#numbercollectionsmustfall : PLEASE, PLEASE!!!

[Robbie Stewart]

I hope you at least make an effort to shave your legs for the day to get into the spirit of things....and leave the Camelbak at home

 

 

and where am I supposed to hide my on-the-road beer?

 

as for shaving, the missus likes my pins nice and ungroomed...she says she prefers "real" men. I tend to agree with that sentiment.

[NicoR]

Karoo to Coast is using a number board with a chip in this year instead of the racetec chip. I am hoping this means that once you have your board, you will continue to use it for every subsequent event you ride, and also for other events affiliated to it, perhaps even CTCC?

 

If so, will this mean that one does not have to do the drive to Uniondale on the Saturday AND the Sunday for the race? Logistically, it as a HUGE pain in the nether regions.

 

Lucky for them, at present the race (ahem, fun-ride) makes up for it in heaps, so I tend to not worry too much about logistics...for now.

Same concept as the SASeeding Boards, just the Racetec version. R30 once off will secure your number.

 

You will still need to collect the board somewhere. If K2C is the first race you do using the board, then you will still need to collect from Uniondale.

[Escapee..]

and where am I supposed to hide my on-the-road beer?

 

as for shaving, the missus likes my pins nice and ungroomed...she says she prefers "real" men. I tend to agree with that sentiment.

 

So you also prefer "real" mean?

[Job]

Went for late Trapnet registration today. Just wondering if the race will have enough support for the City Council to justify road closures in future. 

[Spinnekop]

I'd happily ride with something like this on my bike compared to driving to shops or other locations to collect a printed number that I then have to pin to my shirt every race.

This!

 

 

[Robbie Stewart]

So you also prefer "real" mean?

 

Yup, you got me...

[Rowl]

Went for late Trapnet registration today. Just wondering if the race will have enough support for the City Council to justify road closures in future.

Not a lot of people entered?

 

I had a conversation with the race organisers about number collection, in fact I pleaded, please allow the option to print at home. However they're of the opinion that it is the standard for events to have number collection with all the associated.

[thisismyotherbike]

This may not be the case for all races, but I think it is the main issue for bigger events.

 

In these cases number collection isn't a pain because race organisers are idiots.  It's a pain because of sponsors.

 

Back in my running days for 95% of running races in Gauteng you could quickly gain entry on the day.  A few larger races still used race numbers, but most simply had a tiny slip with your name and category that you would carry or pin to you and hand to the time keepers as you finished.

 

In South Western Districts it's brilliant!  You have a permanent ASWD chip affixed to your shoe.  Enter whenever, online also fine.  No race numbers, no tiny slips.  Unfortunately as I'm not a resident I always have to rent a temporary chip so the convenience is lost, but for most George runners doing a race is wonderfully hassle-free.

 

Now I'm in the fair Cape it seems Sportsmans Warehouse is a sponsor for every bloody race I'd like to do.  So what happens?  Pre-entry only - I can live with this, but it used to be really awesome to just decide I'm doing the local race on race morning in Pta/Jhb.  The infuriating thing is pre-registration only.  No race day registration, because on race day they can't force me to walk through a Sportsmans branch, expo or something similar.

 

It's the same with cycle races.  The sponsors need an expo.  It's not for us.  We need to be forced to go there and give sponsors some face time, hence the registration/number issue.

 

I feel for race organisers, it's expensive to host a race and doubly so without sponsorship.  This is one of the compromises to get around that.  Small club races are fewer than they used to be.  Even in Gauteng as certain running races grew and sponsors were introduced the number mailing option disappeared and registration inside a Virgin Active or even a Makro became mandatory.

[Kranswurm]

Not a lot of people entered?

 

I had a conversation with the race organisers about number collection, in fact I pleaded, please allow the option to print at home. However they're of the opinion that it is the standard for events to have number collection with all the associated.

You dont have the appropriate paper at home.

Your gewone  will disintegrate from sweat and rain and pull out at the pins

[Spinnekop]

You dont have the appropriate paper at home.

Your gewone  will disintegrate from sweat and rain and pull out at the pins

Incorrect.

I did my own number at R4S.

 

Worked fine.

 

Besides.

80% of the alphabet soup numbers are collected and are STILL upside down, inside out, pulled pins and all.

 

Just saying.

 

But I understand your concern.  If you are not careful, you can mess up badly.

 

The answer is still a permanent race board  on your seatpost

[Kranswurm]

Incorrect.

I did my own number at R4S.

 

Worked fine.

 

Besides.

80% of the alphabet soup numbers are collected and are STILL upside down, inside out, pulled pins and all.

 

Just saying.

 

But I understand your concern.  If you are not careful, you can mess up badly.

 

The answer is still a permanent race board  on your seatpost

So good for you you went out and bought the right paper.Thousands of others wont.

Funny but i have never had an upside down or inside out number

[Rowl]

You dont have the appropriate paper at home.

Your gewone will disintegrate from sweat and rain and pull out at the pins

Fair enough, I do still feel that there should be a better/greener option than having to drive through. The options listed above make sens as well...

[Kranswurm]

I am all for the permanent board and number but how do you deal with seeding

Then the main issue is registration.Thats the only way organisers have any idea how many are going to take part.Although payment should be a good indicator

[Spinnekop]

Funny but i have never had an upside down or inside out number

I was being facetious

[Spinnekop]

I am all for the permanent board and number but how do you deal with seeding

I already received an SMS with my Seeding for Sunday.  I know where I start.

If I start wrong I get DQed.  Very very easy.

 

Then the main issue is registration.Thats the only way organisers have any idea how many are going to take part.

I don't see why this will be the reason for me to drive all the way to Sukkelab in HellCity.  

 

Also.....organisers are loosing participants because of this stupid dinosaur system just because they want to know how many are going to pitch up?

Well.....here's info for the organiser......you make me drive 100km for a piece of paper....no thank you.  One less. 

 

Although payment should be a good indicator

 

This is not difficult.

 

It was done before.  (Permanent year numbers)

 

And then Cyclelab / 94.7 / Cyclevents / Racetec thought out a system to get bellybuttons into their shops.

 

And then everybody started using this system because it requires no thinking.  

And only the consumer "suffers"

 

Lekke man.....lekke

[scotty]

I'd happily ride with something like this on my bike compared to driving to shops or other locations to collect a printed number that I then have to pin to my shirt every race.

Same old same old. As an organizer, how do know if that person has entered your race and not merely bought the board at the beginning of the year for their first race then merely rocked up without paying at yours. Secondly how do you differentiate which batch you are seeded in.