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Training
OverviewThis section is generally for captains and navigators only.
It's content will have to tuned to your specific situation.
At St. John's we had the teams eat supper as a team. The next morning they ate breakfast together. There would be sandwich making materials and fruit for throwing together a lunch. Most of you reading this will be working with kids at home.
If you have access to your meeting location, you may want to gather there the evening before. Saves pre-dawn farting around. Toss your bags on the gym floor. Have breakfast at Tim Horton's on the way out of town.
Or if you have the right equipment, you may choose to camp at the race start. This can backfire, if your group doesn't have enough experience that they can get a good nights sleep
Anyway you need to get ready:
Equipment check.
As captain you want to see what the person is going to wear. You want to see what is in his pack. The first time this should be done at a meeting with time to make up missing items.
Food, water check.
Done on the morning of the race. My rule of thumb: 1 sandwich and one small orange for every 2 hours of race time. I probably won't eat it all, but it gives me at least one to share. I also have nut bars and candy bars in my pack.
I recommend everyone bring 1 liter of water. slide the bottle into a pair of thick socks, put it in your pack next to your back to keep it from freezing. There is nothing wrong with using juice, if it's made up a bit thin. Whatever you use should start at room temperature. If it's really cold out, start with hot liquid.
(I've also brought along a 1 quart steel thermos of strong coffee. But then I'm a coffeeholic.)
Emergency gear check.
This is the list of equipment that every team must carry in addition to their personal gear. See Safety rules.
Fitness check: Anyone with colds, blisters, other injuries.
Find out who has troubles. If they have colds, check if they have stuff
to make the symptoms easier. If they have a fever, they shouldn't go.
Normally pulling out before the race starts is allowed, but if done after
the race starts there is a 25% score penalty.
Blisters and hot spots from previous races or training should be taped up before you start.
Check that shoes are tied, snug but not too tight, and double knotted.
If your team starts like a bat out of hell, do some light warmups. Warning: I have seen far more strains from warmups than happen on the trail. The best warmup is an easy start.
Buddy check.
Buddy check. Verify that each person knows his buddy. Once you are all experienced, it doesn't matter who buddies with whom. Initially however match newbies with old hands.
Default direction if lost
"Everything today is on the south side of township road 440. If you get lost and after half an hour still can't find them, head north until you hit the road, then east to the red barn. This will change part way through the day, but I'll tell you then.
Remember every control will have a rendezvous. If you don't hear it, ask again.
You may have different ideas. By all means implement them. Drop me a line and tell me what you did. rogaine@sherwoods-forests.com