Die Burger MTB 2014

[udxcob]

Nope my garmin is not set to stop and it's 10 minutes out

[B20]

Eish

My Garmin times also differed in previous races until I switch off the Auto pause function. You'll find it under Settings (spanner)/Bike Settings/Auto Pause. Every time you stop at a water point, held up in in switchback or single track, the timer will stop. My timing was spot on, but the route distance and climbing were different from that advertise by die organisers.

[Cassie]

Yes, the seeding sucked. Another boy who does top 10 in the Spur races and rode the WC XCO with my boy was also seeded in group S with my boy, which is the last 30km group. Somehow the organisers did not quite do their homework.

 

Just a quick question regarding seeding....

What is the best / correct way to do seeing?

Especially if the bulk of the field has very little or no previous times (or on database that is not available to organisers)?

 

How should one do seeding for ~5000 participants?

Edited August 3, 2014 by Cassie

[Cassie]

Once the routes merged we were ALL stuck behind Granny, Oupa, Boetie ,Sussie,Mommy, Pappa and the whole family doing the race.

 

Isn't that sort of expected of "mass participation races" where the word single track is involved...seriously....how many people can you put onto a single track without getting congested???

 

{that is why I do not ride on the day....rather joined a club with tho e fees and enjoy single track any day of the week - with zero congestion!!}

[Wannabe]

are you sure your Garmin was not pausing in all the ques. My time was spot in.

 

Yes it is on Auto Pause, but then it gives you "Moving Time" (time spent moving) and "Elapsed Time" ( time from you started Garmin till you stopped) This is where the difference is I'm talking about.

Interesting is that almost half an hour was lost "not riding". We did stop at all the Waterpoints, but mostly a minute or two (grab a quick bite to eat, and on your way again) Rest was lost waiting to get going in the single track.

[Johny Bravo]

Just a quick question regarding seeding....

What is the best / correct way to do seeing?

Especially if the bulk of the field has very little or no previous times (or on database that is not available to organisers)?

 

How should one do seeding for ~5000 participants?

The most accurate seeding is PPA. No doubt. Seed according to the PPA seeding, and if you have not done a PPA race, which is extremely unlikely, then you go at the back, the very back. Because then you are obviously not concerned about racing.

 

Having guys doing the 60km in 5 hours plus, starting before guys who did it in 3 hours makes no sense to me.

This isnt just a issue for faster riders, believe me, the amount of times I had to pull over for faster riders were even more than me passing slower riders and walkers.

[Cassie]

I don't think they have access to anyone else's events. There was no real seeding. May as well just have started everyone together.

 

Tricky with so many people. Should try keep the 15km completely separate to 30 and 50. Had to just sit back and relax in last 5km, was no point stressing

 

100% correct ...and you had the correct attitude! No need to rush if your'e NOT finishing on the podium...rather sit back & enjoy the ride...

[Johny Bravo]

Isn't that sort of expected of "mass participation races" where the word single track is involved...seriously....how many people can you put onto a single track without getting congested???

 

{that is why I do not ride on the day....rather joined a club with tho e fees and enjoy single track any day of the week - with zero congestion!!}

There are ways around this, if you chose not to race, thats fine. Some of us like to race, and there are plenty of races that get it right.

 

Merging a 15km kiddies ride with guys doing the 50km is dangerous. End of story, the difference in speed is huge. A little planning regarding starting times and where the routes join can easily avoid this.

[Cassie]

Yes, I told my boy to relax and not to stress about it. He is like his mother, very competitive, and was down in the dumps this afternoon. So he went to the Southey Vines trail this afternoon and did some jumps and berms to get it out of his system.

 

Next Sat 9th Aug = SPUR Schools league at Southeys...Hope he will enter....

Smaller batches and he can really be competitive (or not)...

[Cassie]

The most accurate seeding is PPA. No doubt. Seed according to the PPA seeding, and if you have not done a PPA race, which is extremely unlikely, then you go at the back, the very back. Because then you are obviously not concerned about racing.

 

Having guys doing the 60km in 5 hours plus, starting before guys who did it in 3 hours makes no sense to me.

This isnt just a issue for faster riders, believe me, the amount of times I had to pull over for faster riders were even more than me passing slower riders and walkers.

 

But it sounds to me the Burger organiser do not have access to that PPA database?

So what then...i'm sure there are good reasons for why the Burger cannot make use of the PPA seeeding info?

So, I suppose if this is such a big issue...people should choose beforehand if the issue of seeding warrants them participating or not...

Edited August 3, 2014 by Cassie

[BrandonF_]

 

 

Just a quick question regarding seeding....

What is the best / correct way to do seeing?

Especially if the bulk of the field has very little or no previous times (or on database that is not available to organisers)?

 

How should one do seeding for ~5000 participants?

 

5000 riders for the day at an average of R250 pp = R1,25mil for the day!! Good business to be in...

[Cassie]

There are ways around this, if you chose not to race, thats fine. Some of us like to race, and there are plenty of races that get it right.

 

Merging a 15km kiddies ride with guys doing the 50km is dangerous. End of story, the difference in speed is huge. A little planning regarding starting times and where the routes join can easily avoid this.

 

Agreed! That is not the best way to do it...rather try keep them seperate at all time!

[Johny Bravo]

But it sounds to me the Burger organiser do not have access to that PPA database?

So what then...i'm sure there are good reasons for why the Burger cannot make use of the PPA seeeding info?

So, I suppose if this is such a big issue...people should choose beforehand if the issue of seeding warrants them participating or not...

You see for me, I would rather give them criticism and hope they fix it, than boycott the race. Lets hope next year it improves, because it really is a great ride.

[Breezer]

You see for me, I would rather give them criticism and hope they fix it, than boycott the race. Lets hope next year it improves, because it really is a great ride.

it's not going to improve. I did the 60 twice and said I will never ride this race again because of all the trafic at the end. This year I got invited for the 75 and thought it would be different, but the last 7 km was the same. I am done with the burger mtb. This is a money game and the more participants the more money. Being the biggest is not always the best.

[Dicky DQ]

MTB Mass participation "Races" are what they are. Mass participation. If you are not in the top 20% of the "invited" group you have to accept that you are nowhere and deal with the bottleneks.

 

ih you were not invited to the 75km, the question is why? and even if you were not invited and you are serious about racing you could always ask and then moan if not allowed into the proper race.

[Dicky DQ]

it's not going to improve. I did the 60 twice and said I will never ride this race again because of all the trafic at the end. This year I got invited for the 75 and thought it would be different, but the last 7 km was the same. I am done with the burger mtb. This is a money game and the more participants the more money. Being the biggest is not always the best.

 

If you got to the traffic jam then you were not racing, or on the day you were not in contention, so chill.