Morven Park

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May 8
Sunday

Welcome to our second One Cowboy Relay at this unique venue! Yes, we will have traditional beginner (white, yellow) and intermediate (orange) courses too, so whether you're a beginner or an advanced runner, this event is for you.

Event timing will be standard for the white, yellow and orange courses: register any time between 10:45 - 1:15, start any time between 11 - 1:30, and be back before 3pm.

For the "advanced" courses, which means the One Cowboy Relay courses, there will be a Mass Start at High Noon. Courses consist of a variety of loops, in motala format for those familiar with the Swedish term. To put it another way, the advanced courses consist of a one-person relay event where each runner is expected to be 100% of their relay team - so there's no waiting around for anyone to finish their relay loop before you start yours. And by the way, these courses are not just for "advanced" orienteers - all the loops except the 5k long one are in or near open fields, so anyone, beginner, intermediate or advanced, should feel free to do these courses.

The twist of this event is that the initial (3) relay loops are taken in random order, i.e. some runners start on Loop A, some start on Loop B and others start on Loop C., so blindly following any particular runner may lead you to the wrong control (they may not be on the same loop as you). Controls are closely spaced on similar features to add to the confusion. The initial three random loops each contain 5 control locations and are 1.0 km in length (please note that the fifth control on all three loops is the same, #150, located at the start/finish). There are three variations of this relay configuration. One, run the initial three loops only and stop, 3.0 km total distance; this is called the "advanced/short" course. Two, run the initial three loops (3.0 km) plus a separate short (2.6 km) additional loop and stop (the "advanced/medium"). Or, three, run the initial three loops (3.0 km) plus a separate long (5.2 km) additional loop and stop ("advanced/long"). Take your choice, climb on these courses except for the long version (and even that version has relatively little climb) is minimal.

Update: How does this work? The first three loops are printed on one sheet, as three smaller maps side by side going from left to right. Your first loop is the first map (the one to the left); your second loop is the middle map, and your last loop is the map to the right. As you finish each loop, you will be required to punch a common control (#150) at the end of that loop before proceeding to the next loop. All runners doing the relay will be mass started at a predetermined time; and for advanced/medium and advanced/long runners, you'll get your final map when you finish your first three loops.

In addition to the Relay, standard White, Yellow, Orange and a Green course will be offered for those runners who do not want to participate in the relay, but still want to orienteer at Morven Park. FYI, the Green course offered is actually the Long (5.2 km) final loop of the relay.

Any youth or large groups attending, please contact the Event Director so that we can coordinate pre-registration for your group; the group registration and waiver form is part of the information on our Group Leaders page.

And in terms of additional information:

• A National Register Historic Property, Morven Park was for 40 years the home of Virginia Gov. Westmoreland Davis. Now a private park, more than 100,000 people visit it each year, primarily for it's equestrian center and courses, museums, historic gardens, sports fields and festivals (like this one).
• There will not be an entrance fee.
• Tours of the Governors Mansion will be available from noon - 4pm (last admittance 3pm); details here.
• Dogs are welcome but must be leashed at all times.
• Large and/or youth groups must contact us in advance if interested in attending.
• Driving from Maryland? Consider using the relatively close White's Ferry crossing.
• If you haven't already signed up to be allowed to enter the Quantico Marine Base for next Sunday's May 15 Combat Village event and you're even considering going, do so now via that event's webpage.

Updated! Course offering are as follows:

Advanced/Short: 3km total: three 1km loops of 5 controls each
Advanced/Medium: 5.6km total: the three loops plus a 2.6km, 8 controls, 35m climb final loop
Advanced/Long: 8.2km total: the three loops plus a 5.2km, 14 controls, 125m climb final loop
White 1.6km 12 controls 15m climb
Yellow 2.4km 11 controls 30m climb
Orange 3.9km 14 controls 65m climb
Green 5.2km, 14 controls, 125m climb