Advanced Orienteering Survival Guide

Below are common scenarios encountered on Advanced courses and assumes reader familiarity with intermediate Orienteering concepts.

Make a Plan Before You Go

How does one “Know where you are going.” If you are running and you don’t have a plan in your head, you don’t know where you are going, you’re just running. If you catch yourself without a clear plan in your head, stop! Make a plan.

As you make your way around the course, there are “moments of no return” where once you’ve crossed a certain point, it will be too late to apply the correct technique. Forcing yourself to plan ahead ensures you avoid getting caught by these tricky spots.

Very Short Legs

Take extra care with these ones. The short distance makes it tempting to rush out of the control but precision is key here. Take the time to get a good mental image of what exactly you’re going to do. A precise compass bearing out of the exit really helps.

Crossing Vague Areas

Take a note of your location at the start of the vague area. Pick an attack point and take a precise compass bearing. Look up and ahead for your attack point. Look out for possible “macro” features to help guide you. Know what you’re looking for and keep your head up and eyes out.

Crossing empty terrain can feel long compared to running feature rich terrain where there’s always something ahead you’re running towards. Beware of stopping too early.

Attacking in Low Visibility Terrain

Very similar to crossing a vague area but now you can’t see. Note where you’re starting and how far you have to go. Take a precise compass bearing, look up and also left and right. Pay attention to how the vegetation might be pushing you around. Keep an eye on the compass as you go.

How to Traverse a Side Hill

Have an attack point that tells you exactly where you are at the start of the side hill. Count how many contours you need to ascend or descend. Keep your level and watch the compass for backup, it’s easy to drift.

Descending Hillsides

Very similar to side hills except now gravity is pulling you down the hill tempting you to rush and drift off the wrong way. Stop! Make a plan. Count how many contours you need to drop. Take a good compass bearing before you start the descent. Have your next attack point ready so you can look up and out while you’re above.

Beware of Natural Lines

Savvy course setters will use natural lines in the terrain to test runners ability to stay on course. Occasionally you’ll feel an unexpected urge to run along some feature in the terrain. Stop! Check if it’s working for you or against you. If the map shows the shape is at a diagonal to the intended line, be very careful. Remember your plan, take a good compass bearing and stick to it.

When it Goes Wrong

If you’ve followed all the rules above then relocation becomes a quick and precise affair. Look back to your last known location and replay the events that lead to your current circumstance. Search the map for possible parallel errors or traps you might have fallen into. Relocate off a nearby catching feature or consider bailing.

Putting it All Together

Imagine yourself orienteering. Are you flying through the terrain, leaping over trees and rocks and flying through every control? Stop! This is fantasy orienteering, helpful only when you’re running intervals and need a distraction from the pain. When preparing for a race, picture yourself reading the map, making a plan and using your compass. Visualize encountering the scenarios above and executing the correct techniques in a controlled and decisive manner.

With practice, these techniques will start to feel natural, require less effort and with dedication, become automatic. Your mistakes will get smaller and smaller until every hook and hesitation becomes noteworthy.