I'm sure Cougar will respond.
My angle is 'debate away', the race organiser (and sponsor) is still going to want unfolded numbers on the chest. On race day, he's got more pressing things to deal with than runners with a 'l'oreal' attitude.
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I'm sure Cougar will respond.
My angle is 'debate away', the race organiser (and sponsor) is still going to want unfolded numbers on the chest. On race day, he's got more pressing things to deal with than runners with a 'l'oreal' attitude.
Hence Pete Bland not recording in the results all the runners at Kentmere a couple of years ago who felt the rules only applied to the other guy.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brotherton Lad
Or Sam Ayres' similar treatment of all the runners who ran in the Coledale Horseshoe who did not carry kit.
Up and at 'em, Graham. How's the injury by the way?
Nothing personal mr B. As they say in the Army, if the boys aren't whinging about something or other, it's time to find out what's gone seriously wrong.
The standard inquiry being:
'Boots fit? Mail getting through?'
To which the only acceptable reply is 'Yes, sir' (unless, of course, they don't, and then you start looking, because it's not acceptable).
In fact Sam was so fed up with the subsequent whining from all the "free spirit and kit-less" fellrunners that she stopped organising the race and it did not appear in the Calendar for several years until someone else put it on.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brotherton Lad
Clever runners eh?
(I will PM on the other matter)
I think the issue of kit is clearcut, but i have a question about numbers:
If i have to put my cag on during a race and obscure my number do i stop to reattatch the number to my cag (not a good idea to pierce it)
...or leave my number obscured?
The only reason i fold my number and pin it to my tracksters is because of this question.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mr brightside
This is a dilemma I've not previously considered. I normally put my cag over the top of my number and then pull my cag up at any checkpoints where they need to see my number. But you're right, this means the sponsor's name is obscured for most of the race.
Maybe you should cut the race number in half and stick the sponsor's name to one leg and the number to the other. :)
I open the zip to display it, double checking my shouting out my number, saying thank you with a cheery wave as I speed away (the last bit is conjecture).
In this scenario the rule for safety takes precedence over the rule about displaying your number. I suppose you could always thank the marshalls and add 'and Peter Bland' as well.
Classic!Quote:
Originally Posted by noel
Or, perhaps we could all use those 'wash-off-able' tattoo's - Pete Bland could hand one out at each race with the number..and we must all stick it too our foreheads.
That way...the dilemma is halved.
Im with Noel, just lift the jacket up as and when.
Also, wear shorts Brighty!:D - Yeah I know..but I couldnt resist.
Not at all Mr Brightside, I think its vital that we can debate these issues openly and constructively. Without going in to the whole of the original folding numbers saga I made a similar point somewhere in the course of that. Without looking up my earlier posts for the exact words I used I was trying to make the point that I thought it was entirely reasonable and proper and within the spirit of fellrunning to be able to ask a race organiser why they apply a particular rule and discuss it. I think I said there are probably three kinds of runners - those who ignore the rule, those who follow it blindly and those who might not agree with it but ask about it, discuss it but ultimately resepct the race organisers wishes. I raised some of the points others have made on this thread - ie perhaps a folded number on your shorts is better than an unfolded number hidden by a cag or pinned to a vest thats in your bumbag on a hot day. The replies from ROs made it clear that they preferred the numbers unfolded and on vests because quite apart from the sponsorship issue it made it easier for Marshalls to see and record numbers - this obviously is more difficult in bad weather when cags are likely to be worn but the ROs seem to prefer this and my point was that if thats what they ask for then thats what I'll do, even if I don't agree that its always necessarily going to be the best option, but at least we have discussed it. Until then on hot days I often pinned my number to my shorts in case I took my vest off, I thought I was being helpful but now I dont do this any more. So I agree with you and Brotherton Lad, lets by all means debate these things - unfortunately some of the posts on the original thread did give me the impression that some thought we were wrong to question it. Perhaps this reflected the misunderstanding that we were talking about folding numbers rather than the principles involved!Quote:
Originally Posted by mr brightside
I feel the difficulty (or is it a good thing because it leads to debate?) is still the issue of individual interpretation of well intentioned and sensible rules, so by all means lets debate them and hopefully reach some common understanding because the reality is that there are those whose interpretation of sufficient food, navigational skills, local knowledge or experience is not necessarily the same as the FRA had in mind when they made these rules.
I'm liking this. What would be people's worst and best ideas for who could sponsor races?Quote:
Originally Posted by Al Fowler
A monolemma! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Al Fowler
Hehe, I think its amazing that we're actually debating seriously the why's and wherefores of how to pin your race number. Humerous, tongue in cheek debate is surely in order here?
For the record I always always fold my race number and pin it to my shorts, on the front of one or other of my thighs. Its a style issue I'm afraid and race sponsorship concerns pale into insignificance where compared to how cool I look :).
I'm just such a rebel me. Next up ---> how I sometimes run in the hills, flying in the face of health and safety guidelines, with slightly warn studs on my walshes ;)
The folded number police will already have your details, Stolly. Be afraid, be very afraid.
