Les Croupiers Running Club Forum

Yeah, I've been debating in my head whether I think that the event should have been cancelled. With the benefit of hindsight it is easy to construct compelling arguments each way. On balance, I think that the organisers were correct to run the event in the format that they did (I.e. with shortened routes).

The health and safety notice on the GL website states that:

"Any competitor who has concerns about a safety aspect on the course should bring it to the attention of the organisers and/or the Referee immediately.

If the issue cannot be resolved satisfactorily the competitor will be advised not to participate in the the event."

I read that as applying to weather conditions too.

After seeing the ladies fixture, I made a very deliberate assessment in my mind as to whether I should take part, and seriously considered withdrawing. I knew that I had limited warm clothing to change in to afterwards, and this was a factor in my thinking. I decided that the risk was manageable, and presumably other runners did the same.

Does this mean that I think those who got in to difficulties have only themselves to blame? Absolutely not. I'm an experienced hiker and lead groups of teenagers in the mountains (indeed too far from where we were running!). Hypothermia is a very insidious condition, and you often don't realise you've got it until you're in trouble. I've seen plenty of well-prepared, sensible people being affected.

My point is that everyone should assess their own risk levels and make sure their happy with them. We also need to be aware that even if we deem a risk to be "manageable", we can still come a cropper. If we start cancelling fixtures every time the weather looks a bit hairy we'll rapidly run out of races. If you look at the weather forecast for yesterday, the weather for Cardiff parkrun was forecast to be just as bad as for the GL. Should we have cancelled parkrun "just in case"? Are we just lucky that something similar didn't happen on Saturday morning?

I'm sure that the organisers do not want to see runners in distress any more than the rest of us. They made a decision in good faith to give us an event to run at. I hesitate to criticise them, because I didn't have to make the call.

This is a compelling thread and no right or wrong answers - even if people have very strong views.
So why not expand and send a few thoughts to ACE - that's what it's there for!
Should we always have the right to determine our own destiny, or do we need telling?
Howard is waiting to hear from you..............................

Just to add my praise for all who ran and officiated yesterday.

It is certainly a case of 'I was there and did it'.
As someone posted earlier 'The ever present mug will was well earned'.

It was the toughest GL in my 161 races. It has been cold but the wind chill was the big factor.

I am having some problems with finalising the results - have worked on the Senior Women's all day and nearly have it sorted.

I would just like to thank those who came to my aid on sat.In particular to thank Claire,Brian and Chris who were such a great help when I was not in a fit state to do anything.It was all quite scary.Also to thank the staff at Brecon Hospital who were so pleasant and helpful and to Mike Murphy in the hospital.Claire and James's hospitality was also very welcome.What I'll go through to try and get a mug!Once again thanks to you all.

Paul, your return to Cross Country has been nothing if not eventful!

Yes, if anyone would do a write up on this (if they've stopped shivering by now!), I'd be only too grateful to put it in ACE!

Here's my email address: howard@hydrazine.co.uk

one thing would be interesting..

what should one bring next time that we did'nt bring to brecon.. ideas on a postcard please..

e.g.. bristol wont have showers or shelter.. so be a cub and be preparied... but without bringing a suit case.. what is a good bag list.

Have to say I sure was glad Paul wasn't there, taking photos. To see our grim state, wretched expressions and ungodly swearing captured for eternity would be awful!