Competing on familiar territory

[mxhornet]

I was very pleased when I found out that NOR were putting on an event today at a venue I'm very familiar with. It was only my second event and the first was far from trouble free so I'd hoped knowing the area would be very helpful. Which it was as I was able to find controls quite easily with minimal map and control description list checking. However I found I missed 3 controls I should have picked up in the last 10 minutes of this one hour score event. As time was running short I fell in to the trap of only vaguely checking the map and focusing more on the control description think "ah I know where that'll be" only to be wrong then pressing on rather than waste time.

Have others found themselves lulled in to a false sense of security in similar situations.

[greywolf]

not quite the same...but a couple of days ago i tried test running a course i have been planning, in a forest i've run in 3 times a week for a year...and still made a 2 minute mistake

[mxhornet]

Oh dear !!

One other observation I made was, I think I'd have done better if I'd taken a minute or so to study the map before starting rather than just follow the the throng initially then see what control makes most sense next.

[NFKleanne]

i only did the orange at the same event, and lost 10minutes looking for the 1st control. oops. the rest was fine, except one of the kids cut her head leaving a control (don't know how though).

It isn't always easier to compete on familiar ground - at Sandringham, there had been massive tree felling programs and bracken, and rhododendron clearances, and at one point i got slightly lost.

[mxhornet]

First 10 minutes was best for me, I was on my way to 5th control by then.

[madmike]

Have others found themselves lulled in to a false sense of security in similar situations.

Yes - I have to confess to missing (cost me 2 mins) the second control on a map I'd helped to survey a few years previously; I ran quickly and precisely to completely the wrong small depression after a cursory glance at the map

My name was still on the map legend making it even more embarrassing in the post race discussion

[King Penguin]

About March 2008 I did a night score event, then a conventional event on the same area the following day. At the end of the day event I found I had mis-punched - went to the same depression as the night before rather than the correct one not far away.

I've also frequently made mistakes in Sutton Park which I know very well.

[mxhornet]

My last mistake in Sutton Park was agreeing to run in the National 12 road relay champs

I think I'll need to do quite a few more daylight events before attempting a night event.