Nillumbik Emus Orienteering Club  StreetO Training Nights - Results

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Cross Words by Paul Vella

Event Feedback

Thanks to the Vella-Wright family for their efforts earlier this evening - the feedback was unanimous, a well set course in a good area made even better by cool/crisp conditions. Sincere thanks to Paul for his efforts this evening - although we must take care to stick to our policy of low-key/minimal organisational overhead events. Thanks also to wife Dianne who was kind enough to stay at the start and organise tea/coffee for those that took part in the run (and also to Jade and Jarrah who helped Mum and Dad set things up and then provided support for finishers as they arrived back.

It's probably worth mentioning a little about the software, as there was a spot of confusion this evening. The program (I should say - the current version of the program) operates in two modes...REGISTRATION and then EVENT STARTED. The mode is displayed in big letters in the top right corner of the screen.

In REGISTRATION mode there are two things possible:

• You can swipe your card - in which case, the software will register you and display your entry details on the screen. If you swipe a 2nd, 3rd, 4th time, the program will toggle the WALKER/RUNNER setting for you.
• The course-setter can swipe the START card  - and this records everybody that is registered as STARTED - and stamps them with the current time.

In EVENT STARTED mode, the following things can happen:

• A registered/started person returns to the start and swipes his card; the next vacant entry for you will be stamped with the current time (if you swipe several times, they all get recorded). This is the default behaviour for a finisher.
• While we're all out running around, Peter Maloney turns up. He swipes his card to register himself and the program tells him to GO immediately. His entry is marked (LATE) so we know he's out there when the rest of us have finished. He can have his run and finish as normal.
•  Somebody swipes the EVENT FINISHED card; this saves the data, closes the program and shuts the computer down (it's probably best not to bring this card too close during the event ;-))

During the event, the REGISTRATION list shows you the number of people still out on the course and their names. If any of them are already back...please ask them to swipe their card to finish the event.

Finally, if you forget to bring your card, I have prepared 10 spare cards and registered these cards as VISITOR 1 to 10. Just grab one of these and write your name against the appropriate entry on the plastic clipboard.

To summarise - in general, you swipe TWICE....once when you arrive at the event and then a second time as you run down the finish chute.

Thanks for your help in testing the system - it's a work in progress and I'd be most pleased to get feedback/suggestions.

Ian's Monday Ramblings

A very enjoyable run on such a mild night.  I had a crack at getting them all but ran out of time to get #2.  The different scale and the hills made it tricky to judge how far to go.  Very well set and yummy cookies at the finish!

Geoff's comments

As I turned my map over, Ian said..."we're going this way..." so I decided to follow him and 3 or 4 others. I scanned the map and this certainly seemed like a good way to start. As we ran up the hill, I never saw the bend in the road that was supposed to be there and somebody had moved the roundabout too. OK, the hill was fine...and the cross roads were there, but I couldn't find the letter that was supposed to be on the post. "It's the next street" said Paul Vella as he passed by - and as he was the course-setter, I was inclined to believe him. Recorded the first letter in square 16 as I tucked in behind Ian and Paul heading to the next control. OK...the T-junction was there, but where was the cross-street that #18 was supposed to be at...and what was everybody doing recording the number on that pole? I asked several runners what control this was and they all gave the same answer - number 19 - and the penny dropped ...I effectively had the map upside down (in my mind anyway) and had done a 180 out of the start.

The remainder of the run was relatively uneventful, although one had to think early on about when to do #5. It occurred to me that #12 was probably also easier to get while travelling from 13 to 8 rather than 14-12-17 as most people did. I think, I'll keep this map handy and run a private training session there next time I'm free. Interesting course Paul!

Overheard

Chronologically, navigationally and mathematically challenged Suzanne doesn't think it's fair that she has to run with a bunch of nerd-like mathematicians; we did a quick head-count and while she may not be good with exact numbers, she's pretty good on percentages....there are a lot of engineering/mathematical types in our group!

Results

Please note that times were adjusted for those folks that started after the official start time - i.e. you're position below is based on the time of your run....those of you that waited to punch as we all ran off into the distance have not been penalised.

Next Week's Event

• 4th June - Lauris Stirling - Mitcham (car park off Victoria Street - behind Coles)

StreetO Emergency Number

• Having a mobile phone at every event makes a lot of sense - and provides people who are late or cannot find the start location with a means of contacting us. We may choose to delay or leave a map out for you if you call - that will be up to the folks present at the time.

• Please record the number - it's my mobile and it will be there at every event - 0407 998 240

Other News

• There are 18 people running on Monday nights that have not run an event yet. If you would like to run an event, please let me know via email - or on the phone number above. Running an event can be very close to ZERO effort....
  • We start at your place - or a place of your choosing
  • We use a map of the surrounding area
  • It could be a standard score course - even easier if we use one of the 1400 existing events that we've got recorded on the DVD that Geoff distributes to course-setters. If you use one of these, you just print it out, cut out the course and stick it on your own sheet - and you're ready to copy the map. Total effort 20-30 minutes.
  • Running street-O events is not complex - if you can help, please ask and we'll help out all we can.

   

   

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