It's been almost a month since the US Relay Champs where OK took 2nd and 12th. It is not too soon to start looking towards next year's championships.

I can think of some things I would like to do to better prepare myself. But, I am interested in ideas for how the club can be better prepared.

What -- if anything -- can OK do to be better prepared for the next champs?

-- Michael (meglin@juno.com), May 08, 2000

Answers

Baseball teams make sure they have a good range of both lefties and righties stashed away in the bullpen. How does OK's bullpen look, in that regard? Maybe that's part of the answer?

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), May 09, 2000.

I took a day off after the relays then started training for 2001 the next day. I assume that all OKers took similar responsibilities to prepare themselves individually for the relays. I think we can trust our fellow teammates, at least most of the time.

I think that a training camp is something to aim for. We don't have to decide on a time or place until we know of the winning relay bid, but we can make it an expectation.

For those living near one another, group training is probably a good idea, whether it is a summer test loop series or preparations to hold a series of local meets later this fall, I don't know. Maybe a summer series of park orienteering would be a good idea. The finale could be Quantrill's.

We could think about ways to send 3 teams next year. I think it would be necessary to recruit if that is our goal.

-- Mook (everett@psi.edu), May 09, 2000.

I agree that we ought to do another training camp. To me it is not really important that the camp be in "relevant" terrain. I can think of a couple of good options. One would be a Laramie-based camp. There are lots of good maps around Laramie. It is also a good place to train in the summer. Another option would be to have a camp at Harriman, NY. We could probably arrange to stay with Mary's folks. The terrain can't be beat. It is possible to train there in the summer, but it is a lot more comfortable to run there in the fall or spring.

Maybe we should also do a "virtual training camp." Whereever an OKer happened to be they could run their own "one-man" training camp. We could keep eachother up to date on our camp via the internet. It might be interesting.

-- Michael (mike_eglinski@kcmo.org), May 10, 2000.

I wonder if Swampfox would be receptive to an OK training camp in LaRamie. It never hurts to ask.

-- Mook (everett@psi.edu), May 10, 2000.

A pre-US Champs camp in Laramie might be fun. I'd be interested in doing some O' technique training in September (before it is pleasant - - or even possible? -- to get out in the Kansas woods).

-- Spike (mike_eglinski@kcmo.org), May 10, 2000.

Another training camp in Laramie? With the OK gang? I see no reason why not! Probably Snorkel, in his new job, will have access to a corporate jet, and that should make shuttling in desperad-O types pertty convenient. Of course, Spike will probably want to investigate groating pills, or at least maybe he will opt to not go straight to the top of Medicine Bow Peak in his first hours the next time he returns to Laramie.

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), May 11, 2000.

What would Laramie be without a Spike blowing chunks on the plains?

-- Snorkel (daniel.meenehan@umb.com), May 11, 2000.