We were in our first 12 hour rogaine last year, and in hindsight, with better route planning and while covering the same distance we could of increased our score substantially.
So the question is how to plan an effective route? Is there any effective method?
I have seen suggestions such as using a string to help route plan, does this even work in practice. The concept is simple, but the technique is another question, such as keeping the
string from moving around.
The string works very well, but there's a few more details.
What you need is a board big enough to hold the map, covered in cork or something similar. You then put a pin in the map at each control*, and then weave the string between the pins to plan a route. It also helps if you colour/mark the string at set distances so you know how far you've planned without unwinding it all to measure.
A fair few rogainers in West Aust use strings, but the eastern staters who came over for the Aus champs recently were all "...so, what's with the string eh?"
* - extra tip - put the pin on the edge of the circle, say due north of the control site. That way you don't put a hole where the flag should be, potentially obscuring detail. Of course, if your organisers will give you an extra map then use it, but don't rely on this.
The string method is effective in Western Australia where we have no hills so it's possible to straight-line everything. It's still possible to use this technique when you have to do a lot of contouring but you'd need more pins to stick in the map at various locations (e.g. watercourse bends, around spur lines, etc.)
I colour code the controls with a highlighter beforehand to see where the biggest smattering of points is.
I colour code the numbers so I don't obscure the detail in the circle. Of course, a well-set rogaine will have approximately equal points in each quarter of the map.
Then I draw a mudmap on a piece of paper and count up the number of points in a given section, and try to work out the rough distance for that section. Points per km is a useful guide but I usually run out of time to work all this out.
Those are all good strategies. You can also use the string technique where it is hilly as long as you use a shorter length of string. The most important thing about the string is that you and your teammate need to decide in advance how long the string will be, e.g. 60 km. Since the map scale is usually known beforehand, you can prepare the string in advance, marking at least every 5 km with a red pen - and maybe individual km if you have time. The more difficult the terrain, the shorter the string.
I might detour the string around a really big lake, but for the most part, I run it as a straight line between controls and plan for the string to be some percentage shorter than the distance I think we'll actually travel on the ground. So for a 60 km string, I might really be expecting to go 70+ km in the terrain. It would be more accurate to run it along the exact route I'm planning to go, but there is rarely enough time to plan things in that much detail. Also, an advantage of the string is that you can use it to test several different routes on paper to see how many points you will get on each route, where each route is a similar distance.
I normally just link all the controls together in the best route I can see and then see how long it is. If it's too long then I start by dropping a few low point controls or controls that are out of the way. Keep repeating the process until it's short enough.
Note: most rogaines I've done a top team can get most of the controls in the time allowed. Obviously if you are a slower team and can only get half the controls then you might have to alter this procedure and implement some of the other ideas.
Working out how far you can go in 12hrs or 24hrs comes with experience. Here in NZ in 12hrs you can usually cover 40-60km depending on how hilly it is.
I always keep the string straight line and then adjust my expectations for pace based on climb and vegetation.
Other things to consider:
Try to put the hillier sections at night. Nav is generally easier in areas of high relief and you'll be moving slowly anyway.
Try to find some running legs. Even if it's just 10 minutes out of each hour a little jogging on a road or along a ridgeline will make a big difference in how you feel.
Keep your feet dry. This may not be possible, but adding a little distance to avoid wet crossings often pays off because your less likely to lose time changing socks or treating blisters.
The rule 2/3 rds of your points within the first 1/2 of the race seems to match up pretty well with what I've found.
My strategy is pretty amorphous, but I've had pretty good results. Prior to the maps, I get a feel for where I want to be on the course during day/night or start/finish by just looking around the area.
When I get the map, I pair off groupings. There are typically some groups that the route becomes semi-obvious on, no matter what direction of attack. I flow the groupings together and decide what groupings I'm prioritizing. The latter groupings become "outs". In that if I run out of time, they get dropped and we just grab some points on the race back to the finish. So, I don't end up typically making any adjustments while racing - mainly because I know my I.Q. drops off about 50 points 3 hours in.
I plan a route that includes all points - never dropping early controls as they will haunt you. Then re-visit to see the actual distance and where I'm likely to get to. Dropping future groupings, if required.
But, as mentioned, nothing can take the place of knowing how efficiently you can move in certain terrains, weather, and time of day.
Reading the other comments reminds me... rogaine strategy is quite different if you think you can hit all the controls within the time limit. In the first rogaine I did (2004 World Champs), the winners got about 75% of the available points. That was great - I much prefer rogaines where there is no possibility of cleaning the course because that means that every team has to solve the same difficult problem - evaluating their team's abilities in that type of terrain, then determining which subset of the controls will give them the best return for their effort. Where it is possible for some teams to clean the course, then they just need to figure out the best route that hits all the controls, which is a much easier problem to analyze. (Although it is still difficult to execute!)
I've had the same experience as Urthbuoy with the loss of IQ points on the course, which is why I like to have some contingency plans figured out in advance. And the "2/3 of points in the first half" rule of thumb is right on.
I've used a string, but much more informally than the cork board and pins technique. I just measure out a string ahead of time (knowing the scale), and say "this is how far we can go" (or maybe "this is how far we can go before we want to hit the hash house"), knowing our expected speed in tha kind of terrain. Then we say, "well, what if we started out this way?", and I trace out the route from control to control using the string and my fingers, looking to see whether I wind up with a lot of string left over, or if ir all vanishes really quickly. If it's one of those two, then we adjust our expectation, pick a different plan, and measure again. Doing too much math just doesn't seem worthwhile, but this helps to get a sense of things on a map with an unfamiliar scale, since Rogaine scales vary so much.
