Summer series event #3: Epsom Common and the Wells

[Updated 14 July]

Photo credit: Rob McCaffrey

Planner/organiser’s write up (Rob M):

In planning the route, I wanted to have participants explore Epsom Common but also the Wells estate, since this offers a number of route conundrums. 50s were scattered at the corners of the map, but one was on the spot of the original Epsom well, in the centre of the concentric rings of the Wells estate. A number of local runners reported that they had never been to the original well. Although it is somewhat underwhelming on a quick run-past (akin to Spinal Tap’s version of Stonehenge), a revisit with time to read the information surrounding the well is ‘well’ worthwhile.

Navigating on Epsom Common is difficult, particularly with the profusion of paths, some of which become overgrown in the summer, and some of which have been mown since the map was published. However, everyone has the same map, and most participants navigated around successfully. Looking at tracks afterwards, the GPS trace of the runner does not always line up with the track on the map. This might be due to a lag in the GPS signal, possibly due to overhead tree canopy, or an inaccuracy on the map. This is the peril inherent in orienteering using OpenOrienteeringMap, rather than a custom-made map. However, as mentioned, everyone got around just fine.

A few runners recounted that their MapRun did not give them a ‘hit’ when arriving at the designated spot. However, other runners said that they found all the controls as shown on the map. In this case, aggrieved runners should use the HITMO function in the app, to claim the control retrospectively.

– Rob

[Ed. Four runners retrospectively credited with control 45 as GPS trace very close: Elodie, John, Sarah M, Dawn]

Linear course (3.8km) results:

First name	Surname	Age class	Time
Hugh		M10	24:53
Leanne	Hill	W35	28:52
Chantelle	Holt	W35	43:37
Laurence	Smith	M21	43:37
Paul	Song	M55	50:41

Score course results:

Pos.	First name	Surname	Club	Class	Time	No. controls	Gross score	Net score	Distance (km)	Pace (min/km)	League points
1	Rob	Beale		M45	55:32	27	900	900	11.56	4:48	50
2	Ben	Toogood	MV	M35	55:51	27	900	900	10.19	5:29	49
3	Paul	Todd	LOK	M45	55:17	26	880	880	9.59	5:46	48
4	John	Pickup	MV	M55	53:57	26	860	860	9.84	5:30	47
5	Chris	Lawrence	SLOW	M21	47:43	26	850	850	9.8	4:52	46
6	Philip	Morgan	MV	M50	56:37	25	840	840	9.92	5:42	45
7	Damien	Hersey	MV	M40	59:58	25	840	840	11.94	5:01	44
8	Dan	Martyn	MV	M40	49:32	22	740	740	8.84	5:36	43
9	Sarah	Scarbrough	MV	W40	52:46	18	620	620	7.4	7:08	42
10	Tony	Garton	MV	M55	55:57	18	590	590	8.29	6:45	41
11	Richard	Kirk	MV	M40	58:03	17	580	580	7.2	8:04	40
12	Elodie Claus	(And Dom Kidd)	MV	W20	59:21	17	570	570	7.5	7:55	39
13	Jocelyn	Darvill	MV	W35	52:05	16	520	520	6.29	8:17	38
14	David	Fisher	MV	M70	56:29	14	480	480	7.24	7:48	37
15	Sarah	McQuaid	MV	W45	1:03:21	17	600	480	8.58	7:23	36
16	Mike	Elliot	MV	M70	1:01:17	13	440	380	5.7	10:45	35
17	Dawn	Clifford	MV	W50	1:03:27	13	410	290	6.26	10:08	34