4 minute read
DUBBO DASH
Done my DUBBO DASH
at Sandy Beach
John Williams
The Dubbo Dash was a sprint orienteering event for orienteers competing in the Western Plains Carnival and took place along the banks of the Macquarie River following the JWOC2007 Sprint at Dubbo Zoo. John Williams, from South Australia, had something of a mind explosion at various points around the course and found himself visiting #10 control three times during his run. Being the congenial fellow that he is, John agreed to write about his run and to try to figure out just what went wrong.
DESPITE the wintry non-beach weather, the Dubbo Dash seemed very much like my cup of tea, a cross-country race with my fellow M60/65s along the banks of the mighty Macquarie River. A piece of cake, but it required the usual stern reminder - don’t go anywhere near the front early on! For reasons I can’t explain, I was the first to see #1, but went the safe track route, ensuring I was fourth to punch, then on climbing by the slower route choice, my arm collided with someone in black (Wayne Aspin?) and I had to scramble back to retrieve my map. The leaders were receding into the distance and I had to do something quick to make up the time lost so far. Oxygen debt began to set in as our procession began to catch some W50s (unthinkable that some of them would run faster times than me!). At control #8 (2nd fastest leg, 3secs faster than Wayne) I was all alone and in respectable shape, but from there it all went downhill: 1. At the walking path below #8 I saw the leaders emerging from #9, but told myself that it wasn’t my control, and went on direct to #10. 2. On my way to #11, I realised I’d missed #9, so I returned, but left the path too early and had to scramble in a steep rocky area. Some of the women leaving #9 looked like the ones I saw at #3 and #4. Wayne did 0:34 for this leg compared to my 3:26 ! 3. My leg time to #10 was 3:01 (Wayne 0:39), and I have no idea why it took so long to punch a familiar control site only 50m away, apart from some severe brain fade. I must have been standing around puzzling at the map for some time. Then, OhOh, did I punch #8?! Don’t remember – I’d better go back. 4. Crossed the pipeline and climbed vaguely towards #8, wondering if an embarrassing mp is preferable to a horrible #8, 9, 10. 5. I veered towards #10, where the seated control guarder gave me a very strange look, and I had to agree with him. “You idiot” I said to myself under my breath. At some point I remembered punching #8, and so turned around and re-punched #10. 6. In denial of time lost, I put my head down and - my finest moment - ran fastest time for the leg to #12 (take that, Wayne!). 7. I caught George Reeves, about eight years my senior, but got ‘over-excited’ and overshot both #15 and #16. 8. My confidence was almost totally gone - could that control be #17? Yes, I think so, but I am quizzed by a female orienteer as to its identity – the women’s courses split to a different #17 higher up the hill. I don’t care any more, and manage a geriatric 40secs for 80 metres to the Finish, coolly pursued by our Editor, and hoping not to be noticed. My Dubbo Dash was Alice in Blunderland - from almost first to almost last in only 30:16 (Wayne’s winning time was 19:17)!
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