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Navigation is usually the most difficult skill of any adventure race. It takes a real long time to become a proficient navigator in the field and under many kinds of conditions. However, you can think of the navigation aspect of a race as comprised of 2 parts; what you do before the race and what you do during the race. This article will focus on the former and try to highlight some of the things to think about.
When you look at your maps and course description before the race, your focus is on choosing the best route choice. In many instances, there will be an optimum way of getting from one checkpoint (CP) to another. Good navigators weigh all the factors and plot their route accordingly. Factors can include any or all of the following: i) distance to travel, ii) terrain, iii) weather, iv) night or day travel, v) cut-off times, vi) type of vegetation (i.e., clear forest or nightmarish bamboo jungle), vii) pace the team travels at. One of the things said many times is "...shortest distance between points isn't always the fastest...". Good route choices are made as a result of clearly understanding the course description, clearly knowing what is and what is not within the rules and being very creative in your approach. That said, here it goes.
- Typically, you will receive your passport/course description and maps sometime before the race.
- As said in the Pre-Race article, put your map(s) and passport in your waterproof map pouch the instant you get it and never take the map pouch off your neck.
- Read the course description once to get the order of events of the race.
- Read it again just to mark where the CP's are on the maps. You may want one person to mark the CP's while the other packs the packs because you now know what order the events are if this is an issue for your race. Don't get stuck on each word or sentence of the course description; keep reading until you come across something that you can definitively identify on the map (a town, street, river, etc.). Mark your CP's with a ball point pen. Highlight them (make sure your highlighter won't smudge).
- Read the course description again to begin to plot your route between each CP. Don't highlight your route until you are absolutely certain about the way you want to go. That way you avoid having extra highlights on the map which can be confusing. Remember to read CP to CP then get more detailed.
- Draw an imaginary straight line between each CP and see how that route would compare with the route described in the passport or the route you are thinking about. Think about doubling back options. Ask as many questions (in private) as you want. You may get helpful information.
- Read the course description over and over and begin to mark milages, uphills/downhills, etc. The more detail the better. Identify/highlight other landmarks, etc. that will keep you from getting lost such as water crossings, trail junctures or crossings, sharp turns or switchbacks, power lines, substations, RR tracks, creeks running parallel to your travel, your direction of travel.
- After your map is marked, protect it with the clear plastic (contact paper) covering both sides. Then you may want to trim off the excess map so it is easier to work with. Put the map in the map case along with your passport and don't let go of it.
- Find out if the course is similar to other races. Find out who has done the race before and get near them at the start of the race. Ask locals where you are or where you are going. Ask the CP volunteers which direction previous teams have left the CP. Use your bike computer for distances.
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