Share [...]]]> Aggregate scores for the 2010 CHIG v HAVOC series are now available. Thanks to everyone who turned out for CHIG.

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Share [...]]]> Julie Warwick-Munday won the Gooseberry Fool 2010, held at Pishiobury Park on Wednesday 30 June 2010! Congratulations to everyone, especially Josh who visited all 30 controls with 8 minutes to spare! Thank you all for coming along.

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For those that are not aware, I have agreed to be the Club Captain for the rest of 2010. I am a novice at this role, so you will have to forgive me if I am a bit different from previous captains. Thanks to Mike Brett who carried the captain’s cap last year [...]]]> Fellow Chig Members

For those that are not aware, I have agreed to be the Club Captain for the rest of 2010. I am a novice at this role, so you will have to forgive me if I am a bit different from previous captains. Thanks to Mike Brett who carried the captain’s cap last year and to Tim Pribul who helped cover this duty since March.

I understand we had two teams in the recent SE Relay event and well done to Mark Ford, John Duffield and Robert Campbell who came second in the open category and to Tom Edelsten, Dylan Campbell and Ros West who competed in the handicap.

Our next relay event is the Stragglers Relay to be held in, Hylands Park, Chelmsford on Sunday 11 July.

For those that haven’t run it before (including me), it is a handicap event with 4 runners completing a total of 9 legs. Chig runners (Ray Weeks, Carol & John Pearce and Tim Pribul) won the event in 2008 and it would be great to have another strong showing this year.

Can you please email me if you are interested in being part of a Chig team. I have re-arranged my diary and will be running as will Owen (M10). I am happy if you wish to organise teams independently, however I will need to submit entries before 5 July, so please let me know asap.

A reminder of the rules are below:

1. Teams of four runners must complete four short (yellow), three medium (orange) and two longer (light green) courses.

2. Each team member must complete at least one course and no-one may run the same course twice. At the start, each team will receive a set of maps, one for each course. The fourth runner will not be able to start until another team member returns.

3. Scratch teams will start at 12 noon (ie 4 x M21s). Handicap will determine start time of all other teams working back from 12 noon up to a maximum of 60 minutes, ie 11 o’clock. Handicap in minutes as follows:

4. Thus a team made up of M18+W40+W45+M55 will have a handicap of 5+11+13+10 = 39 minutes. Start time will be at 11.21.

5. The Organiser’s decision is final.

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Weald Park 19 Jun 2010 – Match Results [Excel file]

Share [...]]]> Match 3 of the CHIG v HAVOC was won by HAVOC by 107.5 – 103.

Weald Park 19 Jun 2010 – Match Results [Excel file]

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The Newsletter of

CHIGWELL AND EPPING FOREST

ORIENTEERING CLUB

Number 170

May 2010

In this edition: Chairman’s letter | New Committee | New Members | Club News Performances |  Dates For Your Diary | JK 2010 (by Jason Haigh) | [...]]]> CHIGCHAT

The Newsletter of

CHIGWELL AND EPPING FOREST

ORIENTEERING CLUB

Number 170

May 2010

In this edition: Chairman’s letter | New Committee | New Members | Club News Performances |  Dates For Your Diary | JK 2010 (by Jason Haigh) | CHIGs at the JK | Grizzly Virgin (by Ian McClymont) | Club Kit SEOA & EAOA Fixtures List |

Chairman’s letter

Despite the cold weather early in the year it’s been a good season this year so far, with a variety of events so that nearly every weekend has seen the opportunity to get out and enjoy the sport.  Cancellation due to poor weather is a nightmare for the organising club, since usually it has to be done at the last minute, and actually means more work, not less.  So we are grateful to the Blowers and others who managed to send out the communication about Pishiobury to stop people setting off in unpleasant conditions.  It’s also good to see that all the planning and organisation didn’t go to waste as we were able to reschedule the event.

Further afield the JK and the British have tested the orienteering skills and the stamina of Club members with some stories of success and otherwise following in this edition of Chigchat.  It’s very easy to get lulled into a sense of ease with a set of park races coming up over the summer – sometimes we need the physical terrain to show us that orienteering is not only for us southern softies.  Keeping the brain engaged when physically tired is a unique challenge so some technical training in our summer evening programme is pretty useful as well as keeping up the running!

