They brought Radek back to talk to him and then killed the feed and said it would be back in 2 minutes. It isn't.
This is awful. Awful.
They brought Radek back to talk to him and then killed the feed and said it would be back in 2 minutes. It isn't.
This is awful. Awful.
We'll just have to do it again next weekend.
90 seconds = 2 drinks of water
Some of you will know what this means.
What just happened wrote:
Agree it sucks.... but the website includes the following:
3) Starts
- Each loop starts precisely 1 hour after the last
- Warning must be given 3, 2, and 1 minutes prior to start
- All competitors must start at the bell (no late starts)
Hey, I'm just an outsider looking in out of curiosity, but man, looking at it objectively, it seems like a really problematic rule.
If there's no rule that says you have to move continuously, no rule that prevents you from stopping and resting (or doing whatever) at any time along the way, then DQing this guy on the 'no late starts' thing seems really asinine.
So you're telling me he could've walked three steps on the TM right at the bell, *then* stopped for 25 minutes and done whatever he wanted, and then gone ahead and run his 4.16 in the 35 minutes left, and that would be *fine*,... but this is not.
That seems pretty nuts.
--Especially considering that there were plenty of other instances --just in the little bit of it I saw-- when he and others *didn't* instantly start at the bell, but took at least a few seconds to get going --and none of them got DQ'd, AFAIK.
--Esp. considering it's not clear he could hear anybody, or get a warning.
It just seems like a truly absurd way to end the thing, esp with all the problems and glitches and inequalities already inherent in this whole 'virtual' thing.
Tron wrote:
It’s obvious he’s trying to say there is a lag in the feed for him..was there ever a lag for you during the race?
I was away for dinner at the critical moment. I have not seen any reaction by Radek. Was he saying there was a lag?? I see plenty of lag on the Facebook live page. But I never had any lag on the Zoom session, which is what he is on. FB live is engineered so that videos can be laggy. It's a design decision. I am not positive, but I don't think Zoom works that way. It's for realtime videoconferencing. It would be a better design for it to simply gap if there is not enough bandwidth.
Clearly the cause is some kind of technical issue, and yes it really sucks. It's honestly a miracle this race worked at all, given the magnitude of what was required for it to come off.
That's the point of Backyard, it's a different type of race, and the rules reflect that. The rule may seem problematic, but it's the same one that's been followed for years
rojo wrote:
If I'm Radek, I keep going for another 10 hours and make Wardian and just ultra marathoning in general look weak as hell.
Really?! RoJo, recall I was the one alerting you to this virtual exhibition (race - sort of), guided you on some of the bios. I don't think you have any great familiarity with ultrarunning in spite of your 2019 overview, nor multidays in particular - which is mightily relevant in discussing this, nor Backyard races.
You want to make "ultrarunning look weak as hell" b/c you have a fundamental misunderstanding about the nature of sport? You're going to continue to ignore when someone runs a 6:15 100 km b/c you disagreed with a Laz decision (the correct one) about a race genre that he literally created? My goodness. I'm speechless.
Bob Hearn wrote:
Tron wrote:
It’s obvious he’s trying to say there is a lag in the feed for him..was there ever a lag for you during the race?
I was away for dinner at the critical moment. I have not seen any reaction by Radek. Was he saying there was a lag?? I see plenty of lag on the Facebook live page. But I never had any lag on the Zoom session, which is what he is on. FB live is engineered so that videos can be laggy. It's a design decision. I am not positive, but I don't think Zoom works that way. It's for realtime videoconferencing. It would be a better design for it to simply gap if there is not enough bandwidth.
Clearly the cause is some kind of technical issue, and yes it really sucks. It's honestly a miracle this race worked at all, given the magnitude of what was required for it to come off.
How do you know his camera wasn't plugged into zoom and he wasn't watching the FB feed on the tablet in front of him? How was he supposed to know FB is engineered to be lagged? And I experienced that myself an hour ago, my feed on TV was over 3 minutes ahead of my wife's feed on her phone when she checked in on it.
Seems pretty crappy to DQ someone over such low grade tech. He clearly was on the treadmill ready to go.
Bob Hearn wrote:
Tron wrote:
It’s obvious he’s trying to say there is a lag in the feed for him..was there ever