Results for NOC District Event, Thieves Wood, 19/03/2006

Comments: Organiser, Planner.
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Organiser

Thanks to all the helpers on the day who coped with the influx of deprived National runners.

Thanks to the competitors for their patience as they were parked and processed, and to those who recycled their maps for other competitors benefit. Not quite the Lake District but we hope you enjoyed the day.

Garry Drew

Planner

The last time I planned was back in the 'good old days' when it was all punches, master maps and a short rest wrestling the control card at every control for those, like me, who needed it; haven't times changed with all this electronic gadgetry, dibbers and downloads - and for the better!

Coming back to Thieves after a few years, I found it has grown and changed considerably and I tried to plan courses where you could run through the undergrowth instead of simply heading for the nearest path and sprinting off into the distance. I wanted to get the longer courses up into the NW corner which is not visited very often - the sight of trees being felled up there two weeks before the event created some panic, which luckily did not affect any of the control sites, but did cause Alan Beardsley a few last minute alterations to the map. Talking with and listening to runners during the day, everyone seemed to have enjoyed their run with debate on route choice and visits to some control sites and parts of the wood they hadn't seen before.

Planning is an enjoyable experience; it gives you a different perspective on this sport of ours and I would thoroughly recommend trying it to anyone who has even vaguely thought about it - there is a lot of help, experience and guidance on offer within the Club to make it work! In my case, particular thanks must go to Tony Buckland for keeping me under control, Dave and Ash Cooke for turning up at 6.45am to help put out controls, and David Olivant for his OCAD expertise - not forgetting the swarm of volunteers (including an LEI volunteer, thank you, Ian) that descended on the wood to bring in controls - and everyone else, too numerous to mention individually, who helped in so many ways….and Peter who loaned me the camping stove to make the bacon cobs on….

We gained many runners as a result of the cancellation of the National and, with 350 downloads, it is thanks to the sterling efforts of all the volunteer helpers that the day ran so smoothly. The Club can only stage events with the support and help of the members; everyone who does volunteer finds it rewarding and enjoyable - so volunteer today…..Your Club Needs You!

Richard Torr

Any queries, errors, or omissions should in the first instance be addressed to Michael Napier tel 0115 928 9663, mobile 07771 892660 or

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