BGR Ethics and Traditions

After quite a bit of deliberation, the Club committee have agreed on an approach to the developments last year. This may be found on a new page on the Club website - http://www.bobgrahamclub.org.uk/inde...page=tradition

Since the Guidance Notes have become longer and longer, Contenders are now advised to:

1. Respect the route.
2. Respect those who live and work along the route.
3. Respect the history, traditions and ethos of the round.
4. Don't mess things up for others.

Hopefully following these points and a bit of common sense will keep us all in the locals' good books.

I'm not a member of the BG club... However I agree with everything written there...

It appears to be common sense and manner's.
BUT
If the BG club have to request it, it tells me that there are people attempting it who don't possess such attributes.
Hope the message reaches the people it's intended too, and more importantly they actually take notice and respect all aspects.

The problem with common sense is that it isn't particularly common:rolleyes:

Mostly it's not the contenders themselves but their support crew, it needs the relevant points passing on to them. Having people acting anti-socially outside your house isn't pleasant regardless of whether you live in town or country. I might add notes to that effect to the relevant pages and emails.

It's sad this needed saying, but I'm pleased that the club is holding onto its ethos at a time when running on the fells is becoming increasingly organised and commercialised. I don't think it's trying to keep attempts in the past - part of the reason for having the club must to be maintain the integrity and tradition of the round.

a really well-written piece, Bob. I like the nod to Chris Brasher at the end. As others on here are saying, it's all common-sense - just hope it reaches the required audience. I think even for responsible members and contenders its's good to read just to reinforce the ethos of the round. Thank you for your efforts in putting this together and for responding thoughtfully to some of the issues that have arisen in recent times.

Bob, all excellent stuff. With regard to the ethos and traditions of the club, there's a guy posting on some of the threads calling himself BobGraham; now if his name is actually Robert Graham, all well and good; if it is an assumed forum name then I find it rather distasteful, arrogant and egocentric.
OK, maybe I'm a grumpy old man; but as you say let's maintain the ethos, integrity and traditions.

Ian.

The document was written by Morgan with a few editing suggestions from the rest of the committee so the credit should go to him.

It's a bit like the old adage: "You can lead a horse to water ...", I'm not sure how much of this gets through to people. The registration page has several explicit instructions to avoid multiple registrations and what to do if you don't receive the automated confirmation but even these simple highlighted sentences get ignored:rolleyes: it's one reason that the system isn't fully automated as there'd be so many duplicated registrations and corrections in the database. I do wonder just how much of the guidance notes or anything else actually gets read let alone acted upon.

I am very happy, as the principal author, that these notes have been well received.

I did my round in 1985 and, whilst I happily accept the experience I had cannot be replicated today, there are certain fundamental tenets I believe the Club should not only not abandon, but should actively promote. These notes will help I believe.

One or two well known figures in the mountain running world are or will be in these shores in 2017 and I am hoping they will highlight the spirit, tradition and ethics we hold dear when they talk or write about their experiences, even should they fail to make it round. ;-)

It has also been great to see the notes well received on The Bob Graham Round Facebook page. Whilst this wasn't established by the Club, it is at least as, if not more, active than the Forum and is proving a useful way to communicate with close on 1,000 people all at once.

Thanks again for the supportive comments.

Morgan