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Training
Beginner Clinics
Free beginner clinics are offered at most BAOC events. They are short, repeating sessions that provide an introduction to orienteering and enough instruction to be able to complete a beginner (White) course. The availability and schedule for the sessions is given on each event webpage (note, however, that sessions could stop early if there is no more demand).
Training Groups
Training is more fun with company. You can meet up with other Bay Area orienteers to build fitness and skills. Some possible training activities are listed below.
- Junior and Adult Training Programs
holds training events from time to time. You can read about the sessions here.
- Tuesday Night Technical Training in the East Bay
Meets Tuesday evenings at 6:30 PM at locations in or close to Berkeley. The location is chosen appropriately for the week's exercise and publicized in advance via the BayONet email list. During summer months we make use of the daylight by training in terrain. Each week's training exercises are designed at an appropriate technical difficulty level for the participants.
- (Note: Those training events have been suspended.)
- Tuesday Night Hill Runs in the South Bay
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)). The time occasionally changes. In summer we run up into Fremont Older, and in winter we use headlamps on Regnart. Join the BayONet email list for more info.
- (Note: Those training events have been suspended.)
- Informal Training Opportunities
Join other orienteers for casual trail runs, hikes, and other orienteering-related activities. Currently, the best you can do is subscribe to the BayONet (https://groups.io/g/BAOC) online email list, and hope that somebody posts a message about training — or you could post a message yourself initiating or requesting training opportunities. (The club normally has a Training Director, but unfortunately that position has been vacant. You can look at the Contacts list to see if somebody has volunteered for that position.)
Email Lists
- BAOC club email list (aka the BayONet)
As mentioned above, BAOC has an electronic mailing list called the BayONet. It's used by club members to communicate about events, discuss orienteering topics, and (rarely) organize training events and discuss training techniques.
- There used to be an online training email list, but it was discontinued when Yahoo groups shut down.
Articles
- Shell Ridge Map Quiz (PDF/6.2MB) (http://baoc.org/wiki/images/b/b0/ShellRidgeMapQuiz.pdf) Check out the new map of Shell Ridge, and practice matching terrain features on the map with photographs.
- Navigating Briones (PDF/1.7MB) (http://baoc.org/wiki/images/b/bc/Navigating_Briones.pdf) A guided tour of an advanced course at Briones regional park, with terrain photos and tips for navigation.
- 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). (Click on the British flag to get the English version.)
- Suunnistussimulaattor (http://www.suunnistussimulaattori.net/) is a nice simulation. (Click on the British flag to get the English version.)
- Route Choice (http://www.routechoice.co) provides nice route-choice challenges related to Sprint courses.
Online Quizzes
- Quiz on orienteering control-description (clue-sheet) symbols (http://www.sporcle.com/games/Steerpike/orienteering-control-descriptions)
Online interactive quizzes for learning or reviewing the IOF symbols used for describing controls.
- Quiz on orienteering map symbols (http://www.octavian-droobers.org/index.php/coaching/on-line-quizzes/294-map-symbol-training)
Online interactive quizzes for learning or reviewing the IOF symbols used on maps.