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Joseph D. Grant County Park

Date: (Sun.) Feb. 17, 2013
Location: San Jose, CA
Event Director: - 408.568.6740
Course Setter: Dennis Wildfogel
Type: C; Bare-bones (self-service) event with only two advanced courses—no beginner or intermediate courses or clinics


Course Setter’s Notes

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We have intentionally violated the rules about having controls close together. There are some cases of controls very close together, almost like a Trail-O. This has been done to make you read your map and clue sheet more carefully. Don’t just run to any control marker you see. Check control codes carefully before you punch.

Control descriptions are printed on the maps, and loose clue sheets will be available at the Start (not at Registration).

Water stops: There are no water jugs at any of the controls. Instead, there are three working water spigots (blue × on the map) that have been marked on the map with the red cup symbol. Each of these water stops is more or less on the only reasonable route one would take in that part of the course. All three occur between about 2.5 km and 3 km on the courses, between controls #15 and #19.

There is very little in the way of undergrowth or thorns on the courses. There are some muddy areas. The vegetation is quite well mapped, the exception being one or two places where splotches of small dark-green patches that look like you could wind your way through are actually difficult to get through (Irish broom that has grown out). In several places you may see fields of nasty looking spiky balls sitting atop thigh-high reeds. In the summertime, these are deadly, but I ran right through them in early February without much of a problem. These fields are mapped as “slow run, good visibility”, that is, by vertical green hatching. Also, over the first part of each course (roughly the first 9 controls), much of the “open” land should really be mapped as “rough open” — there are fields of thigh-high brambles. But again, at this time of year, it’s not really a problem to get through these.

Note that there are two different sizes of green circles (distinct trees) on the map. The larger size are virtually always large oaks. The smaller size can represent many different things, from small trees to things that seem more like bushes — but they always seem to be at least 10 feet high. Where small distinct trees are used as control sites, I’ve added a height like “4m” on the control description. Those heights are not meant to be exact, just meant to give you the idea that you’re not looking for a majestic oak.

In areas where there are both large green circles and patches of white, it’s not so easy to identify the “distinct” trees while moving at competition speed (at least for me). Those trees usually don’t look any different from their siblings. On close inspection, one can see that those trees are a bit further from the other trees than the ones in the white patches are from one another, but, again, that’s hard to see on the run. You would be well served to identify such trees by their relationship to other features, e.g., contour features (hilltops, spurs). Incidentally, you will pass by one magnificent tree who’s distinctiveness results from its remarkable appearance rather than from its isolation.

Picnic tables are generally not shown on the map, perhaps because they’re moveable. Man-made objects with concrete foundations are mapped with the black × symbol.

Green ×’s are usually “snags” — standing trees with their tops broken off. Blue ×’s are water spigots. (Note: Beware that blue ×’s in open areas often look green because of the yellow background.)

There are a few legs that are parallel to a nearby vehicle track. Though going out to that road is a viable choice, the terrain is so runnable right now that it is faster to take a direct route. Anyway, you want to get better, don’t you? Stay off the road for more practice in terrain.

On the Red/Blue course, the map shows what looks like an open gate in a fence you’ll need to cross. That gate is in fact locked. Nevertheless, there’s an easy place to slip through the fence right next to the gate.

There is no banner marking the Finish. The FINISH punch will be atop a single control stand with a control marker, that is, the Finish will look just like another control.

Poison oak stalks have been seen in a few spots on the course. Take the usual precautions.

The contours on the map are at 5-meter intervals. The North-South lines are 500 meters apart.

One of the pre-runners said, “I was amazed at how technical you managed to make the course in such familiar terrain. Great course. I really enjoyed it.” It won’t be Pawtuckaway or Sturbridge Mountain, but I expect you’ll find it more technical than a typical Bay Area course.