Carlisle Urban Race

[Wendles]

Thankyou to everyone involved with today's race, it was really enjoyable and very physical.

I took a few photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wendles56/ ... 366297402/

When we got back to Carlisle station, they were filming a Homebase advert on the station, very strange! http://www.blipfoto.com/view.php?id=468393

[awk]

I'd echo Wendles's thanks: really enjoyed our day out in Carlisle. Thanks to the team for a great event. And thanks to the weather gods - a beautiful day especially when compared to the misty mirky muck at home.

[andy]

Excellent weather, excellent courses and an excellent day out!

(although I wouldn't have mapped the shopping centre for use on a Saturday afternoon! it was a tad busy)

also, a few decent photos of my parents wendles, I'll need to pass the link on to them

[graeme]

"Me and my shadow" course Get it in the matrix
Otherwise very nice, really enjoyed my course despite/because of several errors. Carlisle doesn't quite give the planner the options of Edinburgh, but certainly had the edge on the weather today.

[Mrs H]

that was a big day out - and worth it to - Well done Borderliners. I thought the course was excellent and extremely tough with route choice being particularly challenging on the longer legs - I wonder how many of the mispunches happened in the maze - i'm glad I checked the control code You may have had it - but if not I think a big sign saying "This is Urban Orienteering" with contact details would have been a good idea as a lot of people were standing round watching and scratching their heads

I think I've caught the sun. I'm looking forward to the Homebase advert -all those people just to make an advert

[Lucy.F.]

Yup - i also really enjoyed today - definitely worth it as a break from the uni workload! Nice to have a good place to leave gear and to be so close to the station etc. And great to have such good weather too - first time I've walked around in a t-shirt for ages!
The start block was also beneficial in my opinion - meaning that those of us there much earlier than our starts could run earlier really easily - thank you!
Thanks to all involved
Lucyxx

[Wendles]

a few decent photos of my parents

I think I may have caught them at Edinburgh too andy (very photogenic) - did they see those?

[Freefall]

Thank you Borderliners for a great day out in lovely sunshine. The most bizarre aspect of the race was as I ran through the park I was hotly pursued by a Seventh Day Adventist or similar dressed in a smart suit. As I tried to get away he kept following asking me if i believed in God etc. The young man was very persistent despite my best efforts to escape - he was lucky Ihad pulled my calf muscle a bit earlier and was slowed down somewhat!

[RJ]

......although I wouldn't have mapped the shopping centre for use on a Saturday afternoon! it was a tad busy......

Perhaps should have been shown as dark green 'fight'. Fun though! I took the route choice through the Lanes specifically to enjoy dodging through the shoppers. Probably lost twenty seconds.... but what the hell!

Great event, and a brilliant map. Thanks to visionary.. Paul Johnson.

[awk]

Perhaps should have been shown as dark green 'fight'. Fun though! I took the route choice through the Lanes specifically to enjoy dodging through the shoppers. Probably lost twenty seconds.... but what the hell!

Comparing times with others, I think that's about right (cos I did the same). Last year, the Venetians introduced a darker brown for the really busy streets, which one ignores at one's peril! How one would show the undercover busy 'streets', I'm not sure!

[Becks]

I decided to avoid as much of the lanes as possible then got stuck behind two teenager boys who wouldn't budge despite me going "excuse me please" multiple times. Then this rather orange girl shrieked "For f**ks sake you idiots, she's in a race, get out of the way!" and they sheepishly obeyed. Thanks orange girl! She got an exhausted looking smile!

[Mrs H]

I think the best thing about urban races is that when you run the exactly wrong way out of the start - you can pop into a shop and buy a disguise before you have to sneak back past the start boxes and that way no one will notice you.

This is the second time in a fortnight I have 180ed out of the start - the last time was also pretty embarrassing as it was in our CSC round on the Malvern Hills when I was telling people if I ran straight on for 5 minutes I would be home. Again I was holding my map upside down. I must stop enjoying myself so much before a race

[youngladdie]

Yes - I really enjoyed the carlisle race - even tho not much energy due to having cold caught last week in Edinburgh! Lovely in the sunshine as was cold and grey East of the Pennines.
A nice contrast between the shopping centre and urban areas and the parkland and the maze.
You might expect the shopping centre to be busy, but agree, the shading could have been brown as the Venice map.
And an enjoyable trip over the Settle - Carlisle railway! Its so good that these Urban events are Public Transport friendly. The indoor assembly for changing etc was also great.. and essential for future Urban races i feel - York must have somewhere suitable in case of rain.

[awk]

This is the second time in a fortnight I have 180ed out of the start

Yes, we did notice, but then I did exactly the same thing (you were the only starter I had really watched up to then)! Managed to rectify fairly quickly (about 15s lost), but wasn't very good at hiding behind the crowds, and was spotted!

[Helen's bloke]

Loved the event, even though I was heckled, then chased by a couple of p*ssed tramps near 23 on course 1, hey-ho!

One minor gripe, nothing to do with Organisers/planners etc. Why oh why do people insist on wearing O-suits at urban races? It's perfect opportunity to publicise the sport to the masses. I got a "He looks fast" and a "That looks fun" from a group of young people. This was immediately followed by shrieks of laughter when a chap runs round the corner to meet the said group wearing a full pink and blue O-suit - why!! I'm all for going against the flow, but come on. At least try and fit in and look normal when in a situation where there are lots of people that might take an interest. Normal/conventional sportswear next time please...If I have offended you Mr Pink\Blue Man - Good! It needed to be said.

When I organise a street race, I'll be imposing a rule....

Rant over. Night.