Training

Training Groups

Training is more fun with company. You can meet up with other Bay Area orienteers to build fitness and skills. Some currently ongoing training groups are listed below. Join the BAOC Training Email List (baoct) to get involved.

• Tuesday Night Hill Runs
  Meets at 7:30 PM, at the corner of Regnart and Monrovia in Cupertino (map (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Regnart+Rd+and+Monrovia+St,+Cupertino,+CA&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=60.246331,82.880859&ie=UTF8&z=17&iwloc=A)). Time occasionally changes. In summer we run up into Fremont Older, and in winter we use headlamps on Regnart. Contact or join the baoct email list for more info.
• Thursday Night Track Workout
  Meets at 7:30 PM, at De Anza track in Cupertino (map (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=37.317248,+-122.044533&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=60.246331,82.880859&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=17&iwloc=A)). All fitness levels welcome—walk, jog, or run intervals with the group (at your individual pace)! Contact or join the baoct email list for more info.
• Informal Training Opportunities
  Join other orienteers for casual trail runs, hikes, and other orienteering related activities. Time and place move frequently. To join the fun, subscribe to the baoct email list or contact (BAOC Training Director).

Email Lists

• BAOC Training Email List
  As mentioned above, BAOC has an electronic mailing list (in addition to the regular BayOnet list) called baoct. It's used by club members to discuss training techniques and organize training events.

Articles

• Training Tips, by Dennis Wildfogel
  The complete collection of Dennis' excellent training articles, which previously appeared in the BAOC Bulletin. [Unfortunately, the Web site on which the articles were stored has shut down. We are working on recovering the articles onto our site.]
• Pace Counting, by Evan Custer
  Learn to pace count and you can judge distance more accurately.
• Taking Accurate Compass Bearings, by Steve Gregg
• Don't Loiter at the Controls, by Evan Custer
  Techniques for improving your approach to controls.
• Build Up Those Quads, by Evan Custer
  Prevent knee problems by building up your quad muscles.
• Forked Controls, by Dennis Wildfogel
  Learn what forked controls are, and when they are used.
• Description of a Butterfly Loop, by Tapio Karras
  Discover how this interesting course variant can make a chase-type event even more exciting.
• Training Tips from the BAOC Bulletin 2001-2005 (PDF/176KB) (http://baoc.org/wiki/images/8/89/TrainingTipsFromBulletin.pdf), compiled by Jeff Lanam
  Articles by Steve Gregg, Syd Reader, and Tom Strat.

Online Programs

• RouteGadget
  After your course, enter your route to compare with others and analyze your race.
• Attackpoint (http://www.attackpoint.org/)
  Attackpoint is an online community for orienteers and adventure racers. It includes one of the best training log programs you'll ever find, in addition to a worldwide race calendar, tools for comparing results, and an active forum to communicate with other orienteers.
• O-Training.net (http://o-training.net/)
  A comprehensive online resource covering all aspects of orienteering technical training.

Computer Games

• Catching Features (http://www.catchingfeatures.com/) is a realistic first person orienteering simulator. Besides being a fun game, world champion orienteers use this program to train. A free demo is available for download, and the licensed version allows one to compete online, using virtual simulations of real orienteering maps. This program was created by a BAOC member!

• Oriantica (http://www.melin.nu/oriantica/) from Melin Software is similar to Catching Features. It builds on the earlier version called WinOL (http://www.melin.nu/winol/winole_direct.html).

• Suunnistussimulaattor (http://www.suunnistussimulaattori.net/) is a nice simulation, but available only in the Finnish language.

Online Quizes

• Quiz on orienteering control-description (clue-sheet) symbols (http://www.fortnet.org/icd/index.html)
  An online interactive quiz for learning or reviewing the IOF symbols used for describing controls.

• Quiz on orienteering map symbols (http://www.fortnet.org/icd/mst/index.html)
  An online interactive quiz for learning or reviewing the IOF symbols used on maps.

Training Classes

• Free beginner clinics are offered at all BAOC events.

• Scarborough Orienteering (http://orienteer.com/)
  Fee-based classes and team-building events for all orienteering levels. Beginning/intermediate classes for the general public are held on a regular basis; team-building events for corporate outings and other groups are by appointment. Nonprofit groups get discounts.

• 
  Offers free Advanced Clinics:

"This is much more than oral instruction. I will first go over the basics of advanced techniques. Then, I'll shadow you on a course of your choice. During and after the run, I'll offer technique feedback and pointers that will hopefully be helpful and aid you in the improvement of your skills. (I will, however, not help you "find" any controls.)

"This assistance is aimed at anyone who is in the process of mastering an advanced course. It is entirely free. The only condition is that you do not go too fast for my pace; you should not intentionally slow down, and should plan to run the course at the normal speed you would otherwise do. I plan to offer this on an on-going basis, I will typically run an advanced course of my own, so this assistance will normally be available around 11:30. I will typically be able to accommodate only a single individual or a group, please email to check availability."

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