Not Getting (too) Lost at the 3rd MIT-MC Orienteering Competition

Friday - Two days into the event, my original teammate told me he can't join the race. I had to scramble and find an alternate, but actually I only had one person in mind. Daddy-o was my partner almost seven years ago in the second run of this competition, which we didn't finish because of a misread in the map (it still stings from time to time). This would be a perfect chance to redeem ourselves. Daddy-o was initially reluctant but said yes anyway.

Team Lagalag-UPM (photo: MIT-MC)

Sunday - It was a cold morning. The roads are wet, so there's a big chance that the race course would be muddy. The starting line was at the Base Kamp Riders Pit Stop. A lot of new faces and some veteran racers were there. A number of UPM members and applicants were waiting for Thumbie so they can start with their test run. It was a cold but festive atmosphere. Ein basked in the delight of her new fans.

Ein the Orienteering Dog (photo: MIT-MC)

The rules are essentially the same as before, control points (CP) are marked in the map, and you have to get to them sequentially using your navigational skills. The twist this time is the first three CPs are not marked and you have to get to them by plotting the compass heading and distance; similar to how UPM tests for orienteering skills.

getting our map (photo: MIT-MC)

Plotting our course (photo: MIT-MC)

I was hoping that we would be among the last to be deployed (teams are released at 2-minute intervals). Somehow I feel this has some advantage, if only psychologically. And I got my wish. We were the 16th and last team to leave the holding area.

The course description said we're in for at least 16 kilometers of running and walking. We reached the first three CPs without a hitch. By then we already passed a number of teams who were still plotting and getting their bearings. Our first major error came while looking for the fourth CP. We ran following the most obvious path where the compass was pointing. But after a few hundred meters, Daddy-o said that it was leading us away from our target. We didn't have any choice but to run back (uphill) and take the other, less obvious way. 

We lost some time but we're still in good shape. The map showed that CP 5 is right smack on the road. So we ran and ran towards what we thought was the intersection. Big mistake. In hindsight, we realized that the roads shown in the map doesn't correspond to the roads now existing. We were following an outdated landmark to disastrous results. To make things worse, the other teams apparently were following us, making them lose time as well. We overshot the correct path by 1.5 kilometers (3 kilometers in total). By the time we got to CP 5, the leading team was more than 40 minutes ahead of us. (in order for us to win, the gap should be less than 30 minutes)

From there to the next few CPs it was more or less straightforward, but not without a few unnecessary detours to delay us further. This time, I was more conscious about reading the features of the terrain to make sure we were going the right way. The gap between us and the leaders widened to 50 minutes. Our only fighting chance relied on our ability to take the most accurate route.

The other UPM team (photo: MIT-MC)

From CP 7, we had to wade through a small stream with irritatingly slippery rocks. So much for keeping my shoes dry. CP 8 was situated atop a waterfall. We had to wear a harness and clip in a fixed line to secure our ascent. Lo and behold! The marshals told us we were the first to arrive there. Somewhere in that jungle maze the leading team took a wrong turn. We were ecstatic! Even if we meet them at the CP, we now had a 30-minute advantage. We pressed on, walking a bit lighter now. We saw the guys in front of us and walking back to CP 8. They said they got to CP 9 first by mistake and now they needed to backtrack. We could relax a bit more, knowing that we had an even bigger gap now.

emerging from the river (photo: Liberty Two-Six)

plotting CP 10 (photo: Liberty Two-Six)

CP 10 was tricky but not really difficult to find, unless you fail to look to your side. CP 11 was a different story. We again followed the road, looking for a waiting shed. The dirt road then joined a concrete road, and there was no waiting shed. We headed further out but to no avail. We concluded that we missed a turn and headed back. Again, the topographical features helped and we finally found the CP. But the marshals weren't there! So we signed the flag as proof that we reached the CP and proceeded to finding CP 12. (We met the marshals on their way back to the cP)

CP 12 was the last frustrating hurdle. So close to the finish. We were looking for a junction; again the map didn't show the existing roads. So when we came to the place we thought the CP should be, it wasn't there. We retraced our steps back to CP 11, losing time again, tried to find a more direct route but failed, and eventually just followed the road we took the first time and landed in CP 12. The distance from where we turned back to the CP a mere 200 meters. The lesson there is to use the compass to back-read just to check if we are close to our target. We hastily left CP 12 and ran to CP 13. A short error later, we arrived at the final control point. The marshals were relieved to see us. They thought no team would arrive there. 

Finally! The last few steps and it's over; and they had to be uphill. I was shouting with anger and jubilation all the way to the finish line. Celine and Ein were already waiting; surprised to see us there. We were all scratched up, hungry and with soaked feet, but the feeling of winning at last drowned out the other sensations. In the end, the race director cut off all the other teams at CP 10, so we were the only official finishers of the event. 

We got lost, but still found our way! Thanks to @lagalagexploration for sponsoring us! #MITMC #orienteering #UPmountaineers #competitive

A photo posted by Dennis Lopez (@dencius) on Feb 6, 2016 at 9:55pm PST

The top 5 finishing teams

Apart from rock climbing, land navigation and orienteering might be the skills that I really enjoy learning. I like the precision it requires. And for someone like me who often manages to take the wrong turn while driving, the thought of getting better at navigating and even winning at a competition is truly rewarding. 

Nearly nine years ago, Daddy-o and I failed to finish this event after being stymied by an incorrect reading of a map feature. We finally got our redemption despite a very long overshoot that lost us valuable time. The course was very tricky. Thanks to MIT-MC for organizing this event again, and to Lagalag and Sikatuna Craft Brewery for the support. To Daddy-o, who said yes at my last-minute invite. And of course to our ever-supportive support crew, @cecelinamarie and @eintheadventuredog ,who were already there at the finish line waiting for us. #orienteering #UPmountaineers

A photo posted by Dennis Lopez (@dencius) on Feb 7, 2016 at 3:15pm PST

Our team (Daddy-o, me, Celine and Ein) would like to thank Lagalag Exploration, Sikatuna Craft Brewery, and the U.P. Mountaineers for the continued support. Thanks also to the Mapua Institute of Technology Mountaineering Club (MIT-MC) for reviving this competition. And to Bobby Relos for the very tricky course. I can't wait to join the next one!