Damn. Missed all the fun! Hope it went OK - a few interesting bits of " route choice " by some.
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Damn. Missed all the fun! Hope it went OK - a few interesting bits of " route choice " by some.
That appears to the most popular place to go wrong, 3 went to the right, 1 went left.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alf
Back home now, knowing the rest of you are in the pub!!
A good day marshalling, pleasant weather, had the coffee percolator in the car, sandwiches, some "special scroggin" from OBI (good kit) and a little snooze. Tough at the top :o.
Where's the results????
Come on that IT bloke, stop drinking beer and get to it..............:D :D.
Still tracking by the look of it? :D
I assume the provisional results are here http://leaderboard.opentracking.co.uk/sbb2014.cfmQuote:
Originally Posted by molehill
It will be very interesting to hear from Wheeze about his experience of using the system, the costs involved etc, etc.
Look at those handsome young men, all doing a fine job of work!Quote:
Originally Posted by dominion
Wheeze,
Thank you very much for laying on the Steam Bunny Bluff Race today. It was a sheer pleasure assisting in it. An additional benefit was meeting so many people from the forum who had travelled some great distances to assist and spending the day Sweeping with Dave.
For anyone monitoring this race with the thought of entering next year, I strongly recommend that you do. Wheeze has brought in technology with great success and the route is fantastic. Good quality running, ascents, descents and ridges in an underestimated area of the country offering fantastic views.
Congratulations Wheeze and thank you. See you at another race soon.
Marg, there will be a full write up in the fullness of time and some early thoughts will appear hear over the next few days.Quote:
Originally Posted by MargC
But as of right now, I am completely cream crackered even though I did'nt run the blessed thing. Nervous exhaustion I guess.
I'm full of admiration for everyone getting round today and, yes, the link you give is the provisional results.
I'm not up to posting anything more tonight but before I sign off I want to give a MASSIVE thank you to everyone who helped out today. I know how precious time is so give up a full day (and in some cases more) to help put this on is beyond the call of duty.
Stand up and be counted;
Manhar,
Biara
Dick Finch
Derek Thornley
Boy Wonder
Mrs and Mrs Molehill
Douglas Adlam
Rod the Rally and his mate Stan
The MadRunner
Sorelegs
Dominion
Alex Blease
and, of course, Toffer.
Plus Always Injured and Fellhound who assisted with the original planning and AI for the website. There were other offers of help, not taken up, for which I am grateful too
Its people like you, giving freely and cheerfully of your time that makes doing something like this so wonderful.
And so to bed!
Glossopdale trio (Sue, John4of5, OB1) back in Longdendale after a super super day. Off to get some scran - will post more of our experience later.
Thanks so much to all those involved, for laying on such simple sophistication!.
Well played everyone. The future's bright
Finally home and taken to my bed... what an interesting fun day, looks like the technology is a go-er for future races - Steam Bunnies always ahead of the curve!
Pleased to have got in a good run with Molehill over Pen y Gadair and Waun Fawr putting out the dibbers on the tops.. walking up with stout ash poles in each hand felt very old-school.
Nice to catch up with Wheeze Toffer Dominion and the Molehills again and to meet some new forumites.. just like the old days! And nice to see Longdogs again with the DogVan packed with said longdogs... Pedwar still my favourite.
Already looking forward to next year... and hope to see some more of you out on the hills... it's a lovely part of the world.
Now what's to be the next adventure... I have a cunning plan...
PS have photos of you all descending the fence line to CP5 -including one when the leader James discovered that the top wire was electrified. .. will pass onto wheeze to add to the website.
Night all....
Yes, was a good day and the Steambunnies produced the goods as usual. Seeing how relaxed and chilled Wheeze looked was strange, seemed like he had been doing it for years. ROs are meant to be stressed and fraught!!
Nice one and great to meet up with everyone again, smiling faces all round.
Grand day out marshalling. Race deserves more people. Great place and worth the drive!! Fellow forumites, as already said, you're missing a good one.
All this talk about geeky tech stuff and marshals, sweepers etc... There were a few runners as well!
https://scontent-a-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/...78189808_n.jpg
I'd just like to add my thanks to everyone involved and I'm really pleased for the organiser and his many, cheerful helpers that the the'experiment' seems to have been a success. I've spent many years bemoaning the lack of a race on the northern end of the Black Mountains and now my prayers have been answered. The route is an absolute cracker and deserves to become a classic. The only downside to the use of the trackers is that my ludicrous route finding along a way-marked national trail is visible to all.
Thanks again everyone for a great day out.
Many thanks to Wheeze and his team, I really enjoyed the route and the weather and the ponies. It was so refreshing to be allowed to choose what I wanted to carry in the way of kit. Mind you with all the kit requirements drilled into the brain for years now the only thing I chose to leave out was the heavyweight waterproof trousers, even took bivvy bag and med kit.
Twas also useful that as we were carrying the trackers the finish crew could see we were coming down the wrong fields and would miss the funnel so they whistled and hollered to pull us back on course!. Perhaps a couple of arrows to guide tired runners down the last few fields would be a good idea next year?
