Race Evaluation
West Point A meet: Red-1X
jima
| 1. | Oh yeah, West Point = hills, as if I could ever forget... Flash of color from another runner above the control draws my eye right to it. Just a matter of getting up there. | ||||||
| 2. | Decided that going around to the left only added distance without significantly decreasing climb, so up and over I went. Pass trail, over the bare rock, another knoll, see reentrant and there's the control. Feeling confidence in my ability to relate to the map. | ||||||
| 3. | Straight,maintaining contact with the map, ticking off features as I pass them. Map reading on the run going OK. | ||||||
| 4. | Left of the line to avoid the rocks going down hill, but maintain visual contact as a handrail. Flattens out on right, clearing below, contouring and bearing match. Peg it. | ||||||
| 5. | Faster runner overtakes me. Over trail, bear right to reduce losing elevation, trying to see the terrain and pace count. Other runner a bit below and ahead of me pulling away. See a very vague trail - is it the one on the map. A few moments of hesitation, looking both up and down hill, spot a control on what could be considered a spur - it's the right one. Still doesn't seem to be in the right place. | ||||||
| 6. | Careful on compass, terrains flattens put, see marshy area and control. Seems awful close, reinforcing thought that #5 was misplaced a bit. | ||||||
| 7. | +03:30 | Wasn't careful enough with compass work, kep going too far right. Started straight up the other side, rather than angling. 3 cadets in full patrol gear working their way across in front of me - momentary distraction. Realize I'm too far up the spur, but don't adjust enough. Seems to b e more green than I expect and the marhsy ground isn't matching up. See a control in the distance by a stone wall, run to it - wrong one and it's on the corner, not the end. Figure out where I am, and get the right one. | |||||
| 8. | +00:30 | Head out too far to the right and hit the trail at an unexpected angle. Takes a few seconds to figure out where I am. Turn right, past the water stop, glad I'm carrying my ownwater bottle, which doesn't need refilling yet. Up the broad reentrant, cross the trail, onto the top. Visit a couple extra knolls. Seems like the control is too far to the south of the flat hill top. | |||||
| 9. | Left, right or beeline?? Left is discarded as I don't want to drop elevation to get below the major cliff. Beeline - too much side hill through rocky ground. Right has a bit of climb, but I can preview #12 possibly, and I think I have a good attack approach angling down from the hill top. Slog up towards 12, see lots of folks looking for controls, maybe extra ones around here! Head just S of hilltop, good running down the flat hill top, drop into reentrant, between rock features, stay above cliff, see semi open area, confirm description as top of cliff, not bottom, and peg it. | ||||||
| 10. | I hate runnig rocky downhills. Slightly left of the line to avoid worst of it. Spur, bare rock, peg it. | ||||||
| 11. | +00:45 | Compass, over more rocky stuff. How far have I climbed - too far?? How many rockfaces are there? A bit hard to tell with them lined up with the contours. Into the larger rocks, realize I'm high when the see the elephant track angling up just past me. Head down and get it, leading Tim Good right into it. | |||||
| 12. | Back up again. Opt for the angeld route - can see others above me, they seem to be moving OK. Find a reasonable path between cliffs above and below, staying ahead of Tim. Get to the flatter area, keep reentrant on right, pick off features and get it. | ||||||
| 13. | Should have spent 5 more seconds coming up with a good route, started beelining and then went just a bit roght of the line, N of the dark green marsh. Should have gone further north to the small trail. A few moments of hesitation, nothing major along the way. | ||||||
| 14. | Again, a few seconds to look at other options would have paid off. Went for the beeline, following the elephant trail and sidehilling, In retrospect, dropping left to the road, and in from the jeep trail, or heading back N over the top would have been better. | ||||||
| 15. | |||||||
| F. | Wel, no major blowouts. Could have been better physically, plenty of opportunities for better navigation. A solid C. |
Total Time Lost - 00:04:45