Hello stranger! Where have you been, blending it around Preston in the Fezworth kicking the tunes out? Agonising over whether to get some Infinity 6x9s or a new pair of Talons? :pQuote:
Originally Posted by Al Fowler
I would try shorts but i'm a cold person which is why my cag is always on and off any time but summer. Besides the trusty tracksters save my legs from Bracken cuts (poisinous) and falls, plus i happen to think they're way more old school cool that flappy shorts which your John Wayne's hairy saddlebags can fall out of. :D
My pragmatic fellrunner head agrees with you but as the way some of us were pinning our numbers on was causing some race organisers practical problems there probably was a need for some discussion and confirmation that this issue did matter to them, and wasn't just an annoying and unnecessary pedantic rule which was what I took it for on first consideration. A bit of 'serious' discussion (and quite a bit of tongue in cheek discussion as well I think) clarified this and in particualr clarified that some common practices which many of us would think were reasonable and acceptable were still less than helpful to the people who bothered to organise the race and the sponsors who supported them and us. But if your post is serious and not totally tongue in cheek I still think you've missed my point - the race organisers/FRA have made a rule, it doesn't matter if its about mobile phones or folding numbers or anything else - lots of people seem to ignore it because it suits them without apparantly understanding or accepting the reasoning behind it and this is a shame because ultimately our sport depends on our goodwill and cooperation with each other.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stolly
I've never seen a rule about folding race numbers being forbidden and nor do I scour the fine print looking for it. I somehow manage to sleep nights though ;)
Funnily enough, that's because it's unwritten; you'll hear it plenty of times though.
Just come across this thread during the course of my rummaging, very good reading. These are the conclusions i've drawn:
In the absence of flagging/marking or instructions from the RO or marshals at a stile queue...
Climb a wall- No
Climb a wire fence- No
Hurdle a wall or fence without touching it- Yes Risk of personal injury balances it out
Use a sheep hole in a wall (not yet mentioned on here)- Yes
Use an older disused stile rather than the current one- Yes
T'was the aim. Like... when being chased down a fellside by the delightful Judith Jepson in Pirates Outfit welding a Cutlass - there are worse ways of meeting the Fell-Gods of Valhalla.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stolly
T'was the aim. Like... when being chased down a fellside by the delightful Judith Jepson in Pirates Outfit welding a Cutlass - there are worse ways of meeting the Fell-Gods of Valhalla.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stolly
This repeating posts thing is handy, it's like The Master Maker all over again!
Eff off! What am I supposed to do instead, play golf...?!Quote:
Originally Posted by mr brightside
The school careers advisor never warned me I would be shunned for trying to make a living... :wink:
Never run full tilt at a wet wooden stile, planting your fell shoe clad, lead foot and only your lead foot onto the near side of the stile ( no hands ), as if going to push off and hurdle said stile. Treacherous and leg breakingly painful slippages may occur!!
quite right, been there, done that, got the bruise:(Quote:
Originally Posted by TheReverand
I have just read my way through the whole of this thread. For many pages, until it got bogged down in folded race numbers and philosophy, it was a fascinating read, could be published to give a real feel for fell running, its mishaps, foibles and follies. No magazine article I've ever read does it half as vividly.
........and dont forget to nag the race organiser every day afterwards to publish the results ;)
cheating you meanQuote:
Originally Posted by mr brightside
currently wearing A&E butterfly stitches after misjudging a wet foot bridgeQuote:
Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak
Absolutely, wet wood = pussy-footing and little giggles to runners around you, 'I'm man enough to lose 5 secs here, thank you very much'.
You could be right there MR B...Quote:
Originally Posted by mr brightside
http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/657...poppingout.jpg
One-eyed fellrunner didn't quite understand the rules of the 'hide the sausage' race:rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by wharfeego
Reminds me of a cold cross country race in Ripon, 1987. A chap removed his Ron Hill leggings on the start line and realised, about 5 secs after everyone else, that he'd forgotten to put his shorts on.
The usual reaason for cutting down or folding numbers is to remove the superflous text and advertising that has become such a feature and often ignores the rule that it should not exceed 2.5cm in height. If the organisers break the rules regarding advertising on numbers then they should not penalise runners who do the same!Quote:
Originally Posted by GrahamB
The actual number is generally left plainly visible.
Quote:
Originally Posted by XRunner
If you are referring to Rule 18 Number Cards Para 2 of UKA Rules for Competition 1st April 2010, commercial sponsor lettering is allowed up to 5cm in height (ie double your assertion): but perhaps this simple fellrunner just does not understand numbering in your arcane world.
You said it..."...simple fellrunner". That's what most of us are; simple, 'onest to God fellrunners who would rather get down in bogs than get bogg'd down in the arcane world of officialdom. A number's a number in my world; I'll stick it where I want; I know where you can stick your's!Quote:
Originally Posted by GrahamB
Tut. Tut. Please read my previous postings before displaying your belligerence.Quote:
Originally Posted by wharfeego
I'd rather not. Please read the title of this thread..."unwritten rules."..not your official 'uns. Nice big word by the way.Quote:
Originally Posted by GrahamB
That's officially worse than Stolly's 'runners' trots' photo. Someone get that gentleman some compression shorts to keep his fruitbowl under wraps!Quote:
Originally Posted by wharfeego
I well remember Billy Bland following Bob Ashworth ( who couldnt navigate to save his life) who had an uncanny knack for finding his way around the old Chew Valley Skyline race, all the way around. As they entered the finish field Billy slowed to give the race to Bob, what a gesture of sportmanship and a measure of the man !.....I would like to think that all of us fell runners would do likewise.
Don't tempt the Bogmonster of Outer edge......
Check out the G&B thread...
yep it was a bit fresh up there last year, you definitely had to keep moving - but I bet there's been worse in Decembers pastQuote:
Originally Posted by mr brightside
Tis a race that demands respect that's for sure.
My unwritten rule: never go to the pub the evening before a race - even if it's 'only for a couple'.