As a race organiser I do not welcome people joining in and doing their own thing nor I suspect do the majority of race organisers. I put the race on for people who want to enter, in doing so agreeing to abide by the rules which I specify and to race against everyone else who paid up and entered. In my experience unnoficial runners cause me problems, some of them even running through the finish funnel, how selfish is that. They should realise the problems they can cause and stay away.
What about races like Flower Scar, Todmorden....No entry fee.
Bet they don't get many runners just tagging along, and not entering the race!
Perfectly put Yiannis. There's really no acceptable excuse for tagging along on a race as the balance of the posts on this thread have shown.Originally Posted by ydt
Too true, Yiannis. Once went to watch Grisedale to cheer on mates, get in some climbs, watched at Helvellyn. Group followed me across the ridge rather that the race route but I didn't know until they caught me and I appologised for their error! I like watching races now that I can't race and like to short cut to see racers in several places - at Ilkley can see race at 3 or 4 spots. Would never follow race route unless in race, but agree maybe being on course running may be problem. Do I only watch at the start and finish?
No, but why not sport a yellow marshalls tabard saying 'Non Competitor'??
Sod that Wheeze! Run the race route the week before or after!
Somebody and a group of helpers spends a huge amount of time organising a race, have to obey FRA rules, obtain permission from all landowners, risk the wrath of all and sundry to enable a few organised fell runners to have a race and if something goes wrong run the risk of being sued.................
If I knew that someone had not bothered to enter a race I might have organised, not that I do, and just decided to run round, I would be ****ing infuriated.
WTF - run round a race route without entering the race - that's not on
Anybody really own up to doing that?
Hey, London Marathon for me, aint gonna enter just run round!
Hey, why doesn't everybody?
Hope my post wasn't misinterpreted - the event had been full for a few weeks so no/little chance of competing - it was an LDWA event so plenty of walkers and no chance of runners going astray following me (I may not have even passed any runners as my run started behind the event and I was taking a leisurely pace - not that my pace could ever be described as more than leisurely).
I can see the point of the risk of leading runners off onto the wrong route but a) not likely if you are at the back of the field approaching a cutoff time and b) it is each runners responsibility to run their own race.
re b) we had a discussion about this at checkpoint 7 on Winter Hill as a number of runners were determined to go over the stile and head directly back to the barn and thus miss the final checkpoint. Our agreed viewpoint is that for those at the sharp end, it is definitely their responsibility - NS is part of the skill of the race and for those at the back we were a bit more considerate and just let them waste a minute or so before suggesting they may wish to use the generally accepted direction (although on some days a long deviation via the edge of the pike may not be that much slower)
While I concede that it is extremely poor form to hold up racing competitiors, you can't exactly knock them for "being there".......especially if its not on private land....
and as for racing competitors following non-competitors who cut off the route early......as frustrating as it may be, the vast majority of "rule abiding" runners who post here must concede that strictly speaking, competitors should have an idea of the route or at least be able to use their map and compass to deduce otherwise......not my opinion, just stating the case
Yes, I can knock them! They shouldn't be running round the race route.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote