Les Croupiers Running Club Forum

It was reported in the Echo yesterday that children were lost on course. They somehow missed a check point and ended up on the adults course. The organisor said it was nothing to worry about they got the mountain resuce out and recovered all the children. The thing is this race takes place on the Brecon Becons which is not a good place for any one to be lost. I hope they don't cancel the children race as it's good to see children particpanting in races but maybe have a few more marchals out to ensure it doesn't happen again.
It not nice being lost in a race I remember being lost in the reverse 10 before they change the course. A few very unhappy runners there!

Priority entry for children that destroy overpriced laptops.

I was actually timekeeping on this race and the main races. Therefore can give you some "factual information" unlike the "Echo" reporter that wasn't present on the day.
First of all Tracy, the race was actually 50 miles from the Brecon Beacons, Bryn is 2 miles from Maesteg.
The village residents of Bryn and surrounding villages, embrace this event and the support is in the hundreds, just like the traditional village events of bygone years. In fact I had to leave the evening music festivities at 10.00pm, as I had to get up at 5.00am for the Rack-Raid.
The "Kids" fun run, around the village before the Main Race has taken place for four years. It has raised hundreds if not thousands of pounds for Cystic Fibrosis and is incorporated within the Beast of Bryn Races. Believe it or not, it as just one marshal that failed to be in position on the turn around point and caused this major problem and as the village is remotely situated, the children carried on running onto the main adults race course.
Because of the nature of the event, mountain rescuers were already in attendance and went out and retrieved the children. I witnessed no children in distress, in fact the mountain rescuers could not stop them running, to them it was a race and they wouldn't stop. When the children were returning, some were smiling as if they had been on a great adventure. The only time I witnessed a few tears was when they saw their parents troubled faces and triggered emotion. The main race began after all the children were accounted for.
Yes it was a crisis, more so as children were involved. The organisers accounted for all children and there were no injuries, (only to the pride of the organisers). I am not defending a mistake which could and will still happen in any race, but trying to explain a sad situation that brings on sensational major headlines and media coverage. Although the Echo put the front page headline "Shambolic", if you read it through it, there was only one quote using the word shambles from an "unknown" source. Hopefully the "Kids" race will take place next year, ignoring the negative publicity, as these are our future participants within our sport.
On a more positive note, our own Angharad Mair was first lady home in the long 14 mile mountain race.