(If I was chasing ranking points I would run down, not up, but....)
I find it disconcerting that neither of the two longest courses at an event on good terrain can muster enough entries to be quorate. Where ? Ilkley Moor (baht 'at).
The loneliness of the (not so) long distance runner
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The loneliness of the (not so) long distance runner
curro ergo sum
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King Penguin - addict
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Re: The loneliness of the (not so) long distance runner
For the benefit of those not there, there were two factors that might have reduced numbers.
- A longer journey to the start than normal. Involving a walk, then a train ride, then a 25 minute walk.
- Weather forecast for this exposed area was quite poor, though in the end the rain arrived late and not too heavy.
But yes, numbers are still too low, the usual problem of not enough younger orienteers etc? There were 12 finishers on black, but no ranking points. Was that because 3 were IND?
- A longer journey to the start than normal. Involving a walk, then a train ride, then a 25 minute walk.
- Weather forecast for this exposed area was quite poor, though in the end the rain arrived late and not too heavy.
But yes, numbers are still too low, the usual problem of not enough younger orienteers etc? There were 12 finishers on black, but no ranking points. Was that because 3 were IND?
- SeanC
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Re: The loneliness of the (not so) long distance runner
Thirteen courses for just two hundred competitors, with forty spread across Black, Brown and Short Brown. Surely far too many courses ?
Combining Black, Brown and Short Brown onto one course of around 8.5 to 9.0 km would have given everyone ranking points.
Combining Black, Brown and Short Brown onto one course of around 8.5 to 9.0 km would have given everyone ranking points.
- SJC
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Re: The loneliness of the (not so) long distance runner
That's what typically happens, but I hope clubs don't remove black as the fast M21 types need long tough courses.
Perhaps brown and short brown could be combined?
Black could be marketed to encourage more punters to take part - even if it meant 3 hour runs - Ilkley MM? Cow and calf (strain)
Actually black numbers held up best compared to the previous Ilkley regional.
Black: 14 (13)
Brown: 14 (9)
Short Brown: 33 (18)
Blue: 58 (39)
Perhaps brown and short brown could be combined?
Black could be marketed to encourage more punters to take part - even if it meant 3 hour runs - Ilkley MM? Cow and calf (strain)
Actually black numbers held up best compared to the previous Ilkley regional.
Black: 14 (13)
Brown: 14 (9)
Short Brown: 33 (18)
Blue: 58 (39)
- SeanC
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Re: The loneliness of the (not so) long distance runner
SeanC wrote:Black could be marketed to encourage more punters to take part
Thought Black was technical..... most 'punters' would be put off doing a technical course the can't handle.....
Go orienteering in Lithuania......... best in the world:)
Real Name - Gross
http://www.scottishotours.info
Real Name - Gross
http://www.scottishotours.info
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Gross - god
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Re: The loneliness of the (not so) long distance runner
Looking at the course lengths the Brown wasn't really necessary.
A 9.9 km Black and 7.5 km Short Brown would have offered enough choice.
A 9.9 km Black and 7.5 km Short Brown would have offered enough choice.
- SJC
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Re: The loneliness of the (not so) long distance runner
There is also the wider question of whether badge events (with all the trimmings) are sustainable full stop for 200 runners?
Maybe in time it will be back to basics for these sorts of events, 4 courses 10k/7.5k/5k/2.5k and reasonably little infrastructure? Bit like a Purple Thistle.
The (better) alternative in my view - at least down south - would be to have WAY fewer badge events, say one every 2 months, which might then be better attended? Rather than practically one a week in December to March with dwindling attendance
Maybe in time it will be back to basics for these sorts of events, 4 courses 10k/7.5k/5k/2.5k and reasonably little infrastructure? Bit like a Purple Thistle.
The (better) alternative in my view - at least down south - would be to have WAY fewer badge events, say one every 2 months, which might then be better attended? Rather than practically one a week in December to March with dwindling attendance
- Arnold
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Re: The loneliness of the (not so) long distance runner
Lack of advertising? I only knew it was happening on the Thursday when I took a cursory glance of the BOF calendar, by which point my Sunday was already spoken for.
Add in having to negotiate Bradford and Leeds to get there and a single event in the Dales/just south of them can feel a bit too much hassle.
Add in having to negotiate Bradford and Leeds to get there and a single event in the Dales/just south of them can feel a bit too much hassle.
