This week we were again at Dockney Parrock, Bouth. This time on the North side of the track. Richard Tiley had put out a number of controls and I had made up 3 short Planning ahead loops using his controls. Courses were mainly figure of eights, so we could see the runners in the middle of the exercises.
Runners were paired up, as evenly as possible, and given one map between them. The first runner planned the first leg. When ready, he gave the map to the other runner and set off. While going, the other runner had to plan the next leg. When they reached the control the map was passed over – and so on. This practised map memory, simplification and planning ahead. It was also competitive, as the runner executing the leg was told to try to drop the planning runner.
This was a good session. The runners worked hard and enjoyed trying to drop each other. One pair came back with one of the runners struggling to remember his route. We gave him a second map, but instructed him to take the map off his partner. The older runners and I collected in controls. I had to collect more than I was expecting as I encountered one of the older runners who couldn’t make the map fit at all and was too far down a ridge and had missed a control. On the whole, a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon.