Trail awareness and my rule of 2's and 1/2's

mapper66

mapper66

Joined
Nov 11, 2007
Messages
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I like to get out on the trails a lot around here, mostly trail running, hiking, and 'observing'.

A little memory thing I developed for myself is what I call 2's and 1/2's.

I can run 2x faster than I can hike, and I can hike 2x faster than my observing, or stalking walk (this is the speed I use when I really want to see wildlife and still cover ground. It involves a lot of stopping and listening/looking. Not a true hunting stalk. I've done bowhunting stalks where I've been lucky to cover 50 yards in an hour.)

So if I'm 'stalking', I might cover 1.5 miles in one hour, hiking 3 miles, running 6 miles. These are all trail miles. Rough figures of course, terrain dependent, fitness level, all that.

More to the point, I like to remind myself that while I'm running, I'm picking up things at about 1/2 the rate I do while hiking, and while hiking I pick up about 1/2 as much as I do when observing/stalking.

So it just helps me remember I'm missing a lot of things while moving fast: people and animals, animal tracks, the weather, etc. Just something I like to remind myself of every once in a while. I have run right up on people off the side of the trail without seeing them. OK, but something I try to stay aware of.

I'm working on it though. Trying to see more while I am running or carrying a heavy pack, instead of just listening to that voice in my head that says 'this hurts', or 'I wonder what's for dinner??', or 'is Brian tearing down the wrong kitchen ceiling again?' :)

It also helps to remind me when I get obsessed with covering ground that I'm missing most of the best stuff out there. :thumbup:
 
Interesting stuff bro !

A little off topic but I was actually thinking today that I must spend 60-70 percent of my time looking down at the ground for tracks, I sometimes get so ' in the zone ' that I have walked straight by people without noticing them untill they have spoken to me !!!!!
 
:confused: I never really looked at it like that. Good point 'Ol Bud :thumbup:
I always try my best to be very aware of the area I'm in. In my job (coalminer) your life depends on Always being aware or your area ;) I guess after doing it all the time, you just naturally do it with out thinking.
 
good points. i often try to focus on seeing what's around me when i'm running, because i have a tendency to get "in the zone" when running, especially when i am pushing it.

when walking i try not to get too lost in my own thoughts as well, and make it a habit to look around and take note of things.

i started working on my situational awareness about a year or two ago, and even though i am far from great, i have improved alot. i like to test myself sometimes, after leaving a room seeing if i can picture the whole room in my head, including where everyone is standing and where key exits are.

paying attention in the woods is a useful tool as well. i like to look behind me every once in a while to get an image in my head of what the trail will look like going back, because turning around can turn something familiar into a totally strange place.
 
I don't run, unless someone really large or heavily-armed is chasing me. :p

But I agree with the other posters that it's ALWAYS worthwhile to scan with your eyes and ears. Peripheral vision is your friend, and easy to develope. Peripheral hearing (I'm not sure if that's a real term) works about the same.

I reckon most of you drive a car or truck everyday, naturally you use these skills to keep from getting squished on the freeway.

How many times have you been in the woods or on the street, and "almost-heard" or "not-quite-saw" something that put you on alert to a dinner-on-the-hoof, a potential assailant, or a glance at a lovely woman?

With just a little practice, one can avoid roots in the trail, drunks in the bar, speed-traps and cold-hearted women. I think it's mostly about paying attention. "Stay Alert, Stay Alive"
 
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Mapper66 and I ran like little girls when those damn bees swarmed out of the ground at us...:D

We didn't see a damn thing -- just heard the buzz and felt the sting! :D
 
Brian Jones said:
Mapper66 and I ran like little girls when those damn bees swarmed out of the ground at us...:D

We didn't see a damn thing -- just heard the buzz and felt the sting! :D
Click to expand...

I'm still wondering if it was you or the WASP pack they were after.:D
 
I have to do some digging for an article that I read years ago but for now I'll ask a simple question.

