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Run on the Sly 2002 - Summary Report on 2002 feedback cards
Thank you to all of you who returned your cards! You can still send them in because we on the organizing/support team take plenty of time to apply what we learn from your feedback. We are very happy to pass along your many compliments to all the volunteers who make this event. Some of you event participants are also part of the volunteer crew so you get a double benefit: seeing thanks and knowing feedback is valued. Again, as last year, we are receiving a lot of e-mail feedback. This report is just from the mail-in cards. There were 300 put out and 103 returned to date with a good number for each of the 4 events. This year we will report by each event because though there is some overlapping in course portions and some aid stations; even the start and finish are experienced differently depending on when you are there. There were patterns of response to changing the course tied to each event. For all of you less heat and less dust would be great but the water truck effort did help some and was worthwhile. Overall you had a great day and will be back! See you are giving El Dorado Search and Rescue a major boost! Happy Trails! Glenn & Christine, 10/01/02.
50 K’ers:
Trail Markings Rated: Lowest 2-8’s; the rest 9’s 10’s and 10++.
Specific Notes on Course Markings: Signs, chalk very good. Chalk arrows and barriers helpful. Excellent. Much better than last year. Loved signs, ribbons perfect. Could use more ribbons in several areas. Canal area mentioned by 5 runners – sounds like some markers torn down. “You should not have to climb over a tractor!” Signs were very popular: “loved comment cards along the way – humor helps, especially when you are in pain.” Need more reassurance ribbons after forks in the trail.
Special Feature: Aid Station (AS) people, race directors and volunteers.
Problems: dust; too darn hot; too many hills; stretches alone feeling unsafe.
Glad We Had: great help; excellent crew; excellent aid personnel; great volunteers; couldn’t ask for better; great filling bottles, camelback; ice, coke, Gatorade, potato chips, peanut-butter and jelly, melons, GU, Vaseline, ice, fruit, potatoes, sodium, salt tablets, potassium, succeed capsules, medicine for bee stings. Tuman Mill AS especially.
Missing: ¾’s of you said, “Nothing!” Ice at some AS. Caffeine-free gel. V-8 Juice.
Cream cheese. More watermelon! Blondes in hula skirts. Pain killers [legal ones were available, this may have been a joke?] Water only stops [they were there – sorry if not seen] “Are you kidding? You had it all.”
Start/Finish: An even mix of good, great, perfect, excellent, wonderful, fine, very good. Love showers, BBQ, the lights, (stringed and in porta potties,) music, great food, that zucchini, massage. Keep and use the megaphone for announcing. Missed – soup at finish.
Suggestions For Improvements: 1. Great as is but new course would be OK. 2. Take out pavement section. 3. Add more trails like the one above logging mess above Tank Stop that continues to Park Creek Road. 4. More single track, less road. 5. New course you are working on. 6. Ice at all AS [it was there by plan] and soup at finish. 7. Being alone at point felt needed more volunteers on course, miles 29-39. 8. Go back to 2001 woman’s cut razorbacked singlets (loved them.) 9. Change to a Saturday – I can come back and bring my running buddies from church – you probably lose 10-15% by running on Sunday not Saturday. 10. Less Heat! 11. Bicycles for downhill sections!
Don’t Change This: Belt buckle. Beautiful views. Campsite. Early start for “us slow, aged runners.” The spirit and support of the race. Barry and Lucinda. Aid Stations. Volunteers, incredible; terrific. Shirts. Screamin’ Jay Hawkins playing at Finish. Liked that it was a fast run. The spirit and support of the race.
50K’ers:
Trail Markings Rated: Lowest 1-7 - 5-8’s - 5-9’s - 13-10’s
Specific Notes on Course Markings: “Some of the notes were confusing and we are tracking back where referring to ‘trees had fallen,’ ‘trees just cut down.’” Markers taken down a couple of places sometimes. Excellent. Couldn’t get lost. Red, white and blue ribbons worked well. Use other than blue – hard to see. Place ribbons in front of branch. Dust was much better. Carol’s Corner (Christine’s Cutoff?) sucked; no footing, unstable for steepness; cruel and unusual punishment. Between EID and Tank Stop not as clear. Loved the X-country. Ribbons adequately displayed. Well marked on important turns. From “back of packer,” – definitely 10+ since I mostly ran alone it was comforting to have so many markers.
