quote:Originally posted by Jim Gerweck:
Hugh Jones always prefaces his split point descriptions, which are given as "before," "after," etc. as being "relative to the direction the runners shall follow."
I think that's an easier concept to grasp and be certain of than north, south, etc. Fewer and fewer people seem to have been in the Boy Scouts, it seems.
I agree, Jim. When I used to work at a running specialty store part time, I would often try to use compass directions to guide callers to the store until I realized doing so was usually fruitless. For example, I got a call from a customer trying to find the store. She was about 5 blocks away. I told her to head north on a certain street. She had no idea which direction to go. As it was late in the day, I asked her which side the setting sun was with respect to how she was headed. Silence for a few seconds. "On my left". I was then able to get her going north only after a detailed explanation. Phenomenal to us, this seems to be the average awareness out there. The RD of the 10K race I mentioned that mis-marked the T/A had the compass direction.
Maybe Bob's idea of asking RDs to turn on their iPhone or Android compass feature during course layout is a good idea. I always find it a useful tool when I am measuring on a cloudy day in an area I am not familiar with.