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Thread: kong score event advice

  1. #1

    kong score event advice

    Hiya,

    I'm having a go at the Kong Mini Mountian Marathon event in Coniston at the weekend. I'm mainly using it to brush up on my average nav skills but without the full race mindset.

    I've not done a score event before, but well used to navigating around most of the AL's in the lakes. Has anyone any tips for a beginner?

    Thanks.

  2. #2
    Master mr brightside's Avatar
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    Topography. Learn to know what features you see in the land look like on the map, and vice versa.
    Luke Appleyard (Wharfedale)- quick on the dissent

  3. #3
    Moderator Mossdog's Avatar
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    In addition to Mr B's sound advice, I found that the main difference between doing recces of race routes and m/m navigation skills is related to multiple checkpoint chasing. So get very familiar with using the roamer scale on your compass' base plate, if you're not already, to quickly locate a check point.

    Double check and check again ( ) when you mark on the 6 figure controls' grid references.

    Remember that the grid reference given by the organisers, usually applies to the bottom left hand corner of the 10 metre by 10 metre square in which the checkpoint is located. I guess for some competitions the checkpoints might be planted obviously in the 100 metre square of land you have to search in - for others you may have to be virtually on top. If it's the latter, once you find the checkpoint don't hang around or you'll be helping out the competition! Move off quickly and suss out your next destination and route from a discrete spot ! Have a good one and enjoy the fun.
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    Master sbrt's Avatar
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    Once you have got the map, take a couple of minutes to form a rough plan; Clockwise anticlockwise, the first few controls you want to visit.
    The plan is not set in stone. keep glancing at your map and adjust your plan to suit.

    Use easy flat ground and uphills to look at the map and plan. Technical downhill is not the place to be map reading.

    Enjoy being out in the fells.

    About a third into the event. Start planning your route back.

    Take in the views.

    Rejoice, when you find a control. Especially if it is the one you are looking for.

    Ignore advice from eejots like me.

    Don't forget to have fun
    Last edited by sbrt; 27-03-2017 at 09:48 PM.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mossdog View Post
    In addition to Mr B's sound advice, I found that the main difference between doing recces of race routes and m/m navigation skills is related to multiple checkpoint chasing. So get very familiar with using the roamer scale on your compass' base plate, if you're not already, to quickly locate a check point.

    Double check and check again ( ) when you mark on the 6 figure controls' grid references.

    Remember that the grid reference given by the organisers, usually applies to the bottom left hand corner of the 10 metre by 10 metre square in which the checkpoint is located. I guess for some competitions the checkpoints might be planted obviously in the 100 metre square of land you have to search in - for others you may have to be virtually on top. If it's the latter, once you find the checkpoint don't hang around or you'll be helping out the competition! Move off quickly and suss out your next destination and route from a discrete spot ! Have a good one and enjoy the fun.
    Not done a Kong yet, but if they're catering for the same market as Dark and White, then controls will be pre-marked, and the nav is usually very straightforward, right up to the point where you get lost in a cloud because you followed the person in front. Don't forget to read the control description, which may be critical. They may well be positioned somewhere it's hard to see them. But if you can't say it, and can't figure out from the description where it is, then you're in the wrong place.

    Apart from that

    1) Do your own nav. Don't follow people. They are probably following the person in front. I once cut right off a path to take the correct (and, after ten metres, flagged!) route through the woods. Ten people in front, and ten people behind me went up the wrong hill, because that many people couldn't all be wrong, could they!

    2) Do your own nav. Don't follow the path. It's very easy to run up - or especially down - a hill and not keep track of where exactly you are. It's all very well knowing you need to take the next path left, but very often that path isn't totally obvious, or there are two of them.

    3) Make sure you know what the penalties are for being late. It's probably worth being 10 minutes late - or more! - if it gets you an extra control.

    4) Use the uphills to do some route planning. You can save a lot of time if you can plan ahead, and as soon as you dib the control, you head straight off to the next one.

    5) Do your own nav. All you'll learn from following is not to follow. You need to make your own mistakes to learn from them.

    6) Point scores are usually selected for a reason. If a control is worth quite a few points and is not too far away over not too steep ground, you can reasonably expect nightmare tussocks with hidden rocks and man-eating peat bogs....

    7) There is nothing more satisfying than doing your own nav, and being overtaken by the same faster runner, multiple times.

  6. #6
    Grandmaster IanDarkpeak's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fella View Post
    Hiya,

    I'm having a go at the Kong Mini Mountian Marathon event in Coniston at the weekend. I'm mainly using it to brush up on my average nav skills but without the full race mindset.

    I've not done a score event before, but well used to navigating around most of the AL's in the lakes. Has anyone any tips for a beginner?

    Thanks.
    Try these two articles I wrote for the Fellrunner magazine on Navigation

    http://everythingoutdoors.co.uk/how_to/navigation-tips/
    http://everythingoutdoors.co.uk/navigation-tips-part-2/

    I run courses regularly approx. 8 a month, I've one coming up in the lakes soon from Borrowdale if you live that way.

    Ian

  7. #7
    Hi Ian,

    I've been studying your links from another thread. Going to print out the pace cards with my info and keep them handy. So thanks for that. We met the other week at the brilliant First aid for fellrunners course (Patrick, Rossendale Harries). You'll be pleased to know I'll be carrying one of the bivvy bags you recommended at the Kong.

    Thanks for the other bits of advice from everyone else as well. Some good stuff. I can't wait to get a look at the controls now and figure out a line of attack. I've read on other threads of pieces of string being used as time markers, but I can't see how this is useful when the pace will be so varied depending on the terrain.

    Thanks again to all.

  8. #8
    Master sbrt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by nutkey View Post
    Not done a Kong yet, but if they're catering for the same market as Dark and White, then controls will be pre-marked, .
    Hey up nutkey!
    The current organisers, BogRock Partnership took over from Dark and white and Kong are now sponsors, after Rab pulled out.

    Same friendly, fun, well run events but with a few tweaks: Harveys maps, 4hrs, new locations, hot soup, cakes and sometimes crusty breab butter and marmite

  9. #9
    Master DazTheSlug's Avatar
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    just entered!
    love these events (particularly like the sensible graduation of late penalties)
    seesyall there - looking forward to it
    Scramble the rock face through the glare of morning sun — to run

  10. #10
    Master BillJ's Avatar
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    Well what a glorious day for it!

    Sorry Daz for dislodging the stone that required some agile dodging from you.

    And congratulations Toreador [not sure if you're still active in the forums] for your category win.
    "And the winds blow and the sky looks cool / So I make my home in the clouds"

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