Special Feature: Signs on course kept me motivated. Humorous signs. BBQ. Showers. The beautiful area and smell of pines. Excellent volunteers. Race directors, volunteers the best. Surroundings and challenge. 50K on same time limit as 50 mile. Sweatshirt as incentive/prize to finish! Extra water stops between Aid Stations. Shade Overall great run, well-organized.
Problems: Water truck helped but too much dust still; too much heat. Overheating & dehydration; Age! Need better signage to event from Highway 50. Missed succeed capsules [were at each AS but not all crew aware re: what are & where]
Glad We Had: Ice, Coke, Water, Gatorade, Jelly Bellies, Peanut Butter and Jam, Fruit, Melon, Salt tabs, Sponges in water buckets, Potatoes, Chips, Pretzels, GU, Ibuprofen, Vaseline. Friendly, helpful, great, nice volunteers. Thanks for melon at every AS even for back of packers.
Missing: ½ of you said, “Nothing!” Some AS needed pitchers to pour H2O/Gatorade. More sponges in ice water second half of course. Posting miles done/to go [were at key AS] carbonated drinks at some AS.
Start/Finish: Rated good, great, excellent, fantastic, 9’s & 10’2. Loved Barry’s speech, positive, nice. Needs to speak up [use of megaphone or not affected] Company great at end-sit, visit, and eat. Veggie burgers zucchini great. Awesome belt buckle. Very well organized. Focus on course, plenty of room for start, end-better downhill.
Suggestions For Improvements: 1. More single track 2. Begin on wide road, then single track. 3. Don’t make end hardest section. 4. Dump Carol’s Corner [see 50M notes] 5. More single track will be great. 6. Rain dance the day before race. 7. More communication at Pete’s Place for split at bridge. 8. Give out random prizes. 9. Finish – whole wheat bread, lettuce, and tomatoes.
Don’t Change This: Buckle. Signs. Showers. Camaraderie. Trail around lake. 50K same cutoffs as 50 Mile. In fact add a few more signs. BBQ. Goodie Bags. Excellent organization. Dust was way down, truck was small but it worked. AS & Smiles!
30 K’ers:
Trail Markings Rated: Lowest 5-8’s – 8-9’s – 33-10’s
Specific Notes on Course Markings: Many liked the 1st and last 3 miles sign markers. [Those are realistic to do, later signs give done/to-do info. Of course it is very special to have any mile markers on trail events] Dust a problem BUT glad we had some parts watered down; water truck did a good job; thanks for watering. White chalk, chalk arrows – great. Markings – great, the best, easy to see, best I’ve ever seen. How could you miss? Never hesitated about where I was going. I like the humorous signage. Signs were great – must be a challenge to get out there. Two repeated notes: 1. Need more ribbons to go right at top of Bob’s trail. 2. Some ribbons down at campground [probably Hazel] The signs are very clear for directions and distances. Chalk markings took all the guesswork out of things. [Race directors already acknowledged very unfortunate misdirecting of lead runner]
Special Feature: Location and shady areas. Mice mix of roads and trails. Spectacular scenery. E-mail prior to race. Assortment of goodies/snacks at AS. Great choice of distances. Shirts. Showers. That this helps Search and Rescue is good! The atmosphere.
Problems: Many said again, “Nothing.” Moon dust on the trail. Rocky areas on road (there but well marked!) Good instructions but need better signs for off Highway 50 to event. TOO HOT!!!
Glad We Had: People at AS. Nice, helpful, incredible, friendly, eager to fill bottles. Melons, fruit, Gatorade, potatoes, jelly bellies, cookies, fig bars, PBJ, GU, salt, salt tabs, salt, m&M’s water. Everything was great. Never seen so much at a race, liked the music at Pete’s Place.
Missing: “Nothing!” Ben-gay for muscle cramps, Different fluid replacement. GU2 powder at all AS. Dancing Men! [in hula skirts?] Beer. Oranges.
