Colour Codes

[NeilC]

Whats wrong with the system used for the Nope Urban league?

Which is what? It seems that Edinburgh had courses A-E and St Andrews 1-7.

Or are you suggesting that a course should be called women's vets (but it's OK for an M21 to run it), would that not be confusing for a newcomer?

[smf]

Whats wrong with the system used for the Nope Urban league?

Which is what? It seems that Edinburgh had courses A-E and St Andrews 1-7.

Or are you suggesting that a course should be called women's vets (but it's OK for an M21 to run it), would that not be confusing for a newcomer?

1-7 as http://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/i ... line_e.pdf

[Nottinghamshire outlaw]

Walesby is a super-fast and pretty flatish Scout camp area plus a bit of wood. We always use it for our December CC event and everyone who comes knows what it's like. They know they'll get a good run out with lots of twists and turns (and in 2010 the planning was fun with butterfly type loops to keep you thinking) and soup and mince pies afterwards in the barn/marquee with a very sociable atmosphere.

I'm not sure that most of our clientele know about the guidelines etc but what they know is approx how far they want to 'run' eg Green of max 5km, Blue about 6.5ish and Brown about 8ish. What happens when courses are a lot longer (and they would be with a 'Black' of over 13km) is that a lot of people vote with their feet and do the next course down and/or they're not happy.

[EddieH]

Why should it matter if people run a course down? What is sad is that when a planner gets the lengths right they tend to get blamed because last week and the one before ... their colour was just what they wanted, but today it's far too long.

What really is the point of guidelines that are adhered to as little as colour coded course lengths.

I have the best terrain and big areas around here, yet most browns take less than an hour for me A true elite competitor would have to be crocked to take anywhere near 57 minutes. Occasionally I am out for about 80 minutes and feel that I have had the full experience.

The trouble is that those that want a decent legth rarely get it, and there is NO alternative. There are generally alternatives for people wanting short courses, (although perhaps with the increasing elderly participation short green may be needed when the green is the right length.)

[70plus]

In the days of age-based courses an averagely-experienced planner could expect to get course lengths right ±10%, maybe with help from the controller. Now courses are colour-based, not only is it hard to guess who will turn up, one is not sure which colour they will run. So winning times can look way out, and sticking rigidly to ratios - especially if there will be no Black or even Brown - may not solve the problem. And occasionally both planner and controller may be a bit 'green'.

But at least computer planning has cured one trap. I recall a Yorkshire event where I seemed to have done a remarkable time on a 7.1k course - sadly so had everyone else. The course was actually 5.7k

[LostAgain]

I'm not sure that most of our clientele know about the guidelines etc but what they know is approx how far they want to 'run' eg Green of max 5km, Blue about 6.5ish and Brown about 8ish. What happens when courses are a lot longer (and they would be with a 'Black' of over 13km) is that a lot of people vote with their feet and do the next course down and/or they're not happy.

Alternatively you are stopping the people who want the guideline winning times on the longest course from having the "correct" length.
The width of the colour coded system always allows people to "run down" if they do not like the length of the longer courses. You can't run up if the brown is planned to 35 mins winning times!

[Paul Frost]

Next weekends events in Argyll seem to be a classic example of length rather than winning time being the main choice.
The Sunday EckO Scottish O League race (Torinturk) has 4 entries on black (10.1km) and 19 on brown (8.8km).
The Saturday Clyde Middle distance race (Collie Nathais) has 26 entries on Black (5.5km) and there is no brown, but 22 on blue (4.4km).

I know this isn't a perfect comparison due to the omission of some colours at the middle distance race but I suspect the 5.5km makes the black course look doable for many.

[LostAgain]

Next weekends events in Argyll seem to be a classic example of length rather than winning time being the main choice.
The Sunday EckO Scottish O League race (Torinturk) has 4 entries on black (10.1km) and 19 on brown (8.8km).
The Saturday Clyde Middle distance race (Collie Nathais) has 26 entries on Black (5.5km) and there is no brown, but 22 on blue (4.4km).

I know this isn't a perfect comparison due to the omission of some colours at the middle distance race but I suspect the 5.5km makes the black course look doable for many.

At least on the Saturday the 4 people on the black had the choice and the 19 on the brown also.

It's not realistic to compare Middle with Classic for course numbers. I know of many people who may actually do Green or Blue at a classic and Black at the Middle Distance.

[graeme]

I know of many people who may actually do Green or Blue at a classic and Black at the Middle Distance.

I've even heard of people who like to do 5km courses at some events, and 5km courses at others. How weird is that?

[LostAgain]

[quote="graeme]
I've even heard of people who like to do 5km courses at some events, and 5km courses at others. How weird is that?[/quote]

Exactly