I use a string with marks each 5 km. Usually our team knows how long we expect to go for the particular race, so I have a rough idea how long my whole path should be. Coming from orienteering background I use the string to measure the distance of my actual path with all contouring going around obstacles and route choices. This makes my route much more precise. And I have just planned all my route choices while clear headed and rested. I try to keep lower point controls and organize in my path loops of lower point controls during the later part of the race, so if I need to cut short, it would minimize the points lost. Planning for flattish, easier, better runnability terrain to cover in the beggining, and rugged steep, thick etc.. for the night and later parts is always beneficial to the total lenght you could cover.
With my partner we take the first 15 -20 mins to plan independantly and each of us comes up with a initial best route, then we combine the better portions from both routes. More eyes and more independantly though out plans will give you more options and less things overlooked.
As I come up with a candidate route selected with the approximate lenght and controls we could could pick, I try to optimize particular sections or group of controls. The optimizations can be for reducing distance for particular bunch of controls, increasing points, minimizing climb. At the end of the planning after coming up with a final route, I run it with the string one more time backwards from the finish and write the distances on the map at 5 km intervals. If I'll be coming back to the hash house I do this backwards for the two loops separately. This way I don't need to calculate distances and times while I am tired at the closing stages of the race. Just see the counter 15, 10, 5... :)
In addition to the techniques already mentioned I sometimes find it useful to base my planning around my run into the finish. Look for a fast route to the finish with many low point controls along it which I can miss if I'm running short on time. This gives me a rough direction and I work my way backwards from there. (Its important to note that this can all go out the window depending on the terrain!)
...this can all go out the window depending on the terrain!....
Absolutely. I've never been able to foresee the manner in which any rogaine will finish...it's always a surprise!
I wonder if these folks with their strings are equally methodical during that last hour or two?
I usually colour code the numbers of the controls that will score the most points (usually the top half of the scoring range coded into blocks of 20 points). Then I pick out the colourful areas and work out the distance to see if I can make it to them and around in good order.
Figure out your likely km/hr rate and on a longer rogaine, how long you want to be out for and work that into your route planning as well. If I'm out for the whole rogaine, I also usually try and build in decision points where I can either continue with the planned route or go back to hash if broken/exhausted/bitter/abouttokillmyteammate.
I wonder if these folks with their strings are equally methodical during that last hour or two?
Assuming that we can't get all the controls, the last couple of hours are still planned with the string - but they're consciously planned to be flexible, with a range of options to choose from depending on the time remaining. Usually I leave a smaller optional loop near the finish that we could do partially or completely. Most course setters avoid putting high-pointers near the start/finish, so this is usually an area where the losses aren't great if you blow off a few controls. If there is a high-pointer, it's nice to pick it up at the beginning to get it over with - unless it's in the totally wrong direction.
I wonder if these folks with their strings are equally methodical during that last hour or two?
I generally plan a route about 10% longer than I expect to be able to run and then figure decision points where shortcuts can be taken. Ideally, the shortcuts come late in the route and only hack off low-point controls, but sometimes you have to make the decision sooner and/or take bigger hits.
As for estimating the route, I agree with those who say that just comes with experience, and not just personal experience - how well you move as a team also matters. If you are paired with someone who would normally choose different routes (over vs. around, roads vs. woods, etc.) you're not going to move as fast because one of you will be taking a less preferred route.
Route planning is not confined to rogaines.
Consider a score-O format event. 24 controls, 60 minutes, perhaps with different values - no planning time...
ROC is partial to score-O format on some of the local parks that just couldn't support much beyond a yellow course - over the summer. The event is confined to a specific mass-start time, the competition window, and then the cleanup. Can be done after work during the week even...
The very first question (as posed here) is - is it reasonable to think all controls can be reached in the time given?
If not - what concentration is "optimal" - given the difficulty, distance, climb, etc.
If yes - what route minimizes distance, climb, and provides a "bail-out" if time happens to fly.
Some people seem to have a knack for doing a good route by sight, others not-so-good;-)
Because full rogaines are less common and take a lot out even when available, you might consider arranging some Score-O events and scattering controls around - just to get more used to doing an evaluation on the fly.
There is an article written many years ago discussing the gamble of being able to (may be) get all of the controls versus the gambit of knowing you cannot get them. The author came down on the side of it always being gambit however as a volunteer sport and where it is not a championship event it is probably no harm if it is achievable to do so - not that it is within my capacities anyhow. With championships a sweep should be a Reinhold Messner/Haile Gebrselassie.
I cannot think of the names of the pair of French Alpinists who sight climbed Everest from Base Camp to Base Camp in less than twenty four hours as that to me is what clearing a WRC may require.
Route planning what will follow logically and intutuitively, and if the kids are along minnimum fuss with greatest enjoyment, heading home again what will flow together.
Score Os like the Sydney Summer Series whcih is about to begin are great events.
This New Zealand O page is interesting for the rogaines, Os and overlapping events that it describes.
http://www.mapsport.co.nz/rog/rogaine.html
Batard? Can't remember if he was the one who glissaded down the Hornbein Coulour.. I thought that was a pair?
This discussion thread is closed.