Because the NSWRA committee formally banned Solo Rogaining in events longer than the Minigaine - without canvassing its membership to see if that decision was justified - we really don't know how many people would want to rogaine solo in long events if they had the opportunity. We were not asked for our opinion, and we have never had the opportunity to "vote with our feet" and rogaine solo in a 24 hour event.

Despite being forced to rogaine in teams, there are still ways to rogaine solo!

How to rogaine solo - method #1 (against the rules and not recommended)
Convince a non-Rogaining friend to enter the event as part of your team, and when the event starts, they relax and read a book while you do the event.

How to rogaine solo - method #2 (also against the rules and not recommended)
Enter the event with another solo rogainer and go your separate ways when the event starts.

Problems with Method #1 and Method #2

• You would be breaking lots of Rogaining rules.
• You would almost certainly be banned from future events.
• Method #1 would cost you twice as much to enter the event.
• The Rogaining Association would still be responsible for searching for you if you failed to finish, even though you had deliberately broken their rules by going solo.

Why we recommend Method #3

Rule #24 states

A team is considered to have completed the event when:

a) all team members have reported together to the designated finish administration area

and

b) they have surrendered their recording devices.

Once you have officially finished the event, the Rogaining Association is no longer responsible for your safety. You are free to go for a 24 hour walk or run - with your map - if you like.

Even though you have officially finished the event, you are still eligible to get food from the Hash House and All Night Cafe, use the toilets and camp as usual, as this is covered by your entry fee regardless of when you decide to finish the event.

In the unlikely event that you have a medical problem out on the course and need to be rescued, you activate your PLB.

In the even more unlikely event that you do have a medical problem and are also unable to activate your PLB for any reason, then your "safety backup" will inform the authorities (this is the police in NSW) that you are missing after the event and those authorities are responsible for organizing any Search and Rescue.

There is always the chance that you will die in the event, but rogaining in a team does not guarantee your survival. There has been at least one death in Rogaining events in Australia, and that rogainer was in a team.

Although you will be ineligible for trophies and your results will never be known by the rest of the Rogaining world, do you really care? Do any of us really rogaine for fame and prizes? Or do we rogaine for the love of the sport, and to see how well we can do relative to everyone else? Isn't that all the motivation we need!

In addition, by Rogaining solo in this manner you are letting the relevant Rogaining Association know that you would not only like Solo Rogaining "legalized", but also that you will actually rogaine solo whether it is "legal" or not! Be prepared to cop some flack for your "protest" ...

So let's look at how you can "protest" ...

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