We entered the girls into M/W10N which is the easiest course where parents shadow and assist if necessary. Logistically we should be able to take one child each after our own runs. Reality though is much different. Start lists come out, walks to the starts are published and then Andy volunteers to commentate with Jase!
Day One - Issacs Ridge - a nature reserve within Canberra's south. For the easier courses both the start and finish were remote to the assembly area due to terrain restrictions. From the outset Andy was running then commentating and I had decided not to run (thanks to a new knee issue) and concentrate on helping the girls. So together we ambled the kilometre or so uphill to the start.
Ella is on the cusp of solo orienteering however with not a huge amount of experience under her belt she still gets into trouble occasionally. Katy on the other hand has only just begun to begin to navigate and learn the ropes. So it was decided that Ella would go first by herself, then Katy (and I) would begin several minutes later hoping that we wouldn't see Ella until we crossed the finish line!
Day Two - Murdering Shed - Classic gully spur terrain located towards Captains Flat nearly an hours drive from home. Both girls were happy with yesterdays performances. It was another long walk to the start with Ella's mood deteriorating with every step. However once at the start she seemed to click back out of it and was ready to run. Again Ella began first with Katy and I starting several minutes later. Unfortunately we came across Ella on the way to #3 which was a taped route. She was somewhat confused and unable to find #3. I could clearly see the control and asked her isn't that it. She replied no it was the wrong code. Turns out that she had read the control description incorrectly. They said -
Follow tapes 120 to the control.
3. 116 gully
Which she interpreted as follow tapes to control #120. Although she came across the correct control (116), it was wrong in her mind and so continued on to number 4 and back again as she was looking for 120! Anyone off she went like a startle rabbit which is probably as we all know not a great thing to do. Katy meanwhile was getting the hang of it all....what are we going to follow, whats the control on, whats the number, is it a long or short way, what side is the control on... sort of stuff. We came through the finish happy to have another course under our belt only to discover that Ella wasn't there! Before I had time to begin back tracking, she came into the finish chute. Turns out she ran the wrong way down the fence line for one of the latter controls.
And it was back to helping at the string course again.
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