UKA Relays

"The lack of prep by Leg 4 runners is hard to understand. Both my Leg 4 runners went around the key part of the route at 10:15 in the morning."

Blah Blah Blah......

"Finally - the routes were amended as the day approached, to the point where the tanoy broadcast that a CP had been located 100m North of where it was supposed to be.
I hope everyone heard the announcement!"


Interesting points there. I know that Mercia leg 4 man even reccied the course whilst the other legs were running - so dont know how he got it so wrong!!!

I wish more people heard that announcement too!

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Originally Posted by IainR

Weren't last years courses (bar the nav) all flagged? I thought they were..

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Yup, we flagged all the non-nav legs last year. We still had to have the runners dibbing at checkpoints and I nearly DSQ'd Alistair Brownlee - he was so quick on the final leg that the dibber boxes hadn't warmed up (?) and it was only after checking with marshals and the good honest say so of John Heneghan that we were able to ascertain that he'd visited all CP's.

Having said this the decision to flag courses was mine alone rather than being an FRA edict. I just didn't fancy having peope chasing after lost runners all over the place.

If you fancy a totally unflagged race in two weeks time try this:

http://www.newsar.org.uk/pages/fellr...anfellrace.htm

This is our back yard and if the clag comes down I fancy my chances!!!:)

Did anyone go direct, down and up to CP4 or did everyone follow the Blake Fell ridge with varying amounts of contouring on the east slope?[/QUOTE]

The team in front of us went off to the right to take the direct route. Never saw them again, but then we made the mistake that many made (unforgiveable) to CP5 and lost 5 or 10 minutes.

Was a little concerned that the Nav leg was set so that the obvious route 5 to 6 along a very narrow contouring path coincided with the outgoing leg 4 route. Could have been a nasty accident if the slower leg 3 runners hadn't been gentlemen -oops-gentlepersons and stopped to the side.

Thanks to all involved. Good mix of routes and good organisation. Still get a buzz from this event despite having done it for 20 years and fell running for 46 years

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Originally Posted by Forden Fell Runner

"The lack of prep by Leg 4 runners is hard to understand. Both my Leg 4 runners went around the key part of the route at 10:15 in the morning."

Blah Blah Blah......

"Finally - the routes were amended as the day approached, to the point where the tanoy broadcast that a CP had been located 100m North of where it was supposed to be.
I hope everyone heard the announcement!"


Interesting points there. I know that Mercia leg 4 man even reccied the course whilst the other legs were running - so dont know how he got it so wrong!!!

I wish more people heard that announcement too!

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I'm not sure what point you are trying to make. Have you asked him why he got it so wrong and what was his explanation?

I got lost on the NAV leg, but at least I had a good excuse:cool:

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Originally Posted by Witton Park

The lack of prep by Leg 4 runners is hard to understand. Both my Leg 4 runners went around the key part of the route at 10:15 in the morning.

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How did they get on?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Welsh Harrier

If you fancy a totally unflagged race in two weeks time try this:

http://www.newsar.org.uk/pages/fellr...anfellrace.htm

This is our back yard and if the clag comes down I fancy my chances!!!:)

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Me too, if tomorrow's recce goes well!:D

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Originally Posted by freakazoid

How did they get on?

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They both got around fine.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Witton Park

I'm not sure what point you are trying to make. Have you asked him why he got it so wrong and what was his explanation?

I got lost on the NAV leg, but at least I had a good excuse:cool:

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My point is i cant believe he could get it soooo wrong after reccying it!! He reckoned it "wasnt in the same place from when he reccyed it"

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Originally Posted by Another Team

How is the marshall who broke his leg??

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I asked exactly the same question & can't seem to get an answer. Folk seem more interested in who did what & where & they seem to be not interested in the welfare of the poor marshal! :confused:

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Originally Posted by Forden Fell Runner

My point is i cant believe he could get it soooo wrong after reccying it!! He reckoned it "wasnt in the same place from when he reccyed it"

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He's right there.
In the morning it was lying on a mat with two others.
During leg 4 a marshal was holding it out for runners to dib.
So I reckon it was about 120 cm higher than earlier.;)

Any more photos?

