Ian,
I think you must be mistaken. It's just that in that part of the world they have ultra lightweight kit that can be packed into the waist band of your shorts. Which is obviously why xxx xxx from xxx xxx xxx wasn't disqualified at Kinder Downfall....
Okay I admit it, I cheated at the fellsman this year. I didnt have a survival bag! In my defence they must have the most onerous kit check in the world - they even checked the studs on my walshes for excess wear and counted the number of safety pins in my first aid kit (they required me to carry four). I'd turned up with a survival blanket (one of the small silver jobs) which they didnt find acceptable which kind of left me in a dilemma at 8 am in Ingleton needing a survival bag. Luckily I borrowed and already well borrowed survival bag and managed to scrape a pass second time.
I'm all for kit checks but sometimes, just sometimes, they can be a bit OTT. And in the same way that the banning of using mobile phones while driving has massively increased the number of drivers texting while driving I sometimes wonder if by over kitting there will be an increased tendancy to cut corners?
By the way I kind of disagree with the word cheat; carrying or not carrying a pair of waterproofs isn't going to make a great deal of difference in the scheme of things and, should the weather change, might just make things a whole lot worse for the 'cheat'.
But there isn't a nice word for something that jeopardises the race organiser's duty of care (which is really what we're discussing here).Originally Posted by Stolly
I raced on Sunday alongside Ian, there was no way anybody could have not understood the race organiser's requirements.
If you think they are OTT, discuss it with the RO - but NOT on the day of the race. You enter the race, you run by his rules - end of.
Cheat's not a nice word, but, as John Cooper-Clark said so lyrically, there are other words, which are maybe more apt ...
Its cheating full stop. If an event has clearly stated mandatory requirements then anyone outside of that is cheating and should be disqualified.
Of course, in any competitive event, participants will always be looking for that extra edge if they want to win. Thats why scrutineering in motor racing is such a big job.
Unfortunately, stopping the cheats will require more effort from the RO and helpers. Kit checks at the start for all plus kit checks for top 3 finishers in each category (different colour numbers for each category would be a great help to organisers and racers!) and randoms for the rest will be needed to reinforce the importance of the rule. Once it is properly reinforced people will not try it on so much...including those of malleable honesty.
Allied to this, the RO would need to take a more reasonable line and relax some requirements if conditions allow. And of course, no one should be surprised if a racer finishes without stipulated food...its common sense that it would have been consumed in some way or another! Doh!!
Does that mean when the race photos come out we can all take a look and point fingers?There are a couple of candidates on DanAzz's Flickr set....
C'mon organisers - ENFORCE it if you mean it! I ran Crowden in v hot conditions and squeezed into my kit bag full body cover. Shed loads of runners were carrying C*CK ALL.
Stolly, but surely that supports the opposite view ie why not take the kit required by the RO if taking its not going to make much difference?
Andy
Organisers should take a stand, yes. But we runners should try and be more supportive of organisers.
It's a friendly sport, not many rules ... surely it makes a bit of sense to follow the instructions of the poor sod who does all the organising, and most of the work?
I remember one year the Giants Tooth was shortened because of the weather
and Alan Greenwood (RO) requested everyone to wear or carry a cagoule (even though it's only a short race) and he spotted one runner without one so Alan lent one to him only to find it left on the floor at the start. The runner in question was DQd and told not to bother coming to any more of Alan's events.
Either accept to RO rules or if you don't like them don't enter!
Forgot to say - it's not about having a gripe as to carrying extra weight etc etc. It's just that if something dreadful does happen it can reflect badly on the organiser, the event and the rest of us.
the one occasion I've needed all of my kit, I got ill 6 miles into a 24 miler and the kit probably saved me from hypothermia or atleast a DNF,....it was a bright sunny day....and I finshed the race, in the tail end of the field
having said that, I hope those who carry the invisible kit, have the experience, determination and luck not to have to have need of its use
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote