Training Log Archive: BigWillyStyle

5xK ~3min rest

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At the most recent Cascade board meeting and subsequent to it, we've been discussing the OUSA 50th anniversary fundraising drive and whether/how to contribute to it. I find myself conflicted on many of the current issues surrounding the national federation: the funding drive, the ED question, the OUSA general philosophy, etc, but what seems objectively clear is that the orienteering population is aging, and there is little or no reason to suppose this will somehow change on its own. Therefore, if on the whole we keep doing what we're doing, the sport is likely to die a slow death in this country. This appears more or less indisputable.

So - action is needed. I have no answers, but I can at least identify the problem - namely: not enough new orienteers are being created. Ergo, the singular aim of everyone who cares about growing (or even maintaining) orienteering in the US (and I guess this probably applies to Canada too, though I'm not as familiar with the situation there) should be to get as many in the 10-25 age range orienteering, as much as possible. Doesn't matter how, when, where, why, or what you call it. Get. Young people. Orienteering. All else is insignificant in comparison.

Obviously, none of this is an earthshaking revelation and any number of brilliant people across the country/continent are already doing great things to counteract the trend, but it seems that many others either do not see the problem or do not appreciate the urgency of the situation.

I guess this is where I would like to see OUSA take leadership - A. Raising awareness that, hey, yes this IS a major problem, B. Here's ideas on what we as a national body and you as clubs can/should do about it, C. Here's material aid for the various successful ongoing youth programs around the country (Barb, Erin, ARK, WIOL, ROTC in places like GA and TX, others?) and D. Coordinating and organizing the knowledge and experience of the aforementioned programs to fast-track creation of new youth programs such that we don't have to re-invent the whole thing every time.

Maybe these are not realistic with the resources OUSA has, I dunno. But if I was the big Czar-man this would be, like, the entire mission statement and we would pour whatever resources we do have into it. If nothing else, when (if) our ship still sinks at least we can say we went down fighting the right battle.

C • Houston, we have a problem 4

Event: Street Scramble Everett
 

Everett Street Scramble. A longer course than usual; Street Scrambles are generally clearable in under 30mi, but this one had two or three circuitous out-and-backs which pushed the distance up. I came close to clearing it, only missing three 10pt checkpoints near the start due to running out of time. Also took a -20pt penalty for finishing 90s late, for a total of 950/1000. On the plus side, my average speed was 1-2mph higher than usual.

Had one 1-2min nav error where I misread which street connected to the bridge I wanted to cross, and one 2-3min route choice error where I was unsure from the map whether an elevated road allowed access to the spot I wanted to get to - turned out it did, but I had taken a safer/slower route.

Event: 2016 Western Canadian Orienteering Champs
 

Rolled out to Cle Elum for the day with Don, Murray, Peteris, and Ott. First order of business (for me) was to test-run one of the courses for Forest Runs' Jungle Creek two-day event. All I'm at liberty to say is that it will be fun orienteering on new maps and everyone should come! Weather will in all likelihood be excellent and it is <2 hrs from Seattle.

Then spent the afternoon doing some fieldchecking on the second day's map, as well as initial exploration/evaluation of some uncharted territory for potential future mappage.

C • Hmm... 4

My personal convictions certainly do not lead me to the Republican Party, but at least I could respect their right to their honestly held beliefs. Now that they have officially repudiated their own principles by nominating a thuggish, ignorant egomaniac for the Presidency, it will be a long time (if ever) until I can forgive them the real and potential horror they have wrought upon our country.

"And we should fear - for the republic, for a democracy facing its gravest peril since the Civil War."

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/22/opinion/make-ame...

What WOC looks like in my head (skip to 4:20):

C • That´s only... 1

Event: COC Wednesday Evening #3 - Big Finn Hill Park
 

Blanket control setting/pickup, including some O-terval-y things. An unofficial count of 74 starts tonight, which essentially matches the highest ever for a Wednesday Evening event. With their strong home-field advantage, the Olsons dominate Big Finn Hill - last year Jordan won and Jon was second, this year Jon won and was the only runner to best the 40min estimated winning time.

I enjoy setting at BFH, as it is both big and interesting enough (relative to other WES venues) to create something approximating a real orienteering course, and also allows for some variation in navigational challenge. However, I wish I had not procrastinated this time and thus been unaware of some minor yet important map updates which would have improved the experience for people.