Training Log Archive: iansmith

An open question: what benefits can OUSA offer that would make OUSA membership compelling for a larger fraction of US orienteering club members? At present, only about 25% of members of US orienteering clubs are also OUSA members. (~6000 and ~1500 respectively).

Unrelated, and without context: Canadian Border Guards don't use their guns very often. http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cbsa-border-guards...

C • OUSA 14

C • Guns 1

Thoughts from Team USA's Greg Ahlswede about WOC 2017:
https://www.athletebiz.us/blog/not-seeing-the-fore...

World Games going on right now, exciting stuff! For reasons unknown, the US didn't send a team (edit- only one NA team gets to go, and Canada was ranked higher), so I'm cheering for my adopted home and native land, Canada. GPS and video coverage available at liveorienteering, and the coverage is very good.

Go Canada, eh!

https://liveorienteering.com/#/live?id=5713

Yay Athletourism:
https://www.attackpoint.org/viewlog.jsp/user_3737/...

OUSA Stuff:
I found the mapping resource data on OUSA difficult to navigate. It took considerable effort and a google search to find this list of mappers, and it did not include any of the three mappers my clubs have used - Marcello, Zherdev, and Ed. I didn't intuitively realize a "service directory" was a list of mappers.

C • Service directory 2

I had been preparing for this day for a long time; this was my time to be one with the universe and test my nerves and composure in an epic struggle. Katie and I played golf.

I came in with a lot of confidence - relying on my inherent physical abilities and my experience dealing with stress. Equilibrium is necessary, but just as important is a cold focus and a drive. I have never lacked for ambition. As I readied myself to do battle, my mind put together a game plan. And that game plan was that while there are events whose outcome you can't control, you do have a choice with how to react to it, what your composure is. There is no excuse not to be mentally alert and focused. This meant making good decisions, patiently reasoning a course of action to execute those decisions, and then having the concentration to execute in the heat of battle. And of course, part of the objective was to savor the moment, for it will never come again.

It started well - I made par on the first hole, while Katie double bogeyed. But as quickly as things seem to come together, they fall apart - she bogeyed the second hole, while I melted down with a quintuple bogey. Katie by 2. Orienteering, like golf, can't be won by a single act, but it sure can be lost. This was my moment, my chance to weather adversity.

It took years of training and a deep inner strength, but I found my balance again. We were even on the next three holes, and then I pulled back four strokes on 6-9 like a regular Jordan Spieth. The stress and inner turmoil were broken up by waiting for some kids to finish ahead of us, and we jumped around on the back nine to avoid some groups.

Some days, everything just comes together, and as wrenching as the challenges can be, the ecstasy of those moments feels real good. On hole 12, I sank my tee shot for a beautiful birdie. Birdies are hard to come by, and they must be treasured. And just for good measure, later on hole 11 (out of sequence), Katie sank her tee shot for her hole-in-one. Sublime.

I came into the last hole with a 5 stroke lead, but I hit a miserable first two shots leaving me well off the green and above these cute little pegs on the fairway. I was a bit stressed, but I held it together for a triple bogey - losing two shots to Katie on 18, but keeping my composure to do what was needed.

At the end of the day, it's not obvious if I should be satisfied with my 14 over par 53, but I choose to be - partly because Katie shot a 56. Will I shoot 53 again? Maybe I can shoot my age if the stars line up and I do some sport-specific training. Maybe I should buy a putter. But today was a good day. And two holes-in-one will put a smile on anyone's face.

Ian: 29+24 = 53
Katie: 31+25 = 56

Kayaking in Orillia on an inlet of Lake Simcoe. A good day, followed by some beach time and swimming, pizza, and a walk around Barrie.