Black Courses
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31 posts
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Tis true, it is lacking. My new blokey had to stick to orange at the weekend for his first go, and the idea of a fit 21 year old bloke running against 14 year olds on a 2.4km course is a bit rubbish. It was his first go, so I wouldn't have suggsted he attempted more than an orange that day, but in a couple of weeks time he'll want to do more - where does he go?
Will? We've got proper fire now!
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Becks - god
- Posts: 2633
- Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2003 2:25 pm
- Location: East Preston Street Massif
SLOW seem to be doing a lot in the London area to get long, technically easier courses available - typically 6k or 10k mass starts, but they also did a half marathon last Oct. I've done most of these events and they do attract a lot of runners (as the distances are easy to explain to non-orienteers). The events have usually been held in the evenings in the summer, but SLOW are making a big effort to do a series on Saturdays in the run up to the World Cup. Not sure how many of the runners have been "converted" to orienteers - Midge may be able to tell us.
Agree it would be a big help to newcomers, who do tend to see oranges etc as too short and not worth the effort of driving to the event.
Agree it would be a big help to newcomers, who do tend to see oranges etc as too short and not worth the effort of driving to the event.
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Boo - off string
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Fri Oct 22, 2004 3:26 pm
- Location: Vevey, Switzerland
I agree about purples. My sister and her boyfriend do a lot of running - she has orienteered in the past (but never very technically), he never has. They went to Oversley on Sunday and enjoyed the lt green course - which to be fair took them about an hour. They'd orienteer a lot more if there was something in between doing an orange course and doing the length of a blue course, most events don't even have reds, let alone long reds.
- J
Oversley is not a good example to newcomers. Long queues for emit card hire, no splits available at the finish due to print problems, waited ages for stubs to be hung on washing lines, ours never appeared before we left, no results posted up on OD website yet.
I thought one of the benefits of e-punching was quick results and splits analysis. Was I wrong.
I thought one of the benefits of e-punching was quick results and splits analysis. Was I wrong.
- Guest
To be honest they only went to oversley as it's a 10 min walk from their front door. If there was a course (like a purple) that was about the length of blue but as technical as orange I think it would encourage a lot more people to have a go, until they get better technically. I have taken a few people to events before and they haven't come back because they've either done an orange that has taken 25 mins or done something longer and got stuck on the harder controls.
- J
Another possible problem with the current system is that when people who usually run Red/Purple (if its offered) want to move up to a harder course isn't any obvious course for them to do - they can either move up to a much shorter Light Green, or then can jump to a much harder Green/Blue. I've heard some people mention the possible need for a so-called Light Blue / Silver course. Again, this probably wouldn't be viable at most small district events.
- Benjamin G
- orange
- Posts: 108
- Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2004 1:29 pm
- Location: Oxford
I have taken a few people to events before and they haven't come back because they've either done an orange that has taken 25 mins or done something longer and got stuck on the harder controls.
I suspect that suggesting such a causal effect exists is somewhat simplistic. I continue to be amazed by how many people will happily pay good money to run round a muddy field a few times. Yes of course we should be encouraging newcomers but we shouldn't be catering for those that only want to run round muddy fields. In my experience those that stay in the sport are those that relish the challenge that our sport provides and rapidly move onto LG or Green courses from orange or red. SLOW and others have shown that there is a market for low technical difficulty races but it doesn't mean that these should be incorporated into mainstream orienteering.
- NeilC
- addict
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- Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 9:03 am
- Location: SE
Chasers have made an effort over the last year or 2 at all colour coded events to have a red course available. There are always a couple of runners who are appreciative, and it doesn't take much extra effort if you put some long legs out and back from/to the orange course.
I planned the black course on the Chase, mentioned earlier, a few years ago - it was an area that could take it (it was the first event Fatboys SI software was used at). It had nearly as many entries as the brown course, and really showed who was bothered about the West Midlands league (and ran brown to score points), and who were out of region runners/not bothered about scoring points.
