye to be more discerning when it comes to reading contours. And you also can get a lot of practice reading a map on the run. -- If possible, do some mapping. Can be a small map. It trains the eye to better grasp the map/terrain correlations. Ditto for setting courses, even if just sprint courses. -- Bravo for realizing that there is "fluff" training. Do stuff that will make you a better orienteer. Figure out a way to do that without getting injured all the time. That can be a problem. -- Be disciplined with your map study. The goal is to be able to extract very precise info from a map with a very brief look, or series of looks. That's what you do when you read a map on the run. The goal is NOT to practice long slow looks at the map. -- Goals 4a and 4b are pretty much the same. I would drop one of them and maybe add something similar but of longer duration, some race-pace goal taking 60-75 minutes, or perhaps a trail race or two when it won't conflict with your O' schedule. -- And I might add a goal: To be able to stand at the starting line of an O' race by next fall and know that you are physically prepared, that you have the skills, and that you are confident. And then go out and have a good race. No matter how anyone else does. 5. If you want someone to help coach/advise you, just ask. 6. Good luck. And when you start beating some of the older folks, just smile and say you were lucky. And then beat them again. |
| # Posted 2006-01-02 05:52:35 | |
| disorienteer: | Great list of goals, Cristina! Definitely some inspiring stuff. |
| # Posted 2006-01-02 08:24:14 | |
| Cristina: | Thanks for the suggestions, Peter. I do need to look back at the year and do some self-evaluating. (Probably a good use of my time on my flight back tomorrow...) I feel like there was a pretty significant difference with how I orienteered at the beginning of the year versus the end of the year. It would be valuable to take a look at what's changed, see if I can say why. Aside from eating more vegetables.
I am just starting to work on a map in North Little Rock with a couple of Arkansans. I'll probably be spending a few days a week doing some field checking, so that's a good set of O skills session built in for the next few months. And since that's typically where I run, it's a map to run on, too. My running goals (4a and 4b) are kind of either/or, since I should be able to do the other if I can do one. A trail test loop or race would be ideal, but hard to plan for since I don't know my schedule beyond Feb. I can always throw something in later. And I quite like your suggested additional goal. It seems hard to come up with O goals that don't rely on other peoples' performance. If I manage the first few goals, this last one should follow... And so should beating the older folks. ;-) |
| # Posted 2006-01-03 02:34:37 | |
| peggyd: | It's good to see your goals, with a variety of "achievableness" -- I always believed that you should have tiers of goals, including your "dream" goals (which I think you don't have here; that might be something like "make the WOC team"). It's also great that you published your goals, because having other people know them will make you more motivated to work toward them and will get others, eg Peter above, asking you about your progress, watching your results, and giving you advice.
I have noticed your improvement this year, as I'm sure many others have, and I have no doubt you'll continue to improve. Just be kind as you go by. |
| # Posted 2006-01-03 07:34:21 | |
| khall: | So as not to repeat what everyone has already said, I'll just add a new suggestion:
A good orienteering goal NOT related to other people is to cut down on the amount of time you lose in a race due to errors. If you typically make about 10 minutes of mistakes, aim to cut that down to 5 minutes per course, for example. Of course estimating time lost is not an exact science, but it works pretty well as a guide to how smoothly and accurately you are orienteering, and perhaps more importantly, how quickly you are realizing that you have made an error, and how quickly you correct it! Looks like you are headed for a good year! |
| # Posted 2006-01-04 07:35:16 | |
| Cristina: | Ah, tracking mistake time is a good one. That's something that the geek in me would enjoy graphing, just because it would be fun to watch the curve approach zero as time appoaches infinity. ;-)
I really appreciate all of the comments, advice and encouragement from everyone. It's quite motivating to have people "checking up on me", as it were. I'm never one to refuse help, so please don't stop! |
| # Posted 2006-01-05 23:34:00 | |
| Jerritt: | Christina,
Check out Eric Buckley's blog. http://carolsteam.org/news/default.aspx/blog His topic over the past two weeks has been 2006 goals. Worthwhile reading |
| # Posted 2006-01-06 08:52:52 | |
| piutepro: | I would suggest to focus on the the technical and mental practice, too. E.g. Where do you have the most troubles during a race? In complex areas, towards the end, when other runners are around? In flat areas or on steep hill sides? When using the compass? Once you figure the areas of trouble, develop a practice to work on it.
I believe 'hard' numbers (e.g. ranking) are difficult goals, because they include factors you cannot control. What about if the other runners improve a lot, too? I would aim to develop your technical skills, e.g. anticipating the next leg before getting to the control (this can save a lot of time, because if the route choices are done early, or at least you start evaluating the choices in time, chances are less that you mess up the next leg.) |
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