Personally I’ve had some difficult issues these last few months, and I’m really grateful to other members of the committee, especially Tim Pribul, who have been filling in during my absence.  I heard the AGM went well, and am grateful to those who have helped on the committee over the last year.  It’s also good to welcome Ray Weekes back in the role of Treasurer which will allow Alan Brett to relax a little bit – he has put in some sterling work on the website and on the SI front with which he will be continuing.

It’s also good to know that the club is continuing to expand, although one of the newest members who put in her first appearance on the 2^nd day of the JK individual isn’t going to be lacing up her own O shoes for a year or three yet.  Congratulations to Philippa and Kevin, and let’s hope that grandparenthood is not going to slow down Tim and Sally too much.

Jennifer

New Committee

As elected at the AGM:

Chairman                                 Jennifer Taylor

Secretary                                 Tim Pribul

Treasurer                                 Ray Weekes

Fixtures                                   Ray Curtis

Mapping                                  Tom Edelsten

Membership                            Helen Hampton

Coaching & Training               Josh Jenner

Social Secretary                       Kate Brett

The committee aims to meeting every month, with the exception of August.

New Members

We would like to welcome:

Stephen Potts (M60) who teaches canoeing/kayaking/sailing to secondary school children and disabled children and adults, and is soon to become a UKCC Level 1 coach.

Evelina Vilkiene (W21) is a local member who lives in East London.  She is returning to orienteering after a break as she previously orienteered with her school as a teenager (in Lithuania).

Club News

We are pleased to announce the arrival of Edie Florence Allen (parents Philippa (nee Pribul) and Kevin Allen), born on Easter Sunday, 4^th April, much to the surprise of her grandparents as well as her parents, as she was four weeks early. She is looking forward to being taken round her first string course by proud grandpa, Tim.

Performances

Harold Wyber              3^rd M21 South East Middle Distance Championships

Josh Jenner                 3^rd South East Sprint Championships

British Champs – Cannock Chase – Sunday 1^st May

Dylan Campbell           11^th M12A

Harold Wyber              11^th M21L

Mark Ford                    6^th M35L

Robert Campbell         4^th M40L

Mike Brett                   8^th M45S

Peter Cheetham          25^th M50S

Tim Pribul                    3^rd M60S

Robin Campbell           9^th M70L

Jocelyn Brett               3^rd W12B

Alice Campbell            15^th W18E

Kate Brett                    13^th W45L

Charlotte Cheetham    26^th W45S

Jennifer Taylor                        24^th W65L

Ruby Campbell            4^th W70L

Well done, everyone!

Congratulations too, to Carol Pearce (DEVON and social member of CHIG) who won W65L!

JK performances are shown elsewhere

Club Dates For Your Diary

Full details of all these events will be found on the CHIG website nearer each date.

Date                                        Event                                       Location

Monday, 24^th May                   Committee Meeting                Helen Hampton’s, Loughton

Monday, 5^th July                      Committee Meeting                Tim Pribul’s, Sawbridgeworth

Saturday, 15^th May                  CHIG Local Event                    Pishiobury Park

Sunday 16^th May                      HAVOC v CHIG Bedfords Park

Sunday 19^th June –                   HAVOC v CHIG Weald Park Score Event

Saturday, 26^th June                  Club Champs                           Epping Forest

incl. Club social

Sunday, 27^th June                    FROLIC inc CHIG v HAVOC Gunpowder Park (new map)

Wednesday, 30^th June             Gooseberry Fool – Score         Pishiobury Park & Pribul’s,

Event and Club Social                  Sawbridgeworth

The Haigh Family’s First JK

Along with a number of other CHIG’s, the family Haigh ventured South West for their first JK experience.  With the first event on Good Friday I started south on the Thursday and sampled the local pub in Sidmouth on Thursday night where darts, funny accents and ample servings of sausage and mash were on the menu.

Bicton College, near Budleigh Salterton – Day 1 – Sprint

A short drive on Friday morning to Bicton College in torrential rain was enough to make me want to detour to a local Cider House; however with an early start luckily they were not open.  The parking and administration area suffered from many weeks of heavy rain and the green grass slowly deteriorated into large areas of Glastonbury-like mud.  It was great to see so many competitors and seeing familiar faces from CHIG, HAVOC, WAOC and SUFFOC made me feel part of a larger team.

