3 ms·

Not sure if the sport has much of a presence near you, but look out for "rogaining". It's basically orienteering without the fixed course: you're given a contou

by prawn 6y ago

Not sure if the sport has much of a presence near you, but look out for "rogaining". It's basically orienteering without the fixed course: you're given a contour map with targets worth varying values, and given a timeframe to gain the highest tally and return home. Events are typically 3-24 hours. Something that was a milestone for me was my first 24 hour rogaine in rugged Australian bush. You are out walking all night by light of headlamps and moon. It only takes one event and then you understand more about your potential and fears. The first time, you're wary of the dark, but not again after that point. It will be 3am and while most people are asleep, you're pushing through spider webs up a gully trying to find a target in the dark. Changed the way I think when I'm out in the wild, what I pack by default, etc.

brailsafe 6y ago
I'll be getting hair loss ads for a while now, but it looks like a fun activity. I was aware of orienteering as a skill, but not as a sport, and wasn't aware of rogaining at all. Since I'm often up all night anyway and love being in nature during those hours, it sounds like my kind of thing. In the example you mentioned, were you on your own or with a group, and was it an organized event or more of a "do it whenever you can while the markers are set up" kind of thing?
- prawn 6y ago
  I have competed in 3, 6, 12 and 24 hour events. Did a local three hour with my parents and kids, a six hour with three rookie friends, and then 12-24 hour events with my main teammate in these events. I've also done a "roving" 15 hour with my 7 year old son which is where you can choose which hours you spend on course (and eat/camp the rest of the time); for that, we spent some night and morning dark out for extra excitement. The events are fixed, usually over a full moon weekend. In Australia, a local community group puts on hot food. It's great fun. Funny story: After our first couple of events, my teammate and I realised the world championships were soon to be held in Australia and we needed one more event to qualify for the lottery. So we drove 14 hours each way interstate to compete in the Australasian Championships, then qualified and competed in the World Championships. We are not especially fit but competent navigators and we didn't embarrass ourselves at least. It's a sport at which young, old, female, male all can be competitive. There was a six hour event near me where a trio of 15 year old female trail runners barely lost to two male professional marathon runners. And 50-60 year olds are very competitive as experience and resilience can play a significant part. There are classes and competitors in 70+ yo age groups. If you're on Instagram, here's a story of my son and I competing in one: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17889460030215380/ https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/178894600302153... Of course, you don't need a formal sport to hike all night, but I find competing for points to be very motivating.

by prawn 6y ago

brailsafe 6y ago

I'll be getting hair loss ads for a while now, but it looks like a fun activity. I was aware of orienteering as a skill, but not as a sport, and wasn't aware of rogaining at all. Since I'm often up all night anyway and love being in nature during those hours, it sounds like my kind of thing. In the example you mentioned, were you on your own or with a group, and was it an organized event or more of a "do it whenever you can while the markers are set up" kind of thing?

prawn 6y ago
I have competed in 3, 6, 12 and 24 hour events. Did a local three hour with my parents and kids, a six hour with three rookie friends, and then 12-24 hour events with my main teammate in these events. I've also done a "roving" 15 hour with my 7 year old son which is where you can choose which hours you spend on course (and eat/camp the rest of the time); for that, we spent some night and morning dark out for extra excitement. The events are fixed, usually over a full moon weekend. In Australia, a local community group puts on hot food. It's great fun. Funny story: After our first couple of events, my teammate and I realised the world championships were soon to be held in Australia and we needed one more event to qualify for the lottery. So we drove 14 hours each way interstate to compete in the Australasian Championships, then qualified and competed in the World Championships. We are not especially fit but competent navigators and we didn't embarrass ourselves at least. It's a sport at which young, old, female, male all can be competitive. There was a six hour event near me where a trio of 15 year old female trail runners barely lost to two male professional marathon runners. And 50-60 year olds are very competitive as experience and resilience can play a significant part. There are classes and competitors in 70+ yo age groups. If you're on Instagram, here's a story of my son and I competing in one: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17889460030215380/ https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/178894600302153... Of course, you don't need a formal sport to hike all night, but I find competing for points to be very motivating.