Fundamentals of Navigation for Adventure RacingSample Race
You'll also need to read the rules of travel sheet to find out what you're going to be doing for that leg of the race. It may say something like run to CP1, CP2, CP3, and then come back to TA. Before you run off into the woods blindly following every other team, it's a good idea to estimate how long you'll be gone on this leg of the race. This tells you how much water and food you'll need to bring with you. You may also have to take other gear with you (e.g., climbing gear). After you are oriented, have a plan, and have all the gear you'll need for this leg of the race, you are ready to go! Leave TA, find the CPs, and head back to TA as the rules of travel sheet told you to do. At this point, you'll likely be given another sheet of paper that contains new coordinates and rules of travel. Repeat the whole thing again until you're finished with the race! Go to the next Topic: Practice Map and Tools Copyright 2008 by Ross Willis |
All adventure races are different, but there are some common elements at the heart of each race.
Typically, at beginning of a race, you'll get a map and a sheet of paper that has the coordinates for at
least the first leg. The coordinates are often accompanied by a clue of some sort that gives you a hint
as to where the CP is located (e.g., creek).
The coordinates sheet also has the rules of travel for
this leg of the race. The first CP will probably be the location of where you are now – the transition
area (or TA). You will need to plot the locations of all of the CPs on the coordinate sheet. The
fastest way to plot the CPs is to have one person read the coordinates while the other person plots.
The person reading the coordinates should read the first 4 digits of the Northing and the first 3 digits
of the Easting. This tells the plotter which grid to work with. The plotter responds, "OK" or repeats
the coordinates he/she just heard. Now the reader announces the last 3 digits of the Northing and the
last 3 digits of the Easting (sometimes race directors chop off the very last digit in the
coordinate, leaving you with only 2 digits at the end). It's always
a good idea for the plotter to repeat the numbers he/she was given. This helps check for errors. It's
also a good idea for the plotter to announce where the CP ended up being plotted. For example, if the
CP is the top of a hill, he/she might say that. If the coordinates sheet also has a description or clue
for each CP, it will likely say something like "hill top". By stating where the CP ended up, it may help
catch plotting errors. For example, if you plot the CP on a hill top and say such, but the coordinated/clue
sheet says "in a draw", you may need to re-check your coordinates.