OMM in Borrowdale!

[Malky]

Swiss Toni,

I think your comments are very useful and informative, and come from the perspective of an experienced competitor.

I am sure that, whilst I am fully supportive of the organisers and all that they have done to stage this event, and equally full of praise and thanks for the great efforts they have made to deal with the consequences once the event had to be cancelled, there will be lessons to be learned. The time for this debate is some time in the future and it will be the responsibility of the organisers themselves, not of this forum.

But, are you really suggesting that one of the changes that needs to be made is that the organisers communicate with the media more effectively?? I think this would and should come a long way down their priority list. They are fell race organisers, for heaven's sake, not spin doctors.

I think you'll find that some people, such as Rob Howard, did their best to get the right message across to the media in very difficult circumstances and should be applauded for it. Others, seeing a good chance for self-publicity perhaps - mentioning no names - sought to get their own, rather different message across, and have (rightly in my view), as events have unfolded, been drowned out by the voices of competitors and other experienced commentators.

I fully agree that we should treat the media coverage, and any expert criticism that results, seriously - or more accurately we should trust the organisers to do this. But lets not get carried away.

[Mark Smith]

That's fair enough Malky, and i'm not for one second suggesting anyone acted out of turn and wasn;t busting a gut to do what needed doing.

FOr each competitor there are dozens of loved ones. Spin is what these people do not need to hear, and having someone acting as a point of contact for reliable and honest informaiton avoids it. Spin is what happens when someone doesn;t look after this side of things, esp when things go wrong.

Having someone making sure the rght information gets out there is not getting carried away. It avoids (or provides more chance of avoiding) the wrong information getting out there and noone wants that.

The emphasis of the role i was thinking about was not so much media but information. That is actually a high priority in any event involving thousands of people, esp when the shit hits the fan.

Spin doctors are those media people who reported this as a charity run, with 1000's trapped on the fells etc etc.

[Bladerunner]

Splinter, go and run on the roads. We take responsibility for our own actions in this sport and thank organisers for giving up their own time putting races on that we can participate in them. Most of us also run on the fells to get away from all the regulation and paperwork that is commonplace in most other forms of running. Next you'll be suggesting that someone should sue the organisers for not calling the event off or talking to the media!!

[Phil_N]

According to news reports all runners have been accounted for.

[Stagger]

EXCELLENT NEWS

Everyone now accounted for.

[Mark Smith]

Thank heavens for that

Malky is right, let's celebrate that and allow the debate to happen once the dust is settled.

[Bladerunner]

Toni, the reason the organisers probably never said anything is they were unaware of how many were still on the hills etc.

If you called the OMM off in bright sunshine in the middle of summer it would take hours to account for everyone on the hills, never mind in poor conditions. Whats worse no info or incorrect info? Just cus BBC and Sky TV have got news channels to fill doesn't mean race organisers should spend their time pandering to them when they have more important things to do!!

One thing I do agree with is maybe the event is getting too big for its own good.

[Mark Smith]

[quote=Bladerunner;159437]Toni, the reason the organisers probably never said anything is they were unaware of how many were still on the hills etc.
quote]

Understand that, but say nothing and you'll see all manner of crap coming out. Say what you do know and what you beleive to be the case where there are gaps in the facts. Again, this is one for lessons learned.

All in all, the OMM organisers reacted brilliantly, cared for thousands of people, worked tirelessly and should be proud of what they did this weekend, esp if they are prepared to learn from it.

I hope they take a huge amount of satisfaction and relief knowing that everyone is accounted for.

[Flightless Bird]

According to news reports all runners have been accounted for.

Very good news, and therefore all the media drivel will now stop and they will crawl back to where they came from.

"Good News doesn't sell"

[Stagger]

Very good news, and therefore all the media drivel will now stop and they will crawl back to where they came from.

"Good News doesn't sell"

Well said my big friend.