SHI 'a planners reflection'

[A BOGLE]

The Monday after an event is a time I feel planners should look back in reflection, and that is what I have been doing today (apart from catching up on all the uni work that I have missed). I have been thinking about what went well with the SHIs and what went wrong and what I would change the next time I plan an event. I think this process of reflection is in a way more important for me than other planners, for 2 reasons 1. it was the first event I have planned, and 2. because of its ambitious format (The Bogle Loops Format).
I admit I got some things wrong, but I think I also got some things right and hopefully through reflection and feedback I will find more positives than negatives.

People took longer than I expected on all courses, which is always an embarrassing thing for a planner to get wrong. Course lengths were based on the min/km times from the BOC 2002, which I felt was a reasonable method of deciding on course lengths. I did consider factors that may have influenced why km times should not be the same as BOC, for example: Seasonal vegetation- being a sand dune area I felt that it should not be affected in the same way as forests can be affected with seasonal changes in vegetation.
Tracking- BOC 2002 had many times more competitors than the SHIs so tracking probably did influence the times there, but I as planner found it hard to admit to myself while planning that this could be the case as it highlights the unfairness in our sport. So instead I tried to make it as fair as possible by making sure everyone could benefit from tracking (at least after their 1st loop).
One thing I did not consider and should not have considered (I am sure everyone will agree) is the standard of competitors being not as high as at the BOC. One thing maybe I could have taken into consideration was that the SHI is at the end of the season and many runners are beginning to rest up for their winter training.

The above are not excuses, I do admit I did get course lengths wrong, and I am sorry for that.

My biggest regret about the race was the mistake on 3 of the W20s maps. I somehow missed the fact that on 3 of the W20s maps the numbers on one of their loops went the wrong way. I would like to thank Helen, Jene and Erinna for being so understanding, and Kirsten who was lost her 3rd place when Helen was reinstated.

When I realised people were taking so long on their loops I began to worry that I would become the most hated man in British orienteering for over planning by so much. However my fears were quashed when I started to hear all the positive comments from the competitors and seeing the somewhat weary smiles on their faces. The highlight of my weekend was the kind words from England’s manager John Rye expressing an overall appreciation for The Bogle Loops format I introduced.

I do not think I would change very much about the format if I were to plan another event in the same way. Some people have suggested making the order of loops people ran different, this was considered however it was dismissed for 2 reasons:
1. the logistics of doing this would have been far more complicated
2. it would have meant some people going out on the tougher side of the area twice in a row which could have been seen as a disadvantage

I volunteered to organise the SHIs on my way home from the JK on the plane I start think about how I would plan it and I came up with 2 goals:
1. simply, to do something different.
2. to plan a race that highlighted the whole idea of the SHI being race between nations.
And as far as I am concerned I feel I achieved both of these goals.

There was only one retrial on Saturday, so things are looking good for British orienteering in that so many can survive such a tough race. Well done to everyone for competing I hope it is race that you all will remember for a long time.

Finally I would like to thank a few people:
-Michael Napier for his software that was especially updated/ changed for the event
-and the whole of the North West Orienteering Club.
-and Coca-cola for providing the post-race drinks.

ALLAN BOGLE

[eddie]

allan i noping love you

good shizzle my boy!!

[DesignatedDriver]

mr b - i have heard nothing but positive comments.

sounds like it was a good event - sorry i missed it.

perhaps you could do a smaller version for our new years run?
16k is a bit far for me, but i could prob manage 10k?


i can really push my luck can't i?

take it easy, don't beat yourself up anymore - and see you christmas eve

[Doug T]

i don't think that the courses were too long.they were tough but if they were too easy i think that would have been worse.

the loops made it seem like four short courses. mentally alot easier!

great course

though i didn't run 16km

[J.Tullster]

I thought the course was great really. Didn't think it was too long really. Because of the four loops it didn't seem like you were really out for as long as you were.
Cheers Allan!

Also a big to the relay planner, as I thought these courses were sweet, making great use of the nicest bits of forest.