Mapper66, by what you've posted, obviously you put some thought into your awareness and have "theorized" (for lack of a better term) that as your speed increases, your "data gathering" decreases. You've put some thought into this and pay attention to such things.

My question is, have you ever noticed an increase in your speed (without intent) in low visibility conditions like fog or snow, or when other senses are hindered?

Anyone can answer of course. I'm just curious as this goes along with the article.

Chris
 
Rupestris said:
I have to do some digging for an article that I read years ago but for now I'll ask a simple question.

Mapper66, by what you've posted, obviously you put some thought into your awareness and have "theorized" (for lack of a better term) that as your speed increases, your "data gathering" decreases. You've put some thought into this and pay attention to such things.

My question is, have you ever noticed an increase in your speed (without intent) in low visibility conditions like fog or snow, or when other senses are hindered?

Chris
Click to expand...

Yes, that is exactly it. Another way to say what I did above is, as my speed increases, my ability to gather and process what is happening in the environment around me decreases. If it is important for you to be aware, you need to take your time.

I'll be interested to read the article, or just hear you describe it. I'm trying to think back on times when I had hindered senses... So night hikes, runs in the fog or snow. I would have to say no, I instinctively slow down, if for no other reason than I can't see as well. Don't know if it has any bearing, but we did extensive night work in the military, both with and without night vision.
 
Brian Jones said:
Mapper66 and I ran like little girls when those damn bees swarmed out of the ground at us...:D

We didn't see a damn thing -- just heard the buzz and felt the sting! :D
Click to expand...


Yes we did. Wasn't processing much at that point. ;) Those bees had stealth technology or something.
 
Thanks for the quick answer.

I found an article that is close to the study that I read.

http://www.kyb.mpg.de/bu/projects.html?prj=219&compl=1

In short, the study done in England, found that when experienced drivers are driving in fog with no way to gauge their speed (no speedometer), they increase their speed.

The study claimed that the cause was a drop in visual stimulation and having things that normally help govern your speed (trees passing, other vehicles, etc.) taken out of the equation.
 
Just to add to the speed/awareness discussion - seriously, if you are in an extreme survival situation, and the adrenaline dump is happening (like what happens in a shooting, car accident etc), you'll feel like you and everything are moving slow, but you're really processing more at the time, even if you don't at first remember it all right after -- and you are probably moving surprisingly fast.

As Tim describes, if you are just purposefully moving faster, you'll be more likely to concentrate on only that and miss things around you.
 
I agree Brian. Not to move this into PracTac, but once I was in a very bad situation and time slowed way down. I saw everything very clearly and felt like I could move twice as fast as the other guys. Interestingly my hearing pretty much turned off. I think the tac guys have terminology for all that.
 
pitdog said:
Interesting stuff bro !

A little off topic but I was actually thinking today that I must spend 60-70 percent of my time looking down at the ground for tracks, I sometimes get so ' in the zone ' that I have walked straight by people without noticing them untill they have spoken to me !!!!!
Click to expand...


Yes, same thing pitdog. When running or hiking real fast, you tend to focus on the things that are important for not face planting on the trail, so roots, rocks, things like that. Most other stuff takes a back seat. I've found it takes practice and real concentration to focus on that, and other things as well.
 
mapper66 said:
I agree Brian. Not to move this into PracTac, but once I was in a very bad situation and time slowed way down. I saw everything very clearly and felt like I could move twice as fast as the other guys. Interestingly my hearing pretty much turned off. I think the tac guys have terminology for all that.
Click to expand...

I'm not a PracTac guy here :D - but the sound is called auditory exclusion and perceiving movement in slow time is also a common stress reaction.

Study of what the human body does under critical stress or critical incidents is one of the things I've studied in use of force/critical incident/and situational training.

As heart rate increases, loss of fine motor skills decrease and the development of tunnel vision are some of the first things that occur. There are a lot of reactions that occur during a critical incident. No one experiences the same reaction. I have read debriefs of officers that have reported seeing the cylinder of a revolver turning in slow motion during a critical incident, etc.
 
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