The course itself received mixed reviews, but from my point of view I thought it was good, providing a few little navigational decisions and a combination of gradient changes, following tracks and navigating around the college buildings.  The pavements were slippery, there were a couple of people ‘caught out’ by an un-crossable fence in the middle of the longer races and the last 500m was pretty much a procession back to the finish.  Overall it suited my running style orienteering but even in this short event there were 3 or 4 controls that cost me a better finishing time.

The weather cleared up and the sun shone brightly encouraging us to cheer competitors to the finish and it was good to see fellow CHIGs striding out to the final spectator point.

Cookworthy Forest – Day 2 – Individual

We were again greeted with heavy rain, which did not ease for most of the early starters.  Parking was on forest trails and my bike helped avoid a long walk to the administration area.  Despite there being a huge field for tents and food vans, finding a dry underfoot area was challenging if not impossible.  There was good warm-up trot to the start area, and from my point of view it could have been another planet.  When I picked up my map, and ran off in the logical direction, I made the novice’s mistake of not really orientating to my surroundings, with parallel ditches taking me in the wrong direction; 15 minutes later at the first control my race was all but over.  The terrain was challenging and very muddy; I have never before seen so many orienteers falling over.  However, after my early challenges, I really enjoyed the course, with loads of route choice.

Watching the competitors finishing, many were happy to reach the final spectator control, avoiding rabbit holes and plenty of brambles in the final stages.  Baxter, our Golden Retriever enjoyed a run through the adjoining woods after my race and lapped up all the attention from fellow competitors.

Braunton Burrows – Day 3 – Individual

Sunday in Devon, must mean a day at the Beach, well near enough.  The sand dunes north of Bideford saw fine weather and a huge field of competitors for the world ranking long distance event.  The challenge of a 1:15,000 map and some well hidden controls caught out a number of runners, and this being my first real navigation of dunes, it resulted in some confusion between knolls and depressions.

A familiar sight of competitors standing on a high point looking around in all directions (either for a control point, or trying to triangulate their position) made me feel better on my 2 hour run.

The M21 and Elites ventured North to get a good view of the sea, but for the rest of us, if we needed our swimming gear it was for a short cut across some of the small lakes.  The courses were challenging and deciding whether to go over or around some dunes was a 50/50 decision, dependent on heavy legs and tired mind.

Braunton Burrows – Day 4 –  Relays

Returning to Braunton Burrows gave me a little concern, especially with the kids going out on their own relay event; however with a shorter course and local knowledge from day 3, I was confident of a better run.  CHIG had 3 teams out including one junior team, and it was exciting to see the first waves leave the transition area from one of the two elevated spectator areas.

With 3-4 course options per category, there were good opportunities to end up at the wrong control if you had a lapse in concentration.  Some muscle was needed to get to a couple of checkpoints as competitors jostled at bottleneck common controls.

Overall those attending seemed to enjoy themselves and there was a good mix of socialising, competing and holiday activities.  I am guessing this won’t be our last Easter JK event.

CHIGs at the JK

[Photos to follow]

CHIG JK Results

Sprint

Oliver Brett                 18^th M10

Dylan Campbell           9^th M12

Jason Haigh                 25^th M40

Mike Brett                   33^rd M45

Derek Jenner               76^th M55

Robin Campbell           3^rd M70

Jocelyn Brett               25^th W12

Alice Campbell            13^th W18E

Kate Brett                    40^th W45

Ros West                     28^th W60

Jennifer Taylor                        3^rd W65

Ruby Campbell            11^th W70

Individual

Oliver Brett                 12^th M10B

Dylan Campbell           16^th M12A

Josh Jenner                  24^th M21L

Robert Campbell         4^th M40L

Jason Haigh                 38^th M40L

Mike Brett                   3^rd M45S

Peter Cheetham          28^th M50S

Ian Andrews                14^th M55S

Derek Jenner               29^th M55S

Tom Edelsten              6^th M65L

Robin Campbell           18^th M70L
Jocelyn Brett               4^th W12B

Rosa Hampton                        6^th W16B

Alice Campbell            20^th W18E

Carolyn Andrews         9^th W18S

Kate Brett                    23^rd W45L

Charlotte Cheetham    20^th W45S

Helen Hampton           22^nd W45S

Ros West                     15^th W60S

Ruby Campbell            14^th W70L

Jennifer Taylor                       12^th W65L   Day 3 only

Kostya Lutsenko          5th       M35L   Day 2 only

CHIGaChuggers           Josh Jenner/Tom Edelsten/Jason Haigh         39^th M120+

CHIGAJIG CHIG            Rosa Hampton/Helen Hampton/Kate Brett    61^st Mixed Ad Hoc