If clubs do start putting on events with White, Yellow, Orange, Red, Lt Green, Green, Blue, Brown and Black courses, you may as well (from the clubs point of view) put on a regional event with the same 9 courses and make a bigger profit!
I planned the black course on the Chase, mentioned earlier, a few years ago - it was an area that could take it (it was the first event Fatboys SI software was used at). It had nearly as many entries as the brown course, and really showed who was bothered about the West Midlands league (and ran brown to score points), and who were out of region runners/not bothered about scoring points.
If clubs do start putting on events with White, Yellow, Orange, Red, Lt Green, Green, Blue, Brown and Black courses, you may as well (from the clubs point of view) put on a regional event with the same 9 courses and make a bigger profit!
Make the most of life - you're a long time dead.
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Stodgetta - brown
- Posts: 569
- Joined: Fri May 07, 2004 2:55 pm
- Location: north of brum, south of manchester
Now Graeme would say it's not about the money it's about the good of the sport, wouldn't he! Perhaps there should be some kind of levy incentive to put on this kind of event. Perhaps BOF should recognise the value of this as a recruitment exercise in the way that they waive levies for CATI events - what do you think?
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Mrs H. - nope godmother
- Posts: 2034
- Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2004 3:15 pm
- Location: Middle England
another thing, with the addition of m/w21n at the jk last year, what sort of distance were these pitched at?
At the O-Ringen I think they have the open courses where you can choose your technical difficulty and then choose from a range of distances. Pretty impractical for standard events mind!
At the O-Ringen I think they have the open courses where you can choose your technical difficulty and then choose from a range of distances. Pretty impractical for standard events mind!
“Success is 99% failure� -- Soichiro Honda
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brooner - [nope] cartel
- Posts: 3931
- Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2003 1:46 pm
- Location: Sydney
Whether you put on red, silver etc might well depend on where the event is. We've put on red courses and had no takers or only experienced Orienteers returning from injury or in a hurry to get away. If you have a suitable area near a good running catchment area and have a good publicity guy then it's a great idea but if the area is off the beaten track the runners will stay at home and run round their muddy field or along their road.
I think that there is a great difference between road running or cross country running and O thus there are few who really convert, as a lot of people who road run want to run without thinking and we know what happens if you try that on an O course. I think more people who enjoy serious walking/hiking are likely to adapt to O. It seems to be the case in our club anyway. We tend to pick up new members when our events are at areas popular with walkers.
Hocolite
I think that there is a great difference between road running or cross country running and O thus there are few who really convert, as a lot of people who road run want to run without thinking and we know what happens if you try that on an O course. I think more people who enjoy serious walking/hiking are likely to adapt to O. It seems to be the case in our club anyway. We tend to pick up new members when our events are at areas popular with walkers.
Hocolite
- Guest
Hocolite wrote:I think that there is a great difference between road running or cross country running and O thus there are few who really convert
I'd agree with you in general, but in my experience a great many orienteers were fell runners first (including one elite junior). Quite a few cyclists also seem to have come in through Trailquest and MTBO events. It might be interesting to investigate further how people got into the sport. Does anybody know any links to any BOF surveys etc.?
- Benjamin G
- orange
- Posts: 108
- Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2004 1:29 pm
- Location: Oxford
Events in this region usually seem to put on Red courses but the numbers are always very low. For example, the last three district events had only 8, 7, & 5 runners on Red (out of 285, 249 and 253 total respectively).
We did have a Purple course (instead of Red) at the Ilkley Moor badge event in 2003, that got 11 entries.
I think it is good to put on these courses, but I can't see them ever being that popular.
We did have a Purple course (instead of Red) at the Ilkley Moor badge event in 2003, that got 11 entries.
I think it is good to put on these courses, but I can't see them ever being that popular.
- swat
- orange
- Posts: 127
- Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 1:33 pm
- Location: Bramley
THe SCOA Leagur always has Red courses, but thereare usually only a handful of takers. Mainly those who just want to "run" or returnees from injury. However it doesn't seem to involved much extra planning as most controls are from other courses.
- Tatty
- guru
- Posts: 1626
- Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2004 7:21 pm
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