Monday, August 29, 2011
Busy timekeepers.
That was quite some athletics meeting!
Trackside was filled with enthusiastic young (well, mostly young) athletes and their families.
There were 58 races - ranging from 75 metres to 3,000 metres.
The starters and marksmen efficiently organised all competitors and races followed, one after the other, at quite a rate.
As chief timekeeper I found little time to spare - getting everybody's times written down, results to the recorders and be ready for the next race gave no time for dithering.
I had not time either for checking the electric results as they came through.
The chief really should do that so as to sort out any queries straight away.
But one query has slipped through - I am quite sure that those dealing with the computer have given 2 athletes times which are a second too slow.
I will have to sort that tomorrow now.
I spent some time this evening going through all the results.
I could then sort out my own performance...... not the best I have ever achieved.
My average error was 4.5 hundredths of a second.
The chief timekeeper can often put in a poorer performance because of all the other responsibilities. Well, that's my excuse!
The signals from the starters' guns were not good - we need a strong visual signal and often all we got was a wispy puff of white smoke carried off on the breeze.
It was a very good meeting - and a very good team of timekeepers who worked so well together.
I have enjoyed it.
I think that this was our last meeting of the season. We shall miss the Under 13's final next Sunday.
I felt quite sad - this has been a year when I have actually felt enthusiastic about my involvement with the sport and athletics people.
I still feel I am floating on adrenalin - though I know I am tired.
I think Bill is exhausted - he has had too many aches and pains today.
I have fitted in some more letter reading - a second one from my great granny has appeared and a couple from my Uncle Billy to my mother.
Unfortunately the pile of pages of written material which, as yet, seem to have no connection with any other pages is growing.
I will look to sorting them out after I have every completed letter filed away.
Time for bed.
Trackside was filled with enthusiastic young (well, mostly young) athletes and their families.
There were 58 races - ranging from 75 metres to 3,000 metres.
The starters and marksmen efficiently organised all competitors and races followed, one after the other, at quite a rate.
As chief timekeeper I found little time to spare - getting everybody's times written down, results to the recorders and be ready for the next race gave no time for dithering.
I had not time either for checking the electric results as they came through.
The chief really should do that so as to sort out any queries straight away.
But one query has slipped through - I am quite sure that those dealing with the computer have given 2 athletes times which are a second too slow.
I will have to sort that tomorrow now.
I spent some time this evening going through all the results.
I could then sort out my own performance...... not the best I have ever achieved.
My average error was 4.5 hundredths of a second.
The chief timekeeper can often put in a poorer performance because of all the other responsibilities. Well, that's my excuse!
The signals from the starters' guns were not good - we need a strong visual signal and often all we got was a wispy puff of white smoke carried off on the breeze.
It was a very good meeting - and a very good team of timekeepers who worked so well together.
I have enjoyed it.
I think that this was our last meeting of the season. We shall miss the Under 13's final next Sunday.
I felt quite sad - this has been a year when I have actually felt enthusiastic about my involvement with the sport and athletics people.
I still feel I am floating on adrenalin - though I know I am tired.
I think Bill is exhausted - he has had too many aches and pains today.
I have fitted in some more letter reading - a second one from my great granny has appeared and a couple from my Uncle Billy to my mother.
Unfortunately the pile of pages of written material which, as yet, seem to have no connection with any other pages is growing.
I will look to sorting them out after I have every completed letter filed away.
Time for bed.
