London Hydro Active Women's Challenge 5K - Page 6 - Events

Draught Horse

04/09/2006 at 18:09

Oops, and forgot to mention elderly lady had cut or split chin; spotted her later in front of the first aid tent by the finish line. Hope her chin is a lot less sore today!

HM4

04/09/2006 at 18:15

Draught Horse,

Whatever the organisers do at the start everyone will always have discussions.

The first year I did it was a free for all. The second year (last year) I started at the front of the sub 35 min group and they started at the same time as the elites. I did have to get to the start about 45 min before it started.

If you want to start where you want you really need to be in position by about 40-45 min before the start.

Debbie C

04/09/2006 at 18:16

Would it be an idea to explain the average speed for the entire race when advertising the groups? eg 12kmph for a 25min time. I'm guessing the "average" walking pace to be around 5kph (anyone know for sure? I generally walk at about 6.5-7mph but I'm a fast walker) - this may give a few more people more of an idea of how fast they're likely to be if they've not raced before.

Debbie C

04/09/2006 at 18:19

^that would be 6.5-7kph - I would be dead impressed with myself if I could manage 7mph walking...haha!

Kit Lee

04/09/2006 at 18:22

awwww that poor woman, my little sister jogged pass the lady and her top was covered with blood. Hope the old lady is ok.....gotten her medal.

Kink bunny

04/09/2006 at 22:55

it's no good i have to jump on th PB bandwagon! wahooo 29.05 only grumblys are i know i could have been quicker but i got trapped behind walking, txting, bandaged people and i made sure i started in the 35 mins and under as i didnt want to start in the 25 and under cos i thought i might get in the way of faster runners.
i know where im going to be starting next year.
apart from grumblys a good day again and lots of free drinkies.
my backpack weighed 2 stone thanks to them!
yippeeeee medal double yipeeeee medal signed by paula radcliffe super cool.
hope everyone else had fun
see you next year :) :) :)
or maybe @ the running 4 women 8km in brighton on the 17th..... anyone going?

http://karenking.webstarts.com

04/09/2006 at 23:00

it would be nice if we were all able to meet up next year after the race

Kit Lee

04/09/2006 at 23:44

Good luck for the 8km brighton Kink Bunny, I'll be running 8k in Windsor on the 23rd.

Rowan Green

05/09/2006 at 14:41

I don't think giving speeds in any form is going to totally solve the problem: I think a lot of the problem is that a lot of the folks there have never done a race before, quite likely haven't trained, and have no idea what their speed will be. Then the times given in no way relate to a third of the field each.

So... we have inexperienced people with no idea of their time, but thinking they'll run all the way putting themselves in the first and second waves, because they assume that each wave represents a third of the field (and of course, many of them don't do as well as they thought...). Meanwhile because the times given in no way relate to the assumptions of the inexperienced, those who do know their time, and follow the rules, end up behind much slower competitors.

I think if there are going to be three timed waves, then their times should relate to the average times of a third of the field each. And they should be advertised in a way that gives more guidance to people who don't know their times. (Like I tried to do in my examples above)

If they are going to have a sub-25 wave then it should be advertised as only for experienced racers who have previously recorded times of that speed.

I also still think that restricting the width of the start could make a major difference... and having a 'slow lane' system rather than picking out walkers for silly and unrealistic restrictions.

Draught Horse

06/09/2006 at 09:48

We still have our niggles about it but it's slowly getting better. As HY4 points out, better than the free-for-all it used to be. Only reason I'd be a bit concerned about refining the start still further is safety - 20,000 is a lot of bodies and if it turns out that the elderly lady was tripped in some way then maybe splittig the start with an extra wave is the way to go.
It's good though that Hydro-Active is beginner friendly and don't want to lose that.

Rowan Green

06/09/2006 at 11:18

Glad to hear it's getting better! Hopefully they will continue to work on it! I'm sure having an extra wave for experienced, fast runners only wouldn't spoil the atmosphere: if it was likely to, then having an elite wave would! LOL

Agree safety is an issue. On the whole I found the sport's relief mile in London a lot better in terms of crowding (but then I was starting at the front of a wave, even if half of it sprinted past me...), but there were people there starting at the front of waves with toddlers and it looked pretty dangerous!

HM4

06/09/2006 at 18:32

Does anyone still have the email the organisers sent out about the photos. I know it contained a link to the website where the photos are going to be put up, however, I've deleted that email!

Kink bunny

06/09/2006 at 19:34

Thanks kit lee and good luck to you for windsor.

HY4 the website for the photos is www.marathonfoto.com

HM4

06/09/2006 at 19:38

Kink Bunny.

Thanks!

I knew it was marathon something but could remember the rest.

Kink bunny

06/09/2006 at 20:51

ouch the photos aren't cheap £10 for a 5x7 what a swizz

HM4

06/09/2006 at 20:56

They never are.

For some of the races I've been able to doctor the photos with something like paint or photoshop.

elle.

06/09/2006 at 21:06

Hi all!

Well done on all the PBs! I ran with my Mum and she got a PB of 43:26 which she was really chuffed with. I agree it was pretty congested in parts but this is the first year that we've never been forced to a walk (it's usually awful at that hair-pin bend by the bandstand) so I'd agree that it's definitely improving.

Off to look at the photos now!

We'd love you to add a comment! Please login or take half a minute to register as a free member