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Well, interesting marshalling. Tape out of place and a t-junction where I had to guess left or right. I ended running 0.7miles more than the course. I was clearly in third by over 100m at the time and the referee agreed so they gave me the time on my watch at the 10 mile split, 3rd place and winning vet. They need to put more marshalls at key points on the course to prevent tampering and so all runners know which way to run.
For 17 quid I expect alot more than a cotton t-shirt and a chip time that needed adjusting because of poor marshalling. Should this be on the club championship next year?
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Matt - frustrating I know, but I don't suppose Sospan have such a large pool of volunteers to call on as we might have. I'm sure they would love to have marshalls at each critical point. If non-runners were tampering with the tape, not a lot the organisers can do. I sympathise, but it was a lovely place to run and made a welcome change.
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I just realised I got a bronze medal! The first thing that went through my head was that I should have got Silver! In the end you reap what you sow and I hope those 3 seconds haunt me every time I start a race! As Mick once said to me you learn a lot more from making mistakes than you do from having good races! I'm over the moon with that and thrilled to get anything at all! I will be down the club on Thursday. Thank you for getting my medal for me! 
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Matt, Are you putting yourself up for the manic moment of the year award ? We've not had many to date! Edited by user 16 November 2014 22:13:12(UTC)
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I understand that they rely on volunteers and I know it's not easy standing there in the cold. If no one was available to marshall that t-junction they should have put some barrier tape up.
I think I might get off the manic moment hook because the first lady and a guy from White Rock runners went the same way as me. There may have been more.
It would be a shame not to include it on the championship but they need to tighten up the directions on the course. If it had been bad weather and people nearer the back had got lost around halfway like Oli did there might have been some hypothermia.
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Originally Posted by: matt hurford  I understand that they rely on volunteers and I know it's not easy standing there in the cold. If no one was available to marshall that t-junction they should have put some barrier tape up.
I think I might get off the manic moment hook because the first lady and a guy from White Rock runners went the same way as me. There may have been more.
It would be a shame not to include it on the championship but they need to tighten up the directions on the course. If it had been bad weather and people nearer the back had got lost around halfway like Oli did there might have been some hypothermia. I read your post and I started feeling disappointed that I may have got a medal by default. But having thought about it I don't see it like that now. When someone cut the course in front of me on the Porthkerry Five to push me into 4th I went ballistic! I had the marshals over there and pointed out where the gap in the hedge was and got myself back up to 3rd! If I did nothing I would have been 4th The race doesn't always end when you cross the line. You demonstrated a bit of fight and passion to get yourself back in your rightful place on the results yesterday. Its all part of the sport.
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Thoroughly enjoyed the race & I had a good run, but I still think it's expensive at £17, with no option but to enter online which costs £2, (correct me if I'm wrong), & still no prizes for 60+. It's also 1.5hr drive away. On this basis I don't think it should be in the off road champs next year. |
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast!
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I usually apply a £1/km criterion, so on that basis I'm ok with the cost. The distance is borderline for how far I'd travel for a 10 miler.
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I'm with Matt on this one and cost is on the higher side of what I'd like to pay but it is a great race and the park is fab. I'm ok with a cotton T-Shirt i dont need loads of technical ones - i've enough already.
There are not so many off road events to replace this one at this time of the season. The one we used to have in the champs was methya mawr but that gets full within minutes so thats out !
I would, there could be stated as much road in this one as the roman run (or nearly) as the start is road, and quite a bit of the trails are hard standing too. It does'nt detract from a good race though.
They must have fixed the course as when I got to the point - I cannot see how people went wrong and missed the beach - it seemed obvious to me from 600-700 meters away we were heading to the beach.
Its a bit mean about the V60 prizes and no team prizes either - becuase it was too difficult they said !, chip timing etc.. really.
it is a long drive, maybe a 2015 bus option could be considered - there is aways 30-40 of us running.
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I know not everyone likes to run fell races but, I ran a race last Sunday up the BB and the cost was £2 yes two pounds !
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Originally Posted by: jamesthebruce I'm with Matt on this one and cost is on the higher side of what I'd like to pay but it is a great race and the park is fab. I'm ok with a cotton T-Shirt i dont need loads of technical ones - i've enough already.
There are not so many off road events to replace this one at this time of the season. The one we used to have in the champs was methya mawr but that gets full within minutes so thats out !