Was there anyone competing who isn't a forumite!
uuuummmmm..... maybe!
Full results on t'website.
Also, splits are on the Sport Ident website, here.
Thanks again for organising Wheeze, I really appreciated the efforts of you, the marshals and other helpers.
A future classic, once a few more people catch on!
Nice race Stevie, and I like the link to the splits.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stevie
It shows that although 8th overall, I can claim the fastest split on the descent from LHK to Gospel pass, pipping you by 2 seconds.Maybe I'm just a trail runner. ;)
I was itching for a sub 5:30 at that point, and was slightly rested from having taken the middle third section of the race at training pace.
Looks like you did a storming final descent from Hay Bluff. I was starting to cramp across the common and stiles so was slowing a bit at that point - though luckily I had a wee dram of salty water left to see me down without a struggle.
Cheers.
Well done OB1, you had a strong run-in from Hay Bluff to the finish too, 4th fastest.
I was interested to see the split from LHK to Capel-y-Ffin to find out whether my "secret" route paid off. Based on my split compared to James who was flying at that point, and to the people I was with LHK, I think it worked.
Oh, yes, I can see your westerly 'secret route' on your tracker trace, how simply cunning yet sophisticated is that!Quote:
Originally Posted by Stevie
I must remember that for next year. I got smothered (literally) in bracken for 100m, at the end of the 'central' route.
Wheeze
It was a pleasure to help out in this the inaugral SBB and to meet you & the gang, finally ! Think I've got the start / finish leg to the foot of Hay bluff nailed after being out on Sunday morning, if the race was held yesterday....;)
The mix of old/new technology seemed to work well. This could go on to be the forum's race of the summer - same weekend in August next year ?
Many, many thanks to everyone involved and especially Wheeze – what a brilliant event!
Really does deserve the ‘classic’ status mentioned.
Had never been to the Black Mountains before, which was part of the appeal – but the location (Hay-on-Wye), venue (the primary school) and course itself (out and back with a long loop, up and down and along those ridges) were all even better than expected.
Great range of Welsh terrain – steep hills, deep valleys, paths and open ground, heath and bog, heather, gorse, bilberry, bracken and tussocks.
Good navigation challenges too – but so lucky to see those views!
Partner was almost disappointed by my better-than-expected time – called back from the bookshops by text messages from friends watching the web!
A real pleasure to meet so many distinguished forumites, with a hint of pioneering spirit mixed into the traditional atmosphere...
Thanks again!
Simon Neville
Thanks all of you for the positive messages you have sent in about this race. It makes the last 9 months of brainstorming totally worthwhile.
For those of you have enjoyed this race and who have NOT done the Black Mountains race in September, I can heartily recommend it. Similar in character, somewhat shorter but with a much harder ascent of Pen Y Gadair!
Thanks - I just looked up the race here: http://www.mynydd-du.org.uk/black-mountains-race
I can see now why the RO (Buffing Billy) was the runner with all the local knowledge at SBB on Saturday, enabling him to go from 15th place on his first dib at Hay Bluff to 8th on his return dib.
By the way Wheeze, I just sent you an email with attachment.
PS - I see the B.Mts. race even has a decent start time (noon) - I will be able to have a lie-in. ;)
Puffing Billy is a well known 'grinder'...he does not start fast but he just keeps going!
Some pics of the race are coming in.
Here is Mark Nelson looking better than when he finished!!
Attachment 7772
Race report now on website and WFRA website.
Clear your inbox Wheeze and I'll give you a detailed run-down of my views and opinions (mostly positive ones!!) of the race.
Should be room now!
Wheeze PM sent!!
I managed to find a picture which sums up this event:-
Attachment 7776
Now in reflection mode as I prepare a detailed post race report. Tooling around the interweb for a pure satellite down/up system I did come across SPOT. I note this use in Tasmania in 2011. Might one hope that Wales in 2015 would be a better proposition? The SPOT satellite uplinking would eradicate the often significant dead spots caused by the current trackers uplinking by GSMQuote:
Originally Posted by howfast
http://www.findmespot.eu/en/index.ph...108#howitworks
Saw them a few months ago. Spot has some mixed reviews, wasnt the best I found. Has problems in woods, also reliability/support issues - too many issues dying for my liking.. Software needs checking. Think james had an opinion on them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wheeze
In the end the best answer is "try it and see!"
Think we need to see if trackers come on stream on the new constellation as used by your satphones: technology evolves all the time. So lets see what there is around new year.
Scout groups around here are using Spot trackers for Duke of Edinburgh Award stuff from here,
http://www.mapyx.com/dofe_tracking/
Hmm. Useful! Still way too pricey though.
a bit late in doing this but wanted to say a huge thank you to Wheeze and his team for a fab, fun day out last Saturday in the beautiful Black Mountains - we had a blast....inspired to do more racing in the area - such unlike my pseudonym haha