I'm waiting for our own super snapper Pete Douglas who was on day release from the Welsh Mountains.

http://www.prdouglas.co.uk/

Video - Just uploaded to Youtube.
Sorry no coverage of the leg 1 as I was running and haven't quite mastered running and filming at the same time ;-)

As well as capturing the front runners and my clubmates from BBH I tried to cover as many of the middle to back field runners as possible. They (we) deserve as much airtime as anyone. Although, I must admit that the final descent by the Mercia runner was a joy to watch.
Hope you enjoy it.

Part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQ9jNcdVK18
Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCPRKzAt5Ck

Playing time - 11 mins 32 seconds
Time taking footage - over 5 hours
Time editing into something semi watchable - 4 hours
Upload time - 2hrs 30
Time avoiding legal action for infrigment of copyright (the music is by Florence and the Machine/ Akon and Layo + Bushwacka) - the next few weeks.

If any forumites spot themselves, post a reply with your time of appearance and I might recognise you at future races.

Cheers
Kevspider

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Originally Posted by Welsh Harrier

Any more photos?

I'm waiting for our own super snapper Pete Douglas who was on day release from the Welsh Mountains.

http://www.prdouglas.co.uk/

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Pete said a couple of days... so should be 'live' anytime now :)

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Originally Posted by Another Team

How is the marshall who broke his leg??

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All I know is from a message on the CFR forum (posted yesterday), and that said that he is in hospital at Whitehaven. His ankle is broken in three places and will be pinned as soon as the swelling goes down enough to operate. He's doing okay and was feeling good enough to have some breakfast this [yesterday] morning.

Sounds like it was just one of those things that happens. He was just walking down from Low Pen when he slipped.

Thanks for letting us know, lets hope he has a speedy recovery. :)

I found some fells shoes, a pair of gloves & a water bottle on the main field where the club tents were pitched. They were left near to our tent, but most people had gone home & there was nobody around, I did ask two guys if they were theirs, but they said no, details on the Lost & Found page.

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Originally Posted by Witton Park

Marshalls - I was on the NAV leg and didn't see one. A 6"x3"x2" dibber machine with a bit of red & white course marking tape wrapped around it is tough to find in Clag.
A marshall would have helped as at least you could have found the dibber once you had got within 50m of it.

If CFR were re-hosting on the same patch, I would just ask for some marshalling on the NAV leg and at least something to make the dibber machine stand out a little more as you approach it.

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On the Nav leg there were marshalls at CP5 and CP6, as these were shared with other legs (I think). But I don't think it was necessary. I made a complete mess of CP4, CP5 & CP6 - nothing to do with marshalls though!

Have a bit of technical trouble with the original post.

Just posted the raw footage of the final descents on youtube in the meantime...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHQuGrZizZc

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Originally Posted by kevspider

Have a bit of technical trouble with the original post.

Just posted the raw footage of the final descents on youtube in the meantime...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHQuGrZizZc

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Quality that....the first guy is FLYING!

Sorry. Youtube bounce my original upload because it was too long. Now split into 2 parts and set the upload going again. Should be available tomorrow AM.

Will post links ASAP.

Cheers
Kevspider

I'm sure this topic has been done to death already, but I found this year's FRA Relay a fairly disappointing experience.

Obviously the weather didn't help much, but I thought the routes weren't especially suitable, unless this was supposed to be an orienteering event, in which case the maps and checkpoints shouldn't have been handed out until the start, rather than advertising beforehand on the website.

I've done umpteen FRA Relays in the past and have never before experienced runners getting lost on every stage, and the top 3 teams getting disqualified.

In case you missed the previous post....

