Oscar's Everyone Day
Sunday 22nd June 2025In 2021 Oscar the Grouch proposed one day each year where "we unite as a community and EVERYONE records an activity of some sort - a dog walk, a run, a swim, a ride, ski if you want...".
Sadly we lost Oscar in March 2024, so now we dedicate Everyone Day to him. Thank you for the inspiration you gave us Oscar.
Track & Field Fetchies
56 watchers
8 Jun
10:54am, 8 Jun 2025
27,512 posts
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larkim
After feeling pretty please with my mile on Friday, my son helpfully posted on |
8 Jun
11:32am, 8 Jun 2025
82,483 posts
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Gobi
Hahahahaha - not sure i can run 5k at what was my marathon pace
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8 Jun
11:35am, 8 Jun 2025
27,513 posts
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larkim
I clearly donated good aerobic genes, but clearly not diplomatic ones.
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8 Jun
12:48pm, 8 Jun 2025
82,484 posts
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Gobi
I like him
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8 Jun
3:06pm, 8 Jun 2025
6,118 posts
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J2R
The unfortunate thing about my disqualification was that it was my first time running a track race and I didn't know that stepping on the white line was not allowed, and it's not obvious that this should be the case (as opposed to stepping inside the white line, which clearly means you're shortening the distance). I did come back and race the mile again the following year, once again in 5:17, without transgressions!
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8 Jun
3:40pm, 8 Jun 2025
27,518 posts
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larkim
TBH I've been at lots of T&F meetings over many years, and I've never seen foot on line policed effectively. Maybe that's because I've generally been watching youth athletics or supporting pretty low standard runners like myself or my wife. And ultimately I do fully support officials applying the rules, I'm not one to complain about blazered officials getting high and mighty (though I do grumble when they try to apply rules that don't exist, such as shouting splits from the stands / outside the competition area, a particular beef of mine because it *is* allowed and yet local officials bark out to coaches to stop it). But there are quite a lot of rules that relative newbies to the track wouldn't realise. In fact, at meetings like last Friday's ones, there are massive infractions all over the place with runners turning up in shoes which are not track legal, but they actively choose not to enforce that, despite the fact that the gain from a pair of VF in a 3000m would almost certainly exceed the gain from stepping on or inside the line multiple times etc. |
8 Jun
3:59pm, 8 Jun 2025
47,952 posts
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SPR
@J2R sympathise with not knowing. I only recently found out a three point start is not allowed in the sprints for example (without blocks you have to do either a crouch/ four point or standing start). @larkim When you say you haven't seen it policed effectively, are you saying you've seen people break the rule as it's a pretty hard one to spot if you're on the outside of the track as a supporter. I reckon the shoe rule should just be enforced and people will adapt rather than making exceptions but that's easy for me to say as someone unlikely to be caught out. Presumably given the purpose of your meeting it was always likely to not be enforced. |
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8 Jun
4:08pm, 8 Jun 2025
27,520 posts
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larkim
Yep, seen it many times. Easiest spotted on the 200m bend viewed from close to the 100m start. And whilst running behind runners who have transgressed too. There are no track judges around to monitor it for a start, the only officials are on the start line typically (at the events I've been at). I've never see anyone doing in any way other than carelessly, though I have seen youngsters swap lanes at the wrong time and not be DQd (probably fair enough providing their coaches pick it up with them after the race, especially if they are U13 or U11). Might be different at BMC meetings or similar, but both at local Open meetings and the local League there is zero potential for policing it. To police it you'd need a track judge broadly mid way through the bends, midway down the back straight and potentially on the home straight too. I don't begrudge them that; if anyone was DQ'd for it and there is no evidence other than their eyes, it could well end up with unpleasant tensions at events which (in the main) are supposed to be inclusive and fun (as well as competitive). I agree on the shoe rule; but the last time I heard it mentioned by officials was when we all toed the line in a 3000m or 5000m and the starter just reminded everyone of the rule, that we all raced at our own risk if any of our competitors wanted to raise it as an issue the officials would have to enforce the rule. No-one said anything, and the runners who were next to me in their VFs just carried on regardless (though they did not trouble any national rankings lists etc). |
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8 Jun
5:09pm, 8 Jun 2025
47,953 posts
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SPR
Fair enough. Although not explicitly stated it's seems like level 1 meetings (which will be most) won't have enough track officials to cover lines but might be something I can ask an official I know. I don't think they'd police the straights though as no advantage (and on tracks with curbs it's pretty much impossible to step inside unless there's an incident). The two bends is where I saw the judges indoors, both races were champs TBF. |
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8 Jun
10:05pm, 8 Jun 2025
6,119 posts
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J2R
I think I might just have been unfortunate enough to come across a zealot that day! I suspect things aren't routinely policed so vigorously. And yes, I've seen numerous instances of people running in shoes which aren't track-legal.
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