Leeds Dash 2013

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rf_fozzy Nov 2013 9:16pm, 17 Nov 2013 5,798 posts	0 rf_fozzy Johnny, there are many, many, many reasons why we won't constrain the definition of "elite" to the fastest 50 runners. And in any case, those inter-counties and other "invited" athletes were looked after - there was someone from race organisation who was supposed to be looking after them. For a start, sub-31 would immediately rule out a mixed race (we don't get any female runners under 31mins). This then, means we need a separate women's elite race and it's hard enough to get road closures/organisation sorted for one race, never mind two.... As far as I am aware, the RO had issued instructions to all sub-31, invited runners about where the start was, how to get into the start/warm-up pen etc.... If this hadn't happened, then it should have. As for "stress," sorry but no sympathy for you there - it's the same for all runners - be where you need to be at the correct time. We didn't start moving the sub-45 runners into the sub-35 pen until 10mins before the start. I can't believe that all the elite runners couldn't find the start etc before then. Yes, a separate entry into the warm-up pen for the elite runners was needed. Perhaps with a portaloo or two for their use. This is why we needed a separate colour number, so then we could distinguish between the sub-35 runners and sub-45 runners. I will admit, there are some issues to be sorted out, but I don't think cutting the number of runners who can enter a warm-up pen at the front to 50 was one of them. Looking at the numbers, about 275 ran sub-35 today out of 9500 runners (roughly), so that's approx 2.8% of runners. That's reasonable to call elite, rather limiting to 0.5%
Johnny Panic Nov 2013 9:33pm, 17 Nov 2013 306 posts	0 Johnny Panic Welsh Athletics and BUPA manage this very well - maybe volunteer to go on a "shadowing" trip to one of their races?
rf_fozzy Nov 2013 9:50pm, 17 Nov 2013 5,799 posts	0 rf_fozzy Our RO is very experienced and has already shadowed at a number of similar races. The race isn't designed or set-up to be a GNR/London Marathon-type elite event. Yes, we want to encourage a strong front-end, but not at the expense of the fast club-runners that we get for this race as well. You have to remember that this was a club-runners race when it started and it's grown into a mass-participation event. We don't want to lose the character for a lot of local club runners, for whom it's one of the few local opportunity races for a PB attempt. That's one of the other reasons why the elite pen is sub-35 and not sub-31. I'll pass your comment onto the RO, but I am fairly sure he will say the same things.
JohnnyO Nov 2013 10:00pm, 17 Nov 2013 16,924 posts	0 JohnnyO The pens could have been policed better, nobody checked my number (I was wearing a t-shirt over the vest at the start so it couldn't be seen). It was, and probably always will be crowded, and as a primarily charity event then this wont improve I guess, the more runners they have the better in terms of money raised. I think the race just about holds the balance between a club race and a charity event, but the new route is definitely slower (more height gain and the extra turns can only slow it down), and I guess this might reduce some of the draw for the travelling runners who come for a year end PB.
rf_fozzy Nov 2013 10:10pm, 17 Nov 2013 5,800 posts	0 rf_fozzy Thanks Johnny - policing the pens is a nightmare. Especially trying to stop fence-hoppers! It's a manpower issue - but even with treble the number of marshals we have, it'd still be impossible. Yes, checking numbers to make sure that people go in the right pen is one of the comments I've fed back to RO. Plus a separate entrance to the elite pen, with a different coloured number. We need another entrance for the junior runners anyway! That was another interesting job finding all the junior runners! Hopefully easing the congestion at the start should make up for the slightly slower course. Although I don't think it's much slower than the old course. And anyway, this course (barring the tour of the Abbey and hence why the trip through the retail park was necessary) is the original course. I still think it's as fast as any other 10k around.
DrDan Nov 2013 10:48pm, 17 Nov 2013 1,098 posts	0 DrDan Just label the pens by colour (in writing - i.e. "Blue Numbers Here" ... most novice runners would prefer to be in the right pen, they just don't know what "sub-45" etc actually means. And don't worry about fence hoppers ... in the main they are probably just trying to get to the right place.
Meglet Nov 2013 10:52pm, 17 Nov 2013 13,412 posts	0 Meglet The pens were colour coded. Or was that not obvious enough? I certainly saw more people than usual with race numbers on their backs (doh!) and heard a lot of talk from new runners.
DrDan Nov 2013 11:14pm, 17 Nov 2013 1,099 posts	0 DrDan Clearly it was not obvious enough Meg!
JohnnyO Nov 2013 11:21pm, 17 Nov 2013 16,927 posts	0 JohnnyO I have to say I hadn't noticed either. I saw the numbers on the flags, but never really spotted the colours.
trendy runner Nov 2013 9:57am, 18 Nov 2013 1,340 posts	0 trendy runner I saw both colours and numbers and understood what they meant as did the 60+ members of my club who ran (some their first ever race) - I also passed some walkers who must have been in the red zone as I was at the front of the pink zone at the start what time did they put down or had they taken someone elses number, but I dont think the organisers can be blamed for that? Overall I thought it well organised, well supported and we took full advantage of the the German Market afterwards!