Part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQ9jNcdVK18
Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCPRKzAt5Ck

Cheers
Kevspider

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Originally Posted by Welsh Harrier

Yup, we flagged all the non-nav legs last year. We still had to have the runners dibbing at checkpoints and I nearly DSQ'd Alistair Brownlee - he was so quick on the final leg that the dibber boxes hadn't warmed up (?) and it was only after checking with marshals and the good honest say so of John Heneghan that we were able to ascertain that he'd visited all CP's.

Having said this the decision to flag courses was mine alone rather than being an FRA edict. I just didn't fancy having peope chasing after lost runners all over the place.

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SI boxes can be set to either wake up when dibbed (as seems to have been done here) or to come on at a set time. In the wake up mode the first to them on the day suffers a longer dibbing time than those who follow. Not a big issue in most cases but surely not something to do at a major event.

i was on leg 4,
i must admit it felt a while waiting for the all clear from the dibber to acnowledge,at cp1 i was told not to take the dibb out too fast?
how can you tell,
i just waited until the marshall gave the ok?
I am not that fast or impatient but at first i thought ali,bob and the mercia runner had just dibbed to quick.
is this a common problem or is it a case that the dibber registers the inputted dib straight away?

They used the newest Si Boxes and new version dibbers so I don't see how it could be a problem.
You get an audio bleep and a flash when you dib- so then you know it is OK

If we can cope at O events with much shorter winning times on some courses than FRA relays ......

cheers karen,
its my ignorance with dibbing,
one of the cp marshalls was waiting for something before saying ok,
i thought he was waiting for the light to go green from red or to stop flashing.
so i was watching for one of the same at the next cp.
is it me or does your mind start to play tricks and question the banal at cps?

Is that Tim Davies descending on the clip....special :)

Great footage of that last descent by Tim, good work Kevspider! Well worth all those hours of editing :)

A few photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisup...7622516007573/

Nice and pretty comprehensive set of photo's Chris. I'm still going to contradict you though from your earlier post as I think it was a pretty fair course. Not easy (we screwed up several times on leg 3) but I wouldn't have expected it to be.
Also I don't see what the fuss is about being disqualified for breaking the rules - that's how it goes in most sports isn't it?

I'm sure it will be much easier next year if, as the rumours say, it will be coming to the Lomond's. Time to get the entries in for the Devils Burdens already?

ps, well done on a great vid, especially of the final descent Kevspider
pps, just noticed I slide past in the Lomond's you-tube vid at about 20 secs :D

Well done Pete Douglas, the Welsh Wizard of fell foties - http://www.prdouglas.co.uk/

not just a selection of running photos but a series that give a bit more of an idea of what was happening on the day!!!

Just spotted me and Mrs WH on page 4!

Some great photos from PR Douglas.
Do not recognise page 1 with the blue sky and sunshine!
Where did it go?:(

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Originally Posted by Runway

Some great photos from PR Douglas.
Do not recognise page 1 with the blue sky and sunshine!
Where did it go?:(

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Yup....leg 1 was great:D

Good pics'.....thanks

OK request from husband who got drafted in at last moment to run the navigation leg.
Was he the oldest runner on the day 65 and a half ( apparently the half could be crucial!!!)

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Originally Posted by karen nash

OK request from husband who got drafted in at last moment to run the navigation leg.
Was he the oldest runner on the day 65 and a half ( apparently the half could be crucial!!!)

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umm - I will have to check Karen. My co-runner on leg 2 is proud to admit to having a bus pass....so that half could be crucial. She was also drafted in at the last minute, and without her we would not have been able to run. Will get back to you!:)

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Originally Posted by karen nash

OK request from husband who got drafted in at last moment to run the navigation leg.
Was he the oldest runner on the day 65 and a half ( apparently the half could be crucial!!!)

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Sorry Karen.
Ken Burgess, who doesn't know what a map is used for, ran our navigation leg at the age of 67.
Fortunately for him, his partner Jeff Norman does know how to navigate. Jeff is only 64!:)

My partner may have been the oldest lady....but she isn't 65 yet.:)

For those who didn't find it, here is CP1 on leg 4.
Attachment 2504