I would, there could be stated as much road in this one as the roman run (or nearly) as the start is road, and quite a bit of the trails are hard standing too. It does'nt detract from a good race though.
They must have fixed the course as when I got to the point - I cannot see how people went wrong and missed the beach - it seemed obvious to me from 600-700 meters away we were heading to the beach.
Its a bit mean about the V60 prizes and no team prizes either - becuase it was too difficult they said !, chip timing etc.. really.
it is a long drive, maybe a 2015 bus option could be considered - there is aways 30-40 of us running. I was gutted when I found out there were no team prizes. That was a big motivation for me as I thought I had half a chance. I think we were nailed on winners in the end and I was 3rd ahead of Andrew. Where the tape was down before the beach I thought that was misleading. I really had to 2nd guess it and felt like a sheep following the runners ahead of me. A runner behind me shouted out "is this the right way" and it wasn't until I saw the water station I shouted back that it was. I think it was being inspired to preserve my position but I really came to life in the last mile.I gained massively on the runner ahead and was only a few metres behind him after my sprint finish. If I knew he was technically 2nd vet I wonder if I would have caught him? Well hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it! I was initially disappointed that there was no team team prize. After the race I was disappointed about missing 2nd vet, and later disappointed that if it wasn't for a turn of events I would have been 2.2 seconds off of the medals altogether. All things considered I sort of count myself lucky. Its incredible how much drama you can have in one race! I enjoyed it though and would consider doing it again next year. 
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There was tape tied across the route initially, which made me and the guy that came 2nd turn left instead of going straight. After we'd realised something had gone wrong we told numerous Marshall's, one of which I think then went back and broke the tape, so far later runners the tape would've been on the floor rather than blocking the path. Even if I could've seen the beach, I wouldn't have ducked under the tape. Why would I!
It's a great race I really like it, but I do think it's overpriced. For that cost I'd expect more than a poor tshirt, and at least a bottle of wine or something thrown in for winning the race.
Although it all turned out ok in the end, it still spoilt the race and tainted the win for me. I can't compare my time to last year and I didn't get to run the best part of the course.
It is a good race for the club champs, but if people want something similar close by, the Bog and Bryn is well worth a look - cheaper, closer, more off-road, all you can eat cake after and drinks, and cash prizes.
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Bog and Bryn is ok if you like mud up to your knees and then a long hill. Decent downhill after the halfway. The only problem was a long wait for the awards, team prize of a tin of Heroes I think!
Closer than Sospan.
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It's off-road Matt, there's gonna be mud!
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Yes - I would vote for a race where there's mud because that's the nature of the weather and the course. But I'm not in favour of large area(s) of mud that has been put on the course deliberately, as for an 'obstacle' or 'survival of the fittest' type race. That's not a running race. Edited by user 19 November 2014 08:25:20(UTC)
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Not much mud at Sospsn  Seriously though Bog and Bryn is very muddy. Edited by user 19 November 2014 09:56:25(UTC)
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Agreed with Matt from what I've heard too.. there is a difference between muddy paths and fields and running through streams and mud pools. The odd steam can be ok, but not everywhere either !
Amanada you make a good point on obstacle courses too..not suvival of the fittest type races - I cannot afford those - too expensive and I dont have my trendy gear for those either..
I don’t want to disappear in the mud either. Nevermind the runners that a shorter either.. some of our club would disspear..
Man v horse was a good race last year. and does'nt class with the castles off road champs ?
If sospan 10 is in , the roman run could that be in again. i'd say its approx the same percentage road too..and its a classic event too..Cheap, great food afterwards - ticks a lot of the off road events. Or maybe if it is not off road then can it be on the road champs !
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Guys before you comment on the Bog and Bryn, you should probably run it. There is no mud added to create obstacles, you are just running through fields and hills, it's no different to a gwent league/pentyrch hybrid, and is certainly nothing like an obstacle course race. There seems to be a false perception that it is a man made obstacle race, when the only obstacles were grass, dirt roads, hills and stiles.
Of course if it has been raining heavily there will be more mud, but that's the nature of an off-road race! The sospan 10 is more than 20% road based.
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Yes Oli, I can appreciate what you're saying and there are a fair few club members who like that race and who put in a good word for it. Matt has run it previously so he does know.
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