Month: November 2019

Maravan 2020

The seventh-annual running of the Vigilantes Maravan…

…will be on the weekend of the 21st and 22nd November 2020.

Unfortunately, after five years of keeping entry price rises to a minimum by simply changing event entry and payment solutions to keep processing fees down (apart from including the processing fee in the actual entry price, I’ve not had a price rise since 2014), I will reluctantly have to increase entry fees next year.

This is due to the increased “predictable” costs of the event. The event will once again next year have full medical cover and the electronic timing solution. The medics were called out five times this year, and I’m not prepared to gamble with your health!

The Maravan has never made a profit, never intended to, it’s a labour of love that I set up every year just for the fun of it, but this year the added costs of the medical support – which was unbelievably valuable and I wouldn’t hesitate in getting again – has resulted in a teeny tiny loss!

I still think that thirty quid is a tipping point, though, so how about £28 Affiliated/£30 Unaffiliated. Effectively its a £2 per runner insurance policy!

I’ll keep these prices until 1 August, when I have to order medals, then it’ll go up to £32/£34. It helps everyone if they can get entries in early. And don’t forget, I virtually sold out by August this year!

£40 per team, a tenner per person, which I’m absolutely capping at 25 teams this year. If there are still team places available on 1 August when the medal order goes in, then they’ll be £45.

And how could I forget the half? How’s £22 aff./£24 unaff. until 1 August and £25/£27 after?

Not sure I can say fairer than that. It’s not a big commercial enterprise, running a professional event. Just a bloke with a wife and two kids and a soaking wet gazebo in his garage.

Expect entries to open in a week. I’m taking a week off now!

Live timing

Now, here’s a thing.

This year, if everything goes to plan, I’ll be using the “Webscorer” app to count laps and time.

Apart from Sue and I not having a soggy piece of paper on a clipboard to read and try to count laps on, there are three big advantages to using this app.

The first is that lap times are recorded. Which gives you more data, which is good. I’m not going to guarantee the accuracy of the first lap, as we’re still learning the software, plus we’re both involved in the relay.

The second is that the software automagically creates results files for me, saving me the administrative burden of having to type them up, and meaning that you can have results on the day. This allows me additional beer time on Saturday evening.

I’m genuinely excited about the third big advantage, though, which is live timing. This means that you, or anyone who wants to follow you, can see which laps all the runners are on and see how you are progressing. This is super handy if they’re coming to cheer you on. It also means that you’ll be able to find out your time within seconds of crossing the line. Of course, I’ll hopefully still be able to cheer you in with a time in the traditional fashion.

The results files, so I am told, will be accessible here

There’s also a pair of start lists on that site just now, but I’ve made amendments on the live data on the tablet, so it might not be right. It might be worth your while looking, though, to see if I’ve missed you out, especially if you’ve been involved in a swap recently.

Coming into the final couple of weeks…

I’ve just found a new timing solution that should make things a lot easier moving forwards. It’s tablet based, generates results files automatically and uploads, real-time apparently – to the cloud.

Getting timing right on the day is one of the hardest things I have to do, given the small team that I have working with me every year. Sue always does a fantastic job, but hopefully this should relieve the pressure on both of us.

I’ve paid for it – it was only £40 – out of my own pocket this year to see if I can use it, but it will require me to get the start lists into a specific format to work on the tablet. It’s going to mean that I can’t chop and change entries now, because once I’ve uploaded, I’ve uploaded.

If I’ve emailed you recently to facilitate a swap, then that can go ahead, but any more after this will be administratively very difficult.

I’ve got almost everything, now. Just got to get event-day food and drink and we’re ready to go.

I’ll send an email to everyone who is registered before the event with final instructions.