Route Choice Challenge: Short vs. Fast
In pairs, students run the same orienteering legs, each taking a different route (a straight line through slow terrain or a longer path on fast ground), and compare times. It builds decision-making on the run and reflection on one's own choices.
How to play
- Design 4 legs between controls that each offer two clear options: a straight line through slow areas (tall grass, stairs, going around fences) and a longer route on fast paths.
- Pair students up and give everyone a map; for 3 minutes they study the first leg and each chooses a different route, tracing it with a finger for the partner.
- They start together on the whistle; whoever reaches the control first stops the stopwatch and records both times on the back of the map.
- Repeat the 4 legs, switching who takes the direct route each time (about 4 minutes per leg including recovery).
- At the end, each pair draws the faster route for every leg on the map and works out the difference in seconds.
- Run a 4-minute debrief: which factors (elevation, surface, number of turns) mattered more than distance.
Rules
- No cutting through out-of-bounds areas, landscaping or fences.
- The winning pair is the one that best predicted the faster route, not the one that ran hardest.
- Walk on stairs and wherever you cross other groups.
Variations
Easier
Use only 2 legs with very obvious differences and allow 5 minutes of map study.
Standard
Four legs of 150–250 m (160–270 yd) with two route options each.
Harder
Add a third, in-between option and require a decision within 30 seconds, map in hand.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: choose legs where both routes are accessible and compare times in a wheelchair or walking.
- Shyness or autism: let students explain their choice in writing on the map instead of in front of the group.
- Lower fitness: compare times at a brisk walk, keeping the same tactical decision.
Learning goals
- Evaluate route options by distance, elevation and terrain type.
- Make quick map-based decisions and stick to them during the leg.
- Compare predictions with the actual split times.
Equipment for a class of 25
- maps: 26
- control markers: 5
- stopwatches: 13
Teacher tip
Students almost always pick the straight line; design at least one leg where the detour clearly wins so they discover it. Walk both routes beforehand to confirm they are safe.
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