The Weekend the Clocks Went Back
What were you doing the weekend the clocks went back?
A comment made at our recent AGM about how few Claros had been spotted at recent events got Linda thinking, “If we weren’t orienteering at the weekend what were we all doing?” So via the means of modern technology she decided to find out. It seems we were all very busy! Thank you to everyone who replied. Here’s what we were up to:
Geoffrey and Lindsey Hensman: Falkirk Park Run. This is the second time we have been, although Geoffrey did a few when we were still in Harrogate. But this is a lovely course in Callendar Park, http://www.falkirkcommunitytrust.org/venues/callendar-park , a real asset to the area and venue for a number of races and cross-country events. Next Saturday FVO have one of their informal Come and Train events in the Park – which we will be at. Falkirk Park Run is the one race where I (Lindsey) always lead the results – provided you sort them right. Go to http://www.parkrun.org.uk/falkirk/results/latestresults and click twice on the column headed Age Cat – and there I am, top of the list! Fame at last. (And a PB too – Ed)
No O today, which is just as well as it is truly awful. Real OMM weather. Huddled over the computer trying to keep warm whilst Geoffrey sticks masking tape round the window frames in an effort to keep the draught out! Best wishes, Lindsey
Richard Kirk: Welcoming relatives for lunch kept me from the woods this morning. There was no event near enough to do both. This afternoon was claimed by my duties as chief ball-thrower for the family dogs (pic attached) and after dark by planning Autumn Leaves 4 this coming Wednesday. Sorry, no sneak peeks!
Vince Grealy: My contribution for this weekend is thin as it was Sandra’s birthday, and one of only two weekends when I don’t plan to be running between 1 Sep and 4 Jan.
Stan Appleton: 26.2miles of route, 759metres of climb, 2500 entries, 1297th overall, 8th M65, 4hours 48minutes of running, 12 drinks stations, 100’s of volunteer helpers, probably 1000’s of enthusiastic spectators, 20mph SW wind, 2 official languages – it could only be Marathon Eryri (the Snowdonia Marathon). My first marathon for 20 years left me next day walking like a penguin and going downstairs like a crab but with a fantastic sense of achievement. Would I do it again? Ask me when the entries open in January!
Mike Hind: Simples! Start at Buttermere village, “run” up to Whiteless Breast. Say hello to the Marshall. Run back down again. Total distance about 2.5K, total climb about 300m. So 23 minutes of fun.
Tim Moon: I went for a walk – does that count? [Mike Hind “Yes!”]
Ruth Ker: We were in London. Visiting Tamsin’s big brother at UCL and eating pizza. Didn’t get us any fitter or better at orienteering although the London Bus Map is quite a delight.
Sue Birtwistle: I managed to do the Park Run at Fountains Abbey on Saturday morning. Lots of families here this week- 222 people ran.
Mike Cope: I went up to the Cheviots. Having retired from doing the OMM a good few years ago, I decided to take my son and his partner up who were competing, and just to see what it was like these days. I went for a walk with my KIMM map from 2002 and found two controls without even having them marked on my map! Easy places on forest roads. I decided that I could have competed on the short score course and collected a few points on a relatively easy walk to the midway camp which was only two km as the crow flies from the start. Has it ever been so close before? I was glad of my proper Harvey map from 2002 rather than what was provided for competitors this year. The old map needed a few forest roads updating but that was all. This year’s map was simply a 1:25000 OS map reduced in scale to 1:40000 – no change in symbol size or anything else as far as I could see. Reduced size contours on pale yellow open access land were very difficult to see clearly. Black circles representing sheepfolds, perfectly clear enough on my old map, were reduced so much in size that they needed the word sheepfold written alongside them to enable them to be seen, but this covered up other information on the map. Lots of other examples could be given. And the laminating went wrong too so all competitors had to be given a poly bag. If the edge of the map got wet, which of course it would, it started to disintegrate. Why the change from the excellent old Harvey OMM/KIMM maps which I have a collection of and still use? If I had got one of this year’s maps, I think it would be in the bin by now!
Chris Bale: Since being promoted from umpiring hockey in the Yorkshire Premier Division to North Division 2 a couple of seasons ago, not to mention the addition of 2 grandchildren 200 miles away, orienteering has taken a very back seat in my weekend plans.
However, I use my Garmin 305, which used to accurately place my courses on O-maps (as opposed to where I thought I was or would have liked to have been) to track my positional play, distance and heart-rate in hockey games to discuss with coach/mentor. I attach a mini plot from this weekend in Lockwood Park Huddersfield and the stats show:
- Distance travelled 5.75 km (no climb!)
- Time 75′ 14″ (moving time 63′ 32″)
- Average HR 120
- Max HR 157
That’s not dissimilar to a Green or Short Blue! For those not familiar with hockey, there is another umpire looking after the other side/end and we work as a team in the middle! That keeps us out of the way of the ball.
Linda Kelly: Sat 25 October – Sprint at York University – an excellent informal event organised by the university club as part of the Eborienteers Autumn Sprint Series. We used the map produced for the British Sprint Champs back in 2012. Great course by a first-time planner; I especially liked running a course for ‘Superstars’. Our beatiful Autumn weather continued so lovely to chat to Claros after the race. For one event entry fee you could run as many courses as you wished (four were on offer) so made the travelling worthwhile. Although this was an informal event the map and planning were still top-notch. Thank you York Uni.
Colin John: I’ve been suffering from the dreaded plantar fasciitis so I haven’t run for nearly 3 months – and probably won’t this side of Christmas, so my only exercise at the weekend was an hour in a London hotel gym, plus a lot of sightseeing. At least I can still do a few miles walking and cycling.
Editor’s note : Colin has also been busy spending time taping at Dob Park for our event in December!!
Chris Dicken: The plan was to be doing a good 30 miles + , on my road bike on the wonderful roads of Northern Lorraine, France, whilst visiting my daughter. However things didn’t go to plan as being laid low with flu earlier in the week meant a postponement of travel plans and so instead we were packing the car, driving to Hull to catch the ferry and wondering if it was a good decision. Feeling a bit better so it was, and now relaxing in France (but not with the bike). The other plan was to do more Orienteering this Autumn, but need to recover first!
William Hickson On 26th some of the Hickson family were playing ‘chicken’ with the waves at Clachtoll beach, Sutherland. First, wet and stormy, day of a half term holiday.
Liz Potterton: Well for several days beforehand the living room was taken over by Harry’s prep for the OMM and I sort-of joined in in spirit going running through tussocks, mud, wind and rain at Grimwith Reservoir and from Thrusscross Reservoir on footpath and access land towards Kexgill. Probably furthest I’ve run on consecutive days since braking ankle. (I’ve got a new little camera so taking lots of pics).
Harry’s OMM kit – do they have doping controls at the OMM?
Grimwith House – its not out-of-focus its grainy character
Brandrith Crags to Thrusscross (do I win the heather-basher of weekend award?)
Tim Evans and Edwyn: Cycling and site seeing in Sicily hence the delayed response , no cycling pictures but here we are at 2900m on an active volcano the bit we are standing on wasn’t there last year, and yes it was cold hence hands in pockets.
Also spotted out and about:
Allen and Jackie Barnes – competed at both the York Sprint on Saturday and the Midland Champs at Longshaw near Sheffield on Sunday where Allen was an excellent 3rd on M70.
David Day – ran the York University Sprint Race.
David and Ben Gugan and Mark Hewson – ran the Harrogate Park Run on Saturday morning. It was Ben’s 100th run.
Graham Ramsden – in The Cheviots running the OMM Medium Score Class where he and his partner finished 88th after just over 10 hours of running.