Training exercises
at JOG (Fox course)
Doughnuts O Training Net 300
The Fox course is a training exercise for seniors and juniors from those who are on the verge of trying Light Green at senior events and upwards. Depending on how much of a challenge you want to give your runners, there are all sorts of imaginative possibilities.
If you're short on time, a simple linear course, a score course or asking the map producer to remove paths from the map are straightforward options.
Ideas
Many of these ideas are explained in more detail on the O-training net website.
Click on the course type in the first column for a further explanation.
A list of those who've already tried the format out at JOG is provided, so you can compare notes.
| Type of course/ explanation | Briefly | As used by/ where |
|---|---|---|
| Score course | Using most of the existing controls and introducing two or three more difficult ones | (commonly used) |
| Score with two loops | Two sets of controls, marked red and blue on the map. One set to be tackled after the other. | Andrew Page, Queen's College |
| No paths | All paths are removed from the map | Jeff Pakes, Thurlbear |
| Map memory | Runners memorise each successive leg (or even a string of legs), as shown on laminated mini-maps attached to their latest control | Chris Philip, Henlade Hill |
| Doughnuts or Windows | Attack point identification Area immediately around the control circle is whited out | Mike Andersen, Willett Hill |
| Fog | Large parts of the map are whited out! | Steve Robertson, Lydeard Hill |
| Corridor | Only a narrow strip (corridor) of map is shown between controls | Jeff Pakes, Wind Down |
| Micro | Decoy controls are placed near the 'real' control to confuse you | Mike Crockett, Neroche |
| Abstract (tube map) | Map is a rough representation of the line features and not to scale - exactly like a London Underground map Link to article | Tom Hasler, Young Wood |
| MapRun | Virtual course, enabled by GPS and smartphones. For urban and open area only. | Club Night, Longrun Meadow |
| No control numbers | They're shown on control description the (CD) list but not on the map. So runners need to match each CD to the map to work out the order | Andrew Page, B&T College |
| No map | No map is provided, just a list of bearings and distances between controls | Rob Green, Broomfield Hill |
| Standard linear course | Of roughly TD4* standard | (commonly used) |
You don't have to be a technical wizard to set up some of the fancy graphics as seen in Doughnuts or Corridor. Ask Jim Mallinson or Bill Vigar to create the effect in their software when you send over your Purple Pen file to them.
* technical difficulty level 4, i.e. Light Green