Crackin weekend

[gross2006]

i don't think that the courses were too long.they were tough but if they were too easy i think that would have been worse.

I wasn't there so shouldn't comment on courses so will try & avoid it.But two positive points:

1. Scotland won.....
2. Comments from competitors all seem good

To comment on young Mr T above.... a non-tough course doesn't make it easy... if you have prepared for a course of 90mins and then run for 110 mins then of course it's going to be tough - it 22% to long... that equates to running a marathon and sticking an extra 9km on the end of it:)

Alan has admitted the courses were longer than he planned for... he gave valid reasons for this happening.

This is the kind of course that should be anylised to improve things in future... everyone in a positive mood & none of the slagging off normally found on nope...

So to Alan.... yes you f****d up a bit, you got away with it, you'll learn for the future, others will learn, and the runners all seem to have had a positive experience....

If you want to discuss quality planning in future the sun still shines down the alley

[Becks]

I got halfway round my first loop and thought eek...a whole 11km like this?! Impossible! But once it tracked slightly runnability did improve and you just had to get our head down. the last 2km of my loop was some of the most difficult orienteering of the course and concentrating on still spiking despite the wobbly legs and just wanting to sit down was something I very rarely have to work so hard on. For this reaosn it was great to run a decent length Classic in GB, something we'd all be expected to run on a World Stage. Cheers Allan!

[Kitch]

I hope it is race that you all will remember for a long time.

ALLAN BOGLE

I'm just sorry I missed it,
and the victory !

[Wattok]

SHI photos now online for your viewing pleasure at nopesports new gallery!

[mat d]

As everyone is saying, the idea and concept for the event was great! I personally really enjoyed the head to head feel of the event, gave it a bit more purpose - checking the gates into and out of the field to see if you were ahead or behind your rivals...was a different experience and one which should be repeated again!!

No regrets on the distance - though i found it a bit long. But... its up to the planner to plan the courses and the competitors to run them, so for that I have no complaints what so ever. They were well planned with a mixture of tricky short and longer simplification legs to get your teeth into, which is i think what you need for the butterflies to work!

I reckon a head to head sprint/middle series of races in the UK should be created from the success of this event. (and possibly a great idea for a UK Cup "Final" which I reckon has to be included in the near future to give the 21's something else to look forward to rather than the races just ending at teh end of the season!)

Thanks Alan for a quality planned event.

(and thanks to NWOA etc. for organising)

[ifor]

Course was great, idea realy good and for an area that tracks up a great help to the fairness of the compotition.

I got the destinct impression that the area was slower going than at the British. I started into what I had remembered as the faster bit from the British, and was shocked how hard it was. I don't know if other people thought this, or what the course would be.

Personaly I could of done with another two or three laps my speed is usless but my stamina great. I was just getting going and my last lap was my fastest, I still had the legs to take advantage of the tracks.

Ifor

[harry]

The SHIs sounds great and I'm sorry I missed it.

The clash was disappointing, if the SHIs is going to be a serious international (which it should be seeing as it't the only chance we get to run or our home country) then it shouldn't be clashed with other Internationals.

And as for the course lengths, it sounds fine. A proper length classic race, as Becky said, very rare in the UK. The winning times may have been a bit over but what if we were all Simone's standard which is what we should be striving for!

[Kitch]

I agree Harry,

much better in the spring too, when it can form part of a run in to more serious Internationals.
In the autumn it is just an after-thought to the season.

[rocky]

bol**cks. in the spring it gets lost amoungst uk cup, fcc races. without it in the autumn there is nothing to aim for, it is good having it there for the people who want to run.

note that this year many top names didnt run because of the clash with wcup, but last year there was no clash and many people still didnt run because it was in a spring cup / jk sandwich.

[Becks]

Rocky's right - move it to the Spring and it just adds to an already hideously congested calendar.

To be honest, i kind of like the fact that the big guns don't always turn out to the SHIs. The clash was rubbish for the other countries who's top runners regularly turn out, but if you're English and continually chasing the elite squad types then it provides a great step up competition.