'Gritty City'- New Urban Sprint Map! Wednesday Evening Training
March 1st 2017 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Organizers: Brian Ellis (Event Director), Marg Ellis (Assistant), Jules Tough (Membership), Erica Lay (Coach), Rachel Howard (Coach)
Map: Granville Loop
Description This is the first time we have used this map (Granville Loop), which covers >15 blocks of detailed urban terrain that is home to many restaurants and businesses (including high-end car dealerships). It has been mapped (2016) to ISSOM 2007 sprint standard (1:4000; 2m contours). The mapped area is surrounded on all four sides by busy streets, with numerous quieter interior streets and lanes, community gardens, and a small park system.
Schedule
6:15pm Introduction to Orienteering for Beginners
6:30pm Starts
8pm Course Closure, participants must report to the Finish before leaving.
Course The format is a normal point-to-point design. The Long course will consist of two loops (A + B; 4.5 km in total), while beginners and less energetic folks can opt to run one of the loops (B; Short; 1.7 km).
TRAINING TIP: Reading ahead.
Last week, you learned to plan your route “backwards”, looking first at the control you’re headed for and then figuring out the best route to reach it.
This week, we want you to plan the route to the control after the next one (once you have planned the current leg). If you have some “dead running” on the current leg, look ahead on the map and choose the next route. You may need to slow down to do this but before you reach the control, try to have your map refolded to the next control and the map oriented so that you know which direction to exit the control. Since urban sprints include many changes in overall direction, you may want to orient the map with the compass since it’s easy in this area to lose the sense of where north is!
When planning your route, consider the following:
- Every time you make a sharp turn while running, you lose time. Therefore, if two routes seem to be about the same length, choose the one that minimizes the number of times you change direction (and hence may require less detailed map reading).
Safety Precautions
The boundary streets (Fourth Avenue, Burrard St, Broadway and Granville St) are strictly out of bounds and marked so on the map. However, you can run the sidewalks bordering these streets. There are two locations where you can safely cross UNDER Granville St. Note that Fir St can sometimes have heavier traffic - if it looks unsafe to cross between corners, please use the pedestrian cross-walks/traffic lights at the corners.
While there is a lot of urban light in this district, headlamps (or 10-year-old eyes!) are essential for good map reading. Almost the entire course is paved, so runners or trail shoes will be suitable footwear.
Take great care when crossing or running along streets, lanes and parking lots - cars can suddenly appear out of nowhere, and they won't be expecting you. Wearing high visibility clothing items is highly recommended. Always be respectful of drivers and pedestrians - run heads up!
Parking/Start/Finish Locations
Parking is very limited, and it is almost all meter parking. Use transit, or bike, if possible to reach the event. Start and finish will be located under the Granville St bridge overpass, where it crosses Fourth Ave (you will at least be out of the rain - and it will rain ;-)
Post-Event dining
Great idea - no concrete plans yet.
Acknowledgements:
Without volunteers, these events cannot take place. A hearty thanks to all those helping put this event on. If you would like to volunteer/help at upcoming WETs/WJRs or would like to organize a WET please let us know.