M21-Lairy
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Re: The loneliness of the (not so) long distance runner
This event is part of the "Yorkshire Superleague".
Like a lot of orienteering competitions I wonder if it is reviewed often enough to see if it is really doing it's job, and needs rules changes?
Is one of the aims of this league to encourage participation? In which case is it working (if I guess who ba-ba is correctly, I think he is in a Yorkshire club)?
Are there any unintended side effects (eg do the league rules encourage clubs to set the full range of courses - ie black, brown, short brown etc, when combining courses would be better for other competitions (ie the rankings))?
(disclosure: I'm not from Yorkshire).
Like a lot of orienteering competitions I wonder if it is reviewed often enough to see if it is really doing it's job, and needs rules changes?
Is one of the aims of this league to encourage participation? In which case is it working (if I guess who ba-ba is correctly, I think he is in a Yorkshire club)?
Are there any unintended side effects (eg do the league rules encourage clubs to set the full range of courses - ie black, brown, short brown etc, when combining courses would be better for other competitions (ie the rankings))?
(disclosure: I'm not from Yorkshire).
- SeanC
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Re: The loneliness of the (not so) long distance runner
SJC wrote:Surely far too many courses ?
To compare this situation with road running...
Last September Forres Harriers held the annual Glen Moray Marathon/Half Marathon/10K in Elgin. There were 54 runners on the full marathon, 113 on the half and 193 on the 10K.
The club decided that the effort/manpower to stage the marathon is not justified with those numbers, so in future years the event will have just the half and 10K.
- Sunlit Forres
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Re: The loneliness of the (not so) long distance runner
The problem is not so much at the club level but at whatever level the series/standard of event is defined. If BOF or your region decide a certain series of events should have a black course then as soon as one doesn't provide it there's a problem.
I've always thought one course with lots of competitors is way better than the opposite, but I'm not a long distance runner...
I would have thought regional level events should have at most 3 classes outside of the <td5. So at your average event you have Long, Medium, Short of ~10k, 7k, 4k (on your average area)
I've always thought one course with lots of competitors is way better than the opposite, but I'm not a long distance runner...
I would have thought regional level events should have at most 3 classes outside of the <td5. So at your average event you have Long, Medium, Short of ~10k, 7k, 4k (on your average area)
Andrew Dalgleish (INT)
Views expressed on Nopesport are my own.
Views expressed on Nopesport are my own.
- andy
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Re: The loneliness of the (not so) long distance runner
I basically agree with Andy, although I'd want to keep something shorter for the more senior competitors, even if there aren't very many of them.
As I've said on here before, the default set of TD5 courses (with min/max lengths from the current guidelines) should be
As I've said on here before, the default set of TD5 courses (with min/max lengths from the current guidelines) should be
- Black (10-14km)
- Short Brown (7-10km)
- Short Blue (4.5-6.5km)
- Very Short Green (3-4km)
British Orienteering Director | Opinions expressed on here are entirely my own, and do not represent the views of British Orienteering.
"If only you were younger and better..."
"If only you were younger and better..."
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Scott - god
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Re: The loneliness of the (not so) long distance runner
I looked up the Yorkshire Superleague rules from http://www.yhoa.org.uk/yorkshire-superleague-rules/. It seems pretty clear the league rules prevent sensible reduction of course numbers in Yorkshire, as the rules specify which course competitors should run.
If anyone from the YHOA is reading this, a small addition to the rules would fix this:
"If there are different courses to the standard list of courses, organisers may specify the age class courses for the superleague."
If anyone from the YHOA is reading this, a small addition to the rules would fix this:
"If there are different courses to the standard list of courses, organisers may specify the age class courses for the superleague."
- SeanC
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Re: The loneliness of the (not so) long distance runner
SeanC wrote:"If there are different courses to the standard list of courses, organisers may specify the age class courses for the superleague."
This did happen in the last event of 2016. It is more work for the league coordinator but I'm pretty sure he'd be happy if asked.
However there is nothing stopping someone running up a course (or two) as the rules are.
Luckily I'm not a ranking point chaser...
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Homer - diehard
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Re: The loneliness of the (not so) long distance runner
Fully agree with Scott
So which upcoming badge event will be brave enough and only offer the 4 courses that Scott suggests? Come on, somebody!!
So which upcoming badge event will be brave enough and only offer the 4 courses that Scott suggests? Come on, somebody!!
- Arnold
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