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<\/figure>\nAbout 4 weeks ago I decided that I needed to get back into a sport which I competed in when I was a teenager. Part of this decision came from wanting to get out in the open air more, but also as my fitness is improving through doing Parkrun each week I felt that I needed a way of developing this without the need of going down a sweaty gym or just pounding the streets without much of a goal. Yes, Strava helps with segments set along the roads (other mobile apps are available). However I find myself running the same route over and over again. Doing this I just loose interest. Partly why I visit different Parkruns I guess. <\/p>\n
So I found myself looking for which club to join. When I was younger I was a member of Harlequins Orienteering Club (HOC) & I competed at a junior level as well as on some of the Night Street League events which were run around urban areas, normally during the winter. One year, 2002 I think, I won the short course league. Sadly, to my memory, there was no trophy for this or even a medal. The following year I went to university & apart from hosting the annual university event in conjunction with Lincolnshire Orienteers, this was my last involvement major involvement with the sport. I moved on to working for an outdoor activity company (PGL). I always took a keen interest in the Orienteering course at each centre I worked at, however this is as far as that interest went. I didn\u2019t complete in any competitions. The company put me through a teaching qualification so that I could train other members of staff \u2013 I would have to check my certificate, but I doubt this is still in date. <\/p>\n
Anyway I\u2019ve gone off on a tangent again. Regular readers will know I\u2019m good at that! So, I found myself wanting to re-register but wasn\u2019t sure which club I fell into. Main reason for this being, I spend 80% of my time in central Birmingham, my mother still lives on the outskirts, however I now live with my fianc\u00e9e in Wolverhampton. No club seems to define Wolves as it\u2019s area so I decided to register with City of Birmingham Orienteering Club (COBOC). Firstly I made this decision due to the areas they cover, but also due to the small nature of the club & I felt it would suit me better. I\u2019m not good around lots of people currently. So it was settled and application forms were sent off. <\/p>\n A lot has changed in the 18-20 years since I last completed. I was looking back at some old maps and control cards and realised that the last event I completed in properly was in 2003 at Posternplains which is an area of the Wyre Forest if memory serves correctly. However this event was run with the old spikey punches which used to be used to show that you had been to the correct control. These days a system called SportIdent SI punch is used, using one of the finger stick pictured above. As this is something I will need at every event I enter, I decided to purchase my own (approximately \u00a335). It is possible to hire one at most events however I personally thought it would be good to own one so took the plunge & bought one outright. The video below explains how the system works. It can do it far better than I could do please sit back and enjoy the user guide!<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/bloggingworldbeer.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/img_4551.jpg?w=1024\")
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