Training Log Archive: JanetTIn the 1 days ending Aug 23, 2014:
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Saturday Aug 23, 2014 #
Event: 2014 U.S. Corn Maze Champs
3 PM
Orienteering race (Corn Classic) 24:01 [4] *** 2.21 km (10:52 / km) +2m 10:49 / km
18c shoes: Inov8 ORoc280-B 2013-10
At MIke's Maze in Sunderland, MA. Overhead photo from MikesMaze.com website:
Maps (from Peter)
Having done Corn Maze O once before, I knew to take it very slow and carefully to the first few controls to get a feel for the scale (1:1,000) of the map. For instance, one short and fairly trivial leg, about 2cm long, at the southwest end of the map took me 30 seconds (9-10). I don't remember all my errors but do know that one the way from 7-8 I ended up in the straight-away section in the S corner (lower right) of the maze...oops. Didn't use compass much and when I did (16-17) it messed me up because I didn't realize until after the race that the top of the map was oriented a bit NNE. Liked my route choice on this one, though, which was to go N to the edge of the checkerboard and run along the edge looking down the rows until I saw the flag at the end of the row.
Fun to climb up on the viewing platform to watch others zooming out of the maze to finish (some of them neglecting to punch at the ultimate control at a start point just inside the edge).
23/50 even with my mistakes; 4th woman (about 4-5 min. behind the speedy group of Izzy, Alex, and Barb -- not necessarily in that order), not that that counts for anything. :-)
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| From Miscellaneous |
Maps (from Peter)
Having done Corn Maze O once before, I knew to take it very slow and carefully to the first few controls to get a feel for the scale (1:1,000) of the map. For instance, one short and fairly trivial leg, about 2cm long, at the southwest end of the map took me 30 seconds (9-10). I don't remember all my errors but do know that one the way from 7-8 I ended up in the straight-away section in the S corner (lower right) of the maze...oops. Didn't use compass much and when I did (16-17) it messed me up because I didn't realize until after the race that the top of the map was oriented a bit NNE. Liked my route choice on this one, though, which was to go N to the edge of the checkerboard and run along the edge looking down the rows until I saw the flag at the end of the row.
Fun to climb up on the viewing platform to watch others zooming out of the maze to finish (some of them neglecting to punch at the ultimate control at a start point just inside the edge).
23/50 even with my mistakes; 4th woman (about 4-5 min. behind the speedy group of Izzy, Alex, and Barb -- not necessarily in that order), not that that counts for anything. :-)
5 PM
Orienteering race (Corn Sprint) 10:23 [5] *** 1.2 km (8:41 / km) +2m 8:37 / km
5c shoes: Inov8 ORoc280-B 2013-10
Long route choice legs! Probably could have chosen faster routes but did okay. I think I messed up one of these but now, looking at the map, I can't remember which...either 3 or 4, I think. From 1-2 I zoomed around the top of the raven's head (E side of map/maze).
30th/49
30th/49
8 PM
Orienteering race (Corn Night-O!) 39:22 [3] *** 2.7 km (14:35 / km) +2m 14:32 / km
24c shoes: Inov8 ORoc280-B 2013-10
While waiting for darkness to do the night-O, and after feasting at Bub's BBQ (where I restrained myself on food quantities), we did the Corn Maze Trail O from the viewing platform. You had to use good bearings, distance estimation, and a bit of dumb luck (imho) to get close...just like in real Trail O. I managed to get one exactly, and the other two far enough off to not earn points, for 10 points total of a possible 30; highest result was 17 points. Photos and Results
The "mellow mass start" for the Night O required that everyone punch the start box separately, so maps were handed out in a "seeded" manner with fastest folks starting first but getting their maps last (while the rest of us were able to look at the maps for a bit before starting).
The night-O was a blast with lots of people out and about in the maze and you trying to not to be blinded (or blind anyone else with your headlamp) or get run over. Decided early on not to try to get them all in order, though it would probably have been doable within the 60-minute limit, just very tricky and intense. So I did a mostly counterclockwise loop, saving some of the higher point controls at the north end for last. At 46 my plan was to do 46-47-48-51 and in; after 46 I navigated to 47 but thought I needed to go to the next row and punch 51, then 48 and in, and neglected to punch 47. The mind plays tricks on you...
Would have been spooky doing it alone.
30th again, out of 38 this time, with 36 of a possible 49 points
Results
The "mellow mass start" for the Night O required that everyone punch the start box separately, so maps were handed out in a "seeded" manner with fastest folks starting first but getting their maps last (while the rest of us were able to look at the maps for a bit before starting).
The night-O was a blast with lots of people out and about in the maze and you trying to not to be blinded (or blind anyone else with your headlamp) or get run over. Decided early on not to try to get them all in order, though it would probably have been doable within the 60-minute limit, just very tricky and intense. So I did a mostly counterclockwise loop, saving some of the higher point controls at the north end for last. At 46 my plan was to do 46-47-48-51 and in; after 46 I navigated to 47 but thought I needed to go to the next row and punch 51, then 48 and in, and neglected to punch 47. The mind plays tricks on you...
Would have been spooky doing it alone.
30th again, out of 38 this time, with 36 of a possible 49 points
Results