Tips for orienteering and rogaining competitions

Plan navigation, equipment, pace, fluid and fuel for an orienteering or rogaining race in Baltic conditions.

Rogaining participants with maps and medals after the finish
Participants after the Riga Autumn Legends Rogaining. Photo: rogainings.lv / Xevents. Avots / source

Rogaining is not won by speed alone. Route choice, early replanning and regular fuelling can matter more than pace over one kilometre. Baltic conditions add mud, darkness, wet clothing and rapidly changing temperature.

Keep the plan simple enough to follow while reading the map and communicating with the team.

Key points

Split the map into priority controls and a shorter return option.
Tie food and drink to time, not only hunger.
A spare layer, reliable light and charged phone are safety kit, not dead weight.

Route and team decisions

Mark controls with a good value-to-time ratio, then build a shorter return route. Set a specific time for reviewing the plan. If one teammate slows, adapt early instead of waiting for a crisis.

Assign simple roles: primary navigator, time keeper and fuel reminder. Errors often appear when everyone tries to do everything.

Fuel that you can tolerate

On longer races, start before hunger arrives. Many athletes begin around 30–60 g carbohydrate per hour and adjust in training. In a two-week randomised trial, repeated carbohydrate feeding during running improved gastrointestinal tolerance; this supports training the eating routine but does not promise the same response to everyone.

Combine easy-to-chew food, gels and drink. At night or high intensity, use a format that can be handled safely while moving.

Rogaining team at the event venue
Team at the Ķekava Legends Rogaining. Photo: rogainings.lv / Xevents. Avots / source

Fluid and conditions

Map water access and carry a sufficient reserve between points, but do not mechanically maximise intake. Excessive drinking can dangerously dilute blood sodium. In heat, route through refill points more often; in cold, remember that thirst may be muted.

Confusion, loss of coordination, repeated vomiting or rapid deterioration require stopping and seeking help.

Equipment and rehearsal

Check the main and backup light, batteries, footwear grip, waterproof map protection, phone and every mandatory item. Keep first aid and a warm spare layer accessible.

Use the exact race pack, shoes and fuel in one long rehearsal. Afterwards, note what was unused and what was missing.

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Frequently asked questions

When should I start eating in a rogaining race?

For a long event, start in the first hour before hunger and continue with small, tested servings.

Do I need gels only?

No. Many athletes tolerate mixed textures better over long events. Count carbohydrate from the full plan.

What if the team falls behind schedule?

Use the pre-planned shorter return option and remove lower-priority controls early.

Continue reading

Sources and image credits

  1. rogainings.lv: Rīgas rudens Leģendu rogainings
  2. rogainings.lv: Ķekavas Leģendu rogainings
  3. Costa et al. (2017), two-week gut-training randomised trial
  4. Almond et al. (2005), hyponatraemia in Boston Marathon runners
Author: INTERVALS editorial team. Reviewed and localised for Baltic race conditions. Scientific claims were checked against the cited studies. Last reviewed: 21 August 2026.
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