Team 'McLeod' is king of the Prospect Hill!

Despite the mis-spelling, the family name weaseled its way into the orienteering record books on Saturday. (Under 'Green' #39) MF and I now have an official orienteering course completion record of 1-1. The latter '1' was due to several careless mistakes on my part, resulting in a 'DNF'. Although, we actually did complete the course (backwards). Regardless, valuable lessons were learned during our first attempt and we regrouped to complete a longer and more difficult course shortly thereafter on the same day.

At first, the regular-ol' orienteering salt running the registration table was hesitant to allow two such inexperienced and reckless land navigators such as ourselves onto such a 'difficult' course. Even after explaining my land navigation background to him, he handed over the 'finger stick' (for checking in at checkpoints) only after issuing a warning of the impending perils we would inevitably encounter, whilst displaying obvious disapproval with his best stern countenance. (Clearly he doubted the training quality of the U.S. Military and NCAA intercollegiate track programs.) MF could have run the legs off of anyone there. (Not that that matters, but they definitely judged the proverbial book by her cover, and were surprised to see us running by in search of point 10 on the second course hours after we arrived.) She was a trooper, learning land nav on the fly, and going home in the end with the battle scars of multiple bramble patch encounters (which she licked, hands down.) She's a natural with a map and compass (not that I'm surprised). By the second half of our first course, she was already terrain associating and finding our points with little compass (or GB) aid. I know people who, after years of practice, can't do what she was doing. Straight-line distance between all 27 points (of both courses together) was roughly 5.5 miles. However, we didn't run any straight lines, and most of it was either up or down. Needless to say, in the end we were both exhausted, but it was fun regardless.

The people who organized the meet, and everyone who participated, were very friendly and helpful. There were courses for all ages and ability levels. Among the participants were groups of boy scouts earning their badges, young parents with little children, members of the U.S. Orienteering Team, and men and women like that old registration-table codger who were probably pioneers of the sport back in the day. It appears to have cultivated its own subculture. All the regulars only had first names and some were asked to lend a hand at the sign-up tables when map copies ran out or someone needed a bathroom break. The weather was beautiful Saturday, although the NEOC web-site boasts that scheduled events will be held "rain or shine". More info on the sport here, and here.

Anyway, they have meets just about every week. I'm planning on doing another one (only one course, with the correct map, and finding the points in the correct order; assuming all lessons are learned) on April 21. Anyone else up for a run in the woods?