09/01/2026
Route choices, what do you think?
Section nr8
At the end of 2024 one of the H60s said to me "its always fun to run your course because you have a long leg and we don't usually get many of those at normal training, only in races."
This got me thinking about a lot of things...
1- Why is not everyone planning a long leg in training? Simple, its easier and faster to plan a course with more controls.
2- Its an area of orienteering/a skill that I've noticed to be on the decline. Even if an athlete picks the best "route" they very often don't simplify and execute good "rough" orienteering (over orienteering/ reading the map too much to know exactly where they are (which is not important during they leg)).
3- Why are we not talking about this missing skill anymore? We praise athletes for not loosing time in mistakes but forget how much time they loose slowing themselves down unnecessarily (better to run roughly + aggressively and use 15-20sec redirecting/calculating at the end of the leg vs slowing down 25-30sec to be extra secure mid leg?) Obviously, its about when to do this vs when to be secure (calculating risk vs reward).
4- I dont like the "forcing straight" trend/fashion orienteering is in at the moment. Its not always the best and it doesn't suit every athlete.
Anyhow, rant over... Basically I add a longer route choice leg into nearly every training now. Even if its not the best leg at least people are starting to look wider😅