Start/Finish: Focus on the course: tough uphill! Fine, lotsa room to start. Love downhill at end. Ouch, downhill hard. Still a concern: on the actual chute finish, missed finish line, stopped short of finish line, have chute closer to the road. One person said the chute was clear/distinct. [There are going to be such bells and ribbons next year!!] Focus on the Start/Finish area: fabulous, nice and low key, many liked Barry’s speech, great cheering, great food, showers, fun. At the finish line need more tables and chairs. Need more outhouses.
Suggestions For Improvements: 1. Schedule rain and cool weather. 2. Have this event 2 times a year. 3. Have wider finish space so can cross line with someone. 4. More colorful shirts. 5. Announce finishers by name. 6. Do 5-year age group awards. 7. Smelly Potties, move farther from start and provide more of them. 8. Many comments on “new course” More of these runners want no changes – like a mix of road and trails as it is. A few said yes to more single track. One said, “Yes, change but not too hard to run or too slow going.” 9. Many included what they appreciated in this section (most saying nothing needed improvement!) “Best coordination ever experienced. Race Management and volunteers did wonderful job. The water truck worked!! Meal after is rare, unique, wonderful! Even with the heat and dirt the whole race is a 10!!
Don’t Change This: The course. The race. The web site. Shirts. Zucchini!!! Signs! The atmosphere. Race Directors. Staggered start for different distances. Great finish area including music, massage, great support from Search and Rescue. Having SAR dogs around. Great volunteers!!
7.6 Milers:
Numbers really increased this year. There are many locals as well as friends, partners to longer distance runners.
Trail Markings Rated: Lowest 1-8 – 1-9 – all the rest were 10’s
Specific Notes on Course Markings: Pretty and not isolated. Loved signs up to AS. Good ribbons to follow. Rock warning signs great. Safety signs and mile markers great. Miles 2 & 6 long? [Nope, precisely wheeled] Missing splits called out. Glad to see alternate trails, offshoots blocked with white chalk – not possible to go astray (this from someone who’s done all the distances of the race.)
Special Feature: Location. Great challenge. Spectacular course. BBQ, refreshments, prizes, goodie bags – all great.
Problems: Many said, “Nothing.” Lack of acknowledgement by divisions of placement (?) Late reporting of standings. Steep incline at start. Bikes on trail kicked up dust. [What kind of bikes?]
Glad We Had: Gatorade, water refreshments, coke, supportive people, smiling faces, fruit, everything needed.
Missing: “Nothing!!” Port-a-potty at overlook AS. More divisions for winners.
Start/Finish: Rated fine, great or excellent. Good, great instructions. Give 5 min warning, clearer announcing of start. Motivated by last sign on race. Finish lanes better marked. Posting times slow. Thanks for warning about hills. Really appreciated change in start time – 8:15 this year (9:15 last) much cooler, more shade.
Suggestions For Improvements: “Nothing!!!” 1. Have announcer use megaphone. 2. Post results earlier. 3. Put results in local paper. 4. Have timer face runners as cross finish. 5. Need much improvement on feedback cards – hard to understand, needs better flow. 6. Would like opportunity to buy extra shirts [table was out later – get it out sooner next year] 7. Maybe offer lunch for purchase to non-runners. 8. Coffee in AM.
Don’t Change This: Allowing walkers in race. Location, great sponsors, volunteers. The fun and challenge. Post race food – yum. Supporting Search and Rescue is awesome! Thanks for all your hard work!!! Having shorter course available is great! Shirts, music. Well-marked course on trails, awesome medals, great post race refreshments.
In closing, these quotes speak for themselves:
“This was my first 50 Miler and it was fantastic – I can’t say enough good things about the race. It was so well run and the volunteers were super!!! Thank you for making September 1, 2002, a day I will never forget! Thank you for a wonderful day.”
“You could teach the corporate race management companies how to do races – great job.” [50K runner]
“This was my first race – I hope all the others I plan to do can match my Sly experience!” [30K runner]
“This is one of the most perfect multiple distance runs I have ever been a part of.”
[7.6 Mile runner]
Many of you will “definitely be back”
That’s great, we will welcome you!