Winterfold - The long leg route choice

[Mr timE]

For those that had the long 2km leg 135 to 137 at Winterfold yesterday(it was 9 to 10 on M21L(cse 1) and 4 to 5 on cse 3) which do you think was fastest, the 3 km southern route via the finish, or the direct route which I made 2.2km shortest, although I actually ran 2.4km? Impossible to tell from the splits who did what, although I know Ed Catmur came south, I thought more would have gone that way but most I spoke to went straight. I decided I was not fast enough a runner for that option, but on reflection if I had just run 5 min kms I would have saved 2 mins on my 17 min time, the climb looks virtually the same.

[Gnitworp]

Ideal material for 'RouteGadget'?

[Paulo]

I went straight-ish, as did everyone I spoke to - although I went a bit further north of the straight line than most and curved round into it. From speaking to people and comparing splits, I think the best route sounded like picking up the big forest road on the straight line route half way through the leg and hammering round that.

Can't believe that the very long round route was best. Splitsbrowser says that Ed Catmur lost 42 seconds on that leg by going round...

Good long leg though.

[Steve]

But there was a large number of possible "south" routes.

I decided to avoid significant off-path climb if possible and took a route a little to the south of the line and ran the middle section of the route all on paths - some with a slight incline but not enough to slow me down much. Apart from one climb and a small bank I was only running off-path downhill. Some people I spoke to also went that way, but hung on to the paths at the end of the leg instead of cutting across from the oob forestry compound on the ridge.

Don't know what routes people with similar times to me took so I don't know know how this route compared.

[mharky]

Is there anyway anyone can put the leg up somewhere, e.g. by taking a digital photo of the map. Would be interesting to see it.

Or what would be really good if is we could try and get all our regional and national events up onto the UK Route Gadget site...

[Simon]

I do not have the map to scan/photograph. However, I was able to find a version of the map online - from the World Cup event last year - and have marked the long leg on it.

If my memory is correct then the long leg was from A to B.

[Steve]

The only difference on the map this time is that the small open area to the right of the number 11 is out of bounds - full of forestry machinery. It doesn't make much difference to route choice though.

[Paulo]

I went the yellow route, which I was quite happy with, although quite a few people I spoke to did something along the lines of the green route, which did seem to be a little bit quicker.

I'm guessing Ed's was something like the orange route (which goes along the route from bus drop off point to start/finish, between the 2 roads - maybe not ideal). But now I'm thinking the blue route might have actually been quicker...

Be interesting to hear Matthias's view as planner...


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[mharky]

when i first looked i though I would start like the green, then as it passes #19 i would stay on the forrest road and cut up from the track crossing by the pond and red line it to the control...

[Barny of Blandford]

On course 4 we had the butterfly control due north of control 18 as our first control and then A as our second control
Route choice was straight overland to the string course and then Eds route in reverse - very fast 10.26sec and I would have to say I was nearly dying at the end and ready for a rest
Our 6 to 7 again was long and went from 37 through B and to west of 5
Went direct - then yellow route along green and sw from your B to my control 13m50 - control B was like a honeypot - I wondered what all the interest was when I passed it but all I could see was panting runners
Someone did it in 11min - Ian Cooper (but Brian Rix M55 was even quicker) - but again very fast running
I would have to say I thought the planning and use of the area was brilliant and thoroughly enjoyed the event
I would put pretty colours on a map but I am not as clever as some of you

[distracted]

Not sure about the time saving of the climb through the green on Mharky's suggested route...

I was also most surprised to see the similarity of the end of the M21L course with part of the National Event course 18 months back. The sites and legs for a run of 5 controls were pretty much identical bar one site shifted 50m...

[bendover]

i guessed the blue route before paulo put up his options.

[Simon E]

Course 2 had a leg from control A to a depression on the vegetation boundary just south of control 4. I took mharky's route: green line, and then stay on the main track and head up the hill from the pond. I stayed left of the green, but people who went through it said it was OK.

[runnerbean]

On course 2, my aim was to go NW to track heading W-ish (though can't see the point now!), pick up yellow route, cut across to forest road (N of 19), then follow mharky/Simon E's route in. Somehow I drifted once I left the track and ended up at the road junction just S of red line. Cut across to green route/forest road and from there as intended.

[Paul Frost]

Or what would be really good if is we could try and get all our regional and national events up onto the UK Route Gadget site...

The option is there for any club to use http://www.routegadget.co.uk , just contact me via the site to arrange it.