I spent a bit of time yesterday going through the entries for the 2010 West Highland Way race. Now I would have thought that the instructions were quite clear: you fill in the form, then send it to me with a cheque for the right amount and a stamped addressed envelope. Simples, yes?
Unfortunately, no. Quite a few people were unable to get this rather basic part of the WHW race administration right. If they can't even do this bit, what chance have they got of making it to Fort William on 19 June 2010? Somewhere between nil and f*ck all, I would have thought.
A few examples:
One potential entrant sent me an envelope containing a cheque and a SAE, but no entry form. And, to add to her embarrassment, she's a race organiser in her own right! And what does 'SAE' mean anyway? I thought it was 'Stamped Addressed Envelope'. So why did at least half a dozen people send me an envelope with a stamp but no address on it? No problem - I've plenty of spare time to write your name and address on the envelope. Grrr. But I suppose that was better than the 10 people who didn't send any sort of envelope at all.
I also received a cheque for £98 from someone who was not a scottish athletics member, so they had underpaid by £2. Perhaps more surprisingly I received a cheque for £100 from someone who was a scottishathletics member, so they had overpaid by £2. I'll just set one off against the other. And one person (another race organiser) sent a cheque made payable to me personally, rather than to the WHW Race.
There were also the usual predictable admin errors: someone forgot to fill in their first name on the form, so they will be known as 'J'; quite a few people forgot / didn't bother to sign it; and there were the inevitable few who said they were scottishathletics members (and paid the reduced rate) but didn't know their membership number.
I look forward with some trepidation to the next delivery of entries tomorrow....
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27 comments:
I have yet to complete my snail mail entry - will make doubly sure !!
Oh dear, I hope my entry made sense! I'm in charge of the clubs Christmas dance and I've had a few very generous folk make out cheques to me, lovely, just what I need for Christmas!
You have my sympathys Sir.
erm.. you don't actually ask for an SAE...
Bill
Afraid Anonymous Bill is right, Ian, although I did in fact send you a C5 SAE with large letter stamp. And it's also not entirely clear whether you're supposed to sign the form once or twice, so I finally signed mine twice to be sure! ;-)
Oops! Clearly I didn't read the instructions properly. As far as I can recall, I DID address my envelope. ;-)
Under the bit on the form where you agree to pay £98/100 and above the bit where you sign it (for the 2nd time) it tells you to enclose a stamped C5 envelope with large letter postage but if you live overseas don't bother.
"I enclose one C5 size (162mm x 229mm) envelope with large letter postage on. Suitable for
A5 size certificate, please use this size only, overseas runners please ignore, there is no need for you to send these."
I think this would be the bit about a SAE.Seems pretty clear to me and I'm not even entering the race!!
I suppose the race notes could be a little bit clearer with regard to SAE envelope submission. We are asked in the notes to send an extra SAE envelope/postcard if we require confirmation of entry by post. Perhaps those annoying people who didnt want confirmation by post thought that they didnt have to send in SAEs. Naughty people.
what a miserable person
Guys and girls - calm down, calm down - I intended this as a very 'tongue in cheek' post but reading through it I can see that my 'dry' sense of humour doesn't really come through, and I look like a "miserable person" right enough :) I apologise for that, and also if I have upset anyone by my slightly flippant comments.
It has amused me greatly going through the entries, and I've really enjoyed seeing the huge enthusiasm for the race that all of them demonstrate. It is great to see entries from newbies, entries from oldies, and entries from those somewhere in the middle. I look forward to getting to know you all better as we prepare for and take part in the 2010 event. Ian
Hi Ian,
I take my hat off to you, I am one of the numpties, and you have the patience of a saint.
I can't believe anyone thought for a moment you were serious they clearly don't know you very well.
I've still got tears in my eye's from reading your post.
Ellen
LOL!!!
Absolutely hilarious!! Glad you pointed that out Ian, now I'm pi**ing myself!
There was me cringing at the irony of a man in your position saying things like THAT but lo and behold it was your highly sophisticated sense of humour at work.
Keep it up, i'm glad you've not gone all bitter and nasty.
Ian you should resign from your position on the whw race. Your comments are bad for the race and can't be excused, in your position you just cannot say these things and to publicly insult another race organiser is not on. An "i was only joking" appology is pathetic.
I would suggest that leaving anonymous comments is more pathetic.
Anyone calling for anyone else's resignation should at least have the decency to sign their comment.
if you did sign such a statement you would definitely not be allowed to race though - no-one knows the true selection criteria
Try asking directly instead of insinuating there's a hidden agenda.
Resign from what? You voluntary position on a non-profit making race. Ho'd me back.
DON'T YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT IT.
Dear Anonymous, if you feel empowered enough to leave a comment demanding the resignation of someone from a voluntary post have the courage to identify yourself or just keep quiet.
Subversive runner, i've got courage in spades mate believe u me but i also want to run this years race so i'm not stupid enough to identify myself. i just think that was an out of order post and obviously compromises his position dont you? aye its a voluntary position but it still holds authority on who gets into the race and slagging off other race organisers is not good is that the sort of thing the race wants to be associated with? why cant you people address the arguments rather than focus on side issues like peoples identity.
mr anon
theres more than one anon poster here by the way
The race organisers mentioned are good friends of Ian and know him really well so took the comments in the spirit in which they were intended.
At the end of the day, Ian, you got 23 comments! Woohoo. That's got to be a record. I'm off to think of something controversial for my blog...
Have you ever heard the football phone-in on Radio Clyde? This is what this reminds me of. Idiots phoning in ranting and raving demanding resignations and heads on sticks. Except they're talking about people on six-figure salaries.
I can totally understand why people are remaining anonymous. It WON'T effect their race entry, but it could jeorpardise them being a part of "spirit" of the race.
If the race is so cliquey, how come this year's winners (both male and female) were newbies??
Is Allybea having gin for breakfast? :-)
Hic!
Hic sunt dracones, indeed :-)
Chin chin,
Konanonymous ;-)
Ian - You should set your comments for Blogger logins only. That way you would (hopefully) avoid the Anonymous time-wasters.
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