Cherry Ridge Biathlon Saturday, 6/18

[Old Glock guy 1,127]

I'm looking forward to this event that combines my two favorite activities: running and shooting. (Unfortunately, it's rifles, not handguns.) Anyone else competing? I'll probably stick around afterward to watch the rest of you guys split 2 x 4's.

[EchoMirage 137]

what does this biathlon entail

[Melgamatic 66]

what does this biathlon entail

 

CR is a complete fail when it comes to explaining their activities to get new people in. Dozens of interesting events on the website, not a single word of description on any of them.

 

Email the event organizer, maybe they'll respond, maybe not. I've gotten some pretty cryptic responses that really didn't tell me the rules, equipment, etc, even after a few replies.

 

I don't know why they don't have links on each event that have some details.

 

I've emailed the webmaster about once a year for the past 2 years, but have never received a response.

[efl15 0]

Below is their website with a little bit more information.

 

http://www.njbiathlon.org/

[halbautomatisch 60]

CR is a complete fail when it comes to explaining their activities to get new people in. Dozens of interesting events on the website, not a single word of description on any of them.

 

Email the event organizer, maybe they'll respond, maybe not. I've gotten some pretty cryptic responses that really didn't tell me the rules, equipment, etc, even after a few replies.

 

I don't know why they don't have links on each event that have some details.

 

I've emailed the webmaster about once a year for the past 2 years, but have never received a response.

I would have to agree with you about CR's lack of updating on their website. Their bimonthly printed news letter usually has more up to date info than their website about happenings and news in the gun community. In this day and age they should be putting the newest info on their website.

[gunnyr 17]

Aww hell, now this would have been an interesting event!! I've got a bunch of friends that do 5k's and several of them would definitely have been up for this. It does say all equipment provided so I'm thinking that the rifles are provided and maybe you pay for ammo and targets?

[Maksim 1,504]

Was looking forward to this even this year, but alas, my knee will not allow.

[Old Glock guy 1,127]

Aww hell, now this would have been an interesting event!! I've got a bunch of friends that do 5k's and several of them would definitely have been up for this. It does say all equipment provided so I'm thinking that the rifles are provided and maybe you pay for ammo and targets?

 

I believe that's all provided with the registration fee, but I'm bringing mine along anyway, so I can shoot afterward. Looks like they have events planned for August and October, so perhaps your friends can plan on those. I'll be interested to see what trails we run on up there. Sure hope they don't go behind the ranges! Someone else posted the link for further info, but here it is again: www.njbiathlon.com

[Old Glock guy 1,127]

In case anyone is interested, here's what happened at the NJ Biathlon event at Cherry Ridge this past Saturday:

 

About 30 of us showed up in the morning for the event. The ten of us who were first-timers had an orientation meeting, where we watched a DVD which explained the sport, and discussed shooting techniques and safety. We then had a chance to practice with the rifles. They were bolt-action Marlins (didn't catch the exact model) in .22LR with double ringed sights.

Some of the more experienced competitors had their own rifles, but most of us used the equipment provided. I was a little disappointed, because I was hoping to use my trusty 10/22, but its semi-auto action would have given me an unfair advantage.

 

Starting at 10:00, we were sent off in pairs every minute (to spread us out for the limited number of shooting spaces on the range). We ran from the 100 yard range, out to the range entrance at Canistear Road and back, which was just over a mile up and down a pretty good hill (that I've never noticed when driving my car!). When we returned to the range, we fired five shots at 11.5 cm (just over 5") knockdown targets, at 25 meters for the Sport division or 50 meters for the elite Match group, from a prone position. For every miss, we were required to complete a 70 meter penalty loop.

 

Then it was back onto the same out and back on Range Road that we did the first time. (Normally, the runs are held on trails, but the surfaces were trashed from the deluge the day before.) When we got back to the range, we took another five shots, this time from a standing position. Again, a penalty loop was required for each miss. Then it was one more time on the road loop to the finish line back at the range.

 

I shot crappy, hitting only 3 of 10 targets, but each penalty loop only took about 20 seconds, so my relatively strong running allowed me to place pretty well. It looked like most of the other guys were more shooters than runners, so the hilly loop gave me an advantage. Everyone seemed to enjoy it, including national champion Doug Hoover, who drove out from western PA to compete. Race organization was excellent, and almost everyone hung around afterward to enjoy the ample refreshments and rehash the race.

[matt6669 71]

Yeah I think I can check this one off my list of things at Cherry Ridge.

 

I wouldn't of made it down to cannistear before dying but sounds like you guys had fun.

[Old Glock guy 1,127]

Yeah I think I can check this one off my list of things at Cherry Ridge.

 

I wouldn't of made it down to cannistear before dying but sounds like you guys had fun.

 

LOL to that! Yeah, it was really mostly a running event with 2-3 minutes of shooting thrown in, so probably not real appealing to most of the folks here. Anyway, thanks for reading.

[matt6669 71]

yes but those 2-3 minutes of shooting are some of the toughest in the world to make. When you train for accuracy your all about controlled breathing and pulling the trigger between heartbeats. Well when your heartbeat is going at 190 beats per minute theres no such thing as pulling between heart beats. It's a completely different style of shooting and very much so about controlling your breathing so your barrel isn't bouncing up and down.

[Old Glock guy 1,127]

Well the NJ Summer Biathlon Association held their second event of the year yesterday, a 5K with two shooting stages of 5 shots each, prone and standing. Once again, I competed in the Sport division (11.5 cm. targets at 25 meters); and once again I shot like crap. (It's really hard to steady oneself after coming in from a hard run!) For each miss, we were required to complete a 70 meter penalty loop. Despite my poor efforts on the range, I lost by less than 15 seconds. To make me feel worse, in my enthusiasm to get back on the course after the first round of shooting, I headed out without completing my penalty loops. Got from the shotgun range out past the clubhouse, when I suddenly shouted out "Oh s**t!," leaving people standing nearby to look at me with wide-eyed wonder. I headed back, but wasted over a minute, the difference between winning easily and losing by a little bit. Of course there was no one to blame but myself, but it was indeed a bit frustrating to lose by such a dumb mistake.