CHIGellits CHIG           Lachlan Haigh/Oliver Brett/Owen Haigh       14^th Mini relay

Congratulations to everyone who took part! And apologies if I have missed anyone. (Ed)

Virgin Grizzly!

By Ian McClymont

(Bishop’s Stortford Running Club and CHIG Social member)

Why Did I Agree To Do This?

On the Thursday 4^th February I saw my physio for some treatment (he has been trying to pull my head off to see if there was a brain inside it for some while) and he said “there’s a spare Grizzly place, you’ve got to do it!”

So…..I got an entry.

What Next?

My running was in the 20 mile a week zone, using the John Baker method, i.e. got to have a drink or two after each run.

So…how to prepare for this run, only 4 weeks to go, and allegedly it’s as hard as a marathon, or even worse?

I had heard so many horror stories…the bogs… the hills… and worst of all… the shingle beach!

Luckily I had entered a couple of half-marathons, Great Bentley and Roding Valley, so I had some longer runs planned. The furthest I had been since Christmas was the Buntingford 10, so I went out for a 10 mile run instantly. Sunday 7^th Feb was the Great Bentley half, I did that, and I managed to get in 36 miles that week, a bit of a step up from 20miles.

The next week I managed 42 miles, then did 54 miles the week after that including the Roding Valley half, which was a disaster. A Personal Worst! Far too tired was the real reason, not the usual excuse of hills and wind and rain. I was exhausted and just to cap it off, I got sinusitis as well.

So my final week before the Grizzly I decided to do as little as possible, packed in running except for a gentle 4 mile on the Wednesday club-night, and consumed loads of carbs, and the odd glass of wine.

The Race Weekend

We were travelling down on two mini-buses, so we met up at the clubhouse at 10:00am on the Saturday before the race and set off for sunny Devon. Our group was staying in a Hoseasons Holiday camp between Lyme Regis and Seaton. I had already christened it Stalag Luft 20, but it was a lot more comfortable than I expected, very good in fact. Other club members were spread amongst B&B’s around Seaton, and one crazy was driving down on the day! We tucked into a pasta party in the evening and had an early night.

Race morning

…lovely sunny morning, but still chilly from the overnight frost.

I had had a restless night, so I got up early and got dressed in my running gear…. I ate my usual breakfast, a large bowl of porridge laced with honey ….. …..we left for Seaton … parked up by 9.30….  the race start time was at 10.30 and off we went to the start on the promenade with the usual nervous jokes.

The Race

10.30…off we went, 2000 of us, 100 yards down the promenade, then a sharp U-Turn onto the shingle beach…..how do you run on shingle…..just look at it….

Seaton Shingle Beach

It took me about 30 yards to sort out my legs and breathing…the most efficient way for me was a pitter-patter style, trying to touch the shingle for as little time as possible. I was passed by a lot of people, never mind, I was there to enjoy the run….I hoped.

We came off the shingle after half a mile, thank God, and headed back across town and up the first hill, heading out of town.

View back into Seaton from first hill                                               Beer

We climbed out of Seaton and headed for Beer. Everyone is still very jolly.

We leave Beer and head into the country, hills. Ahead there is a snake of runners across the other side of the valley, at least a thousand people in front of us. Up and down, across the camber this way and that way, ankles wobbling, slipping on the relatively dry earth.

At about 5.5miles it flattens out, we are on the top fields and we cross a field. I can smell slurry, apparently it’s pig slurry. The field exit is a sticky mess for about 50 yards, I head for the field edge for firmer ground and get out quickly.

Soon we are heading down to Branscombe beach.

We get to the beach and charge through a dammed stream.

I now have cold legs and numb feet. We are heading up a gentle slope towards Branscombe, and we occasionally glimpse other club members ahead. Up through Branscombe village (7.5miles) and then we start the next section of hills, hills and hills.

We are now running/walking up and down, weaving a wiggly path across the countryside. I am expecting bogs at any minute, but nothing as yet. Then I hear voices laughing, occasional squealing, bogs are close. First bog, a black bog, not as bad as I had thought, only half way up my legs, then off again to the next hills. Then we hear more squeals. This time I am too confident and trip up on the stream before the bog. I now have black (yellow originally) gloves. I try to wash them in the next stream and they go grey.

More bog, and again it’s not as bad as I had feared and I follow a club member through the “shallow” right hand side away from the support ropes. We run on and next come to the Fountainhead Pub in Branscombe. Lots of people here and we squeeze through the crowds and cars. No free beer here!

I am feeling OK and know that the next section will be heading back to Branscombe Beach, so it should be runnable and I can catch up on lost time.

Branscombe shingle beach, 1 mile of it!

We now are on the shingle.

About 50 yards in my left hamstring tightens up. I walk and massage it, then jog and massage it, all OK if I do my pitter-patter jog. I decide to keep going at a constant pace. The end of the beach is in sight and then we are onto a steep path up the side of the cliff. Walk, occasional jog, up I go 350ft vertically to the top of the cliff.

Then I have an easy run across the cliff tops and down to Beer Head Caravan park. Down to Beer, and then up another steep coastal path. At the top I pass a runner on the path who looks awful, and give him my water bottle to drink. He empties it in one go!

Never mind, not far now.

We come into Seaton and drop down to Seaton Hole. I had forgotten that we go back onto the shingle. Not good. Pitter-patter, off we go again trying to keep the rhythm going. It’s not so far this time, only 400 yards.

Then we come of onto the promenade and the finish straight is in sight. We had done 20 miles, 3500ft ascent and descent, final sprint, 4:09 and change!!!

The Finish!

Fantastic, what a run.

Club Kit

See CHIGs online shop.

South-East Fixtures

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The full schedule is now available to view on the training page. You will find details of the sort [...]]]> This Wednesday we will be meeting at Suntrap and training on Epping East. The session is suitable for everybody of all ages and abilities. Afterwards there will be some time for recuperation, with a cup of tea and a cake.

The full schedule is now available to view on the training page. You will find details of the sort of training we will be doing over the summer and whereabouts it will be held. I have also included details of some social opportunities that members might like to attend.

I look forward to seeing you all there,

If you know you will be coming, please email me and let me know so that I can prepare enough maps.

Josh Jenner

CHIG club coach

07837 629925

josh.jenner@hotmail.co.uk

www.joshjenner.co.uk

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Our CHIG summer training schedule is now available to view on the training page. You will find details of the sort of training we [...]]]> Important change to the advertised details: Please note that every week we will be meeting at Suntrap Education centre at 18:30. All training will commence from here. Please ignore the other advertised locations.

Our CHIG summer training schedule is now available to view on the training page. You will find details of the sort of training we will be doing over the summer and where abouts it will be held. I have also included details of some social opportunities that members might like to attend.

Each Wednesday night CHIG’s team of 4 coaches will be putting on skill specific training to try and help you improve areas of your orienteering. We will be training on various locations but starting and finishing at Suntrap for a cup of tea and cake! This Summer will be a great social opportunity so I look forward to seeing you all there!

If you know you will be coming, please email me and let me know so that I can prepare enough maps.

Run well!

Josh Jenner

CHIG club coach

07837 629925

josh.jenner@hotmail.co.uk

www.joshjenner.co.uk

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This is an attractive woodland and is very suitable for a relay event. Therefore hopefully we can field a large number of teams. In addition to the two main open races for Men [...]]]> The SE Relays this year are being organised by HH at Whippendell Woods near Watford on Sunday 6th June. The event flyer is here.

This is an attractive woodland and is very suitable for a relay event. Therefore hopefully we can field a large number of teams. In addition to the two main open races for Men and Women, there is a Handicap relay and also a Junior relay.

If you would like to take part, please let me know by Monday 17th May, stating:

- Relay preference – Open, Handicap, Junior
- Course Colour preference
Open – Blue or Green
Handicap – Blue, Orange or Green
Junior – Yellow or Orange

If you would need transport in order to get to the event, please let me know.

The entry fee is:
£5 Senior
£3 Junior

If you have any queries, please let me know.

Regards,
Tim

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