Meroc Long-O

[mikey]

I know we're not supposed to do this ( ), but here I go anyway.

A big thank you to MEROC for today's long-o. It must have taken a lot of effort to get permissions for some of those areas but it was well worth it.

All-in-all a superb day (apart from the sunburn - oops. )

[awk]

I totally agree with you Mikey. An absolutely cracking event. Thank you to everybody in the organising/planning team for such a good day's orienteering.

[Mike]

I agree too - thanks to everybody involved. Tough but fun. And well done to Craney for a pretty convincing win on the long course!

[Becks]

Must say I really enjoyed my course at Sandle Beat Woods today - great run around on a tiny area SYO. Must remember to enter the Long-O if those guys ever do it again!

[FatBoy]

So did you beat me again Becks? 54:55

Long-O looked great but fancied a weekend at home for the first time in ages.

[Becks]

I wondered who Alan Hartley was! Nope, you got me today after a 2.5 min error at number 8!

[FatBoy]

My cover is blown! (again)

[Becks]

I knew I knew the name from somewhere. Aye, 56.07 with a five min split for number eight. I claim heatstroke, it was boiling by the time we ran!

[Paul T]

Yep, the Long O was a great day out, even if the first 8k were tough for those of us who chose to wear shorts. Its good that some clubs have the conviction to put on something a bit out of the ordinary and even better when people support it. Thanks.

If you weren't there, check out the Anthony Gormley figures emerging from the sea http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/4640513.stm

[awk]

I claim heatstroke, it was boiling by the time we ran!

Not tough enough for a long-O on the dunes then Becks!

[Becks]

Aye probably not! It was hotter than the Czech in Doncaster! I would have loved to do the Long O but sadly only realised it was happening on Wednesday after the big summer of fun.

[FatBoy]

Certainly was warm. Not sure I could've managed much more without a drinks point! 3:16 to 8 Becks - how on earth did you manage to take 5?

Anybody got maps from the LongO for those of us too lazy to drive over there?

[lilywhite]

Nice one to MEROC for trying something different. Really enjoyed it as a good long run. That first drinks point was a long way though! Guess it would be hard for MEROC to do it again without the course being almost exactly the same... Maybe some other clubs could do something similar next year (SYO and WCH certainly could).

[mharky]

Southampton normally have a New Forest Long-O, pretty good as well

[neil m37]

Nice one to MEROC for trying something different. Really enjoyed it as a good long run.

Too long for some of us, but really enjoyed it all the same. It's just a shame we couldn't run in that nice looking forest instead of the 2k path run.

Birkdale - mixture of open dunes and spiky bushes, horribly spiky if you went anywhere near any green on the map. I ended up turning back a couple of times before deciding that paths were the only option. I am glad I wasn't wearing shorts.

Ainsdale - much more pleasant open dunes where running in a straight line was the best option. Best section of the course with some nice controls.

Ainsdale nature reserve - pleasant enough running on open dunes but much less detail made it relatively easy, followed by 2k path run through some nice forest and 1k beach run. Ran in the sea for a while to cool down.

Formby - some excellent sections of pine forested dunes with zero undergrowth, and some open dunes. Far too many paths, roads, fences, car parks and houses break it up too much. Ground to a halt and had a little walk towards the end of this section.

Altcar - army training area, mainly dead running (I felt dead, but I was just about running)

Hightown - more rough open dunes. Just desperate to finish by this stage and was picking path routes to make it easy and still getting it wrong. The last 1k was a very narrow strip of dunes with a big track running along it and the finish visible mirage-like in the distance.