Bob's Blue Course Run

This is not a real "Event Report" because I neither designed the courses (Jonathan Linforth did that), nor ran the event (Jonathan and Ray Bruneau did that), nor even spent much time on site. But I did run. I arrived about 2 pm. Too late to officially register, so the Men-In-Charge said I could retrieve Blue course controls on the clock, if I wanted. "Sure", says I, (thinking to myself "I've carried 11 controls into the woods, to set, before, so what's the big deal if I carry 11 out.") Let me tell you what the big deal is ... and why they were all smiling just a little too broadly as I changed into running garb, gathered my map and headed out at a good trot: E-punches!

I had forgotten to notice that of the 11 blue course controls, 9 of them were e-punch equipped, which meant that I would not only be carrying controls, but also the stakes and e-boxes.

This did not even occur to me until I reached the first control, prompting a thought: "What a bunch of pals", all biting their tongues and probably exchanging glances the whole time I'm prepping, stifling giggles as I innocently run off all excited and unsuspecting.

Thus, it was more work than I suspected, but the run itself was pretty uneventful.

Here's how it went:

Start-1: Down the yellow clearing, which this day was littered with the ripped off trees, full sized trees, from the previous week's mini-tornado that blew through LLSP and adjacent orchards.

1-2: Just aimed off 45 degrees after the hilltop and paced 100m.

2-3: Find the right trail bend and jump due south.

3-4: I see a dog leg so at the trail junction I dropped the three controls worth of equipment I was carrying, got 4 - after going further in from the trail than I expected - although Jonathan insisted he paced it from the trail. Picked up equipment on the way out.

4-5: Another dog leg; dropped stuff in the white forest, got 5, picked up stuff on the way out. Boy are these E-punch stakes awkward to carry on the run!!! I want to make time so I am not removing the controls from the stakes and wrapping them up; I'm just holding them all like a bunch of arrows, while trying to retain the dangling punches, with the unkempt control flags splaying the whole shebang way out like an umbrella. Whew! And they are getting heavier with each step. Whether I hold them high or hang them down, I still can't run well. Time to look ahead on the course for a "drop" point: Maybe near #8 ... we'll see.

5-6: I went way west to fence line, trusting the power line would lead me right in to #6. It did, but not before I got tangled crossing the fence line barbed wire, cutting both hands, bleeding all over the map, hanging like an escaping convict while I delicately extracted myself. Very awkward, so I was glad to have no audience for it all. At #6 I picked the wrong Big Tree at first but lost no real time.

6-7: Followed trails on a northerly route but after the bridge I forgot to pace count on the south-running trail so had to 'wing it' across the pretty forest and happened to guess right, nailing #7.

7-8: By now the six stakes-with-boxes plus one plain control are getting really, really, awkward and heavy, especially with my not-so-brilliant route choice up and over the hill to the paved road. So, as I look ahead and see the next portion of this leg going straight up and over the next hill toward #8, I decide to just dump all these controls beside the road at the culvert crossing - I'll tell everyone later where they are, for pickup. Into #8 without any issues because even though it seems deeper in the crease than mapped, I can see it at the end of the 'elephant trail' created by all the previous competitors.

8-9: I can see a handrail half way along this leg formed by a contour-marsh edge-reentrant, so go to it and it is even nicer than I thought. Nail #9 and the forest here is so clean and pretty I can still sort of run, although I notice I must be getting old….

9-10: From last year's event I remember this corner-of-palmetto, because I thought the control was misplaced then and I covered the area thoroughly. This time it's perfect and I nail it.

10-11: Did not nail this one! Floundered around on the hillside for a few minutes, checking every bush and every tree and everything that looked like a patch of green. Frazzled brain prevents me from commenting on either map accuracy or control placement. Knowing Jonathan, it was exactly right and I was significantly off. I could blame it all on having to still carry three of the E-punch stations still. But probably not.

11-Finish: I had enough Oomph left to stagger/run it all the way in with controls held triumphantly high, but holy cow; 690 meters from final control to finish: A veritable 'Will-Pirnasch-style' loooong final finish chute.

Time 100:09 minutes, just barely edging out Ray Bruneau's good run, and also just barely ahead of most of the Blue Course field. Great results everyone! Good, fun, course. Thanks, Jonathan.

Related Links:

WHITE

Name	Time
Seng, S	45:45
Thompsons'	117:12

YELLOW

Name	Time
Berelund, A	45:23
Seng	52:00
Sugarbees	97:49
Firpi, F	108:44
Christian, G	113:07

ORANGE

Name	Time
Canyoneros	55:55
Konstanz	58:39
Holley, R	59:38
Girlzgo	70:11
Summerfield	100:00
Blount, R	10.:00
Insane Moose	123:47
C and R	OT

GREEN

Name	Time
Berglund, K	59:12
Hunter, G	74:36
Burchfield, B	76:27
Henzi, B	82:28
Haupt, J	102:06
Crane, D	106:32
Tompkins, J	107:20
Dennis/Carolyn	139:54
Counts, R II	143:05
Malizsewski, J	150:17
Bishop, V	164:20
Griffin, J	175:00

RED

Name	Time
Newell,K	135:10
Fluegel, S	155:16
Mante, K	167:03
Reid, A	DNF
McIlrath, J	DNF
Hicks, H	DNF

BLUE

Name	Time
Putnam, B	100:36
Bruneau, R	101:00
Kirsten/Rudy	105:12
Dean, B	105:15
Canyon Gators	109:14
Go Blue	117:40
Mojitos	118:56
Walser,O	119:14
Primal	137:18
Fluegel, D	143:33

DNF	Did Not Finish
DQ	Disqualified (Missed Controls)
OT	Over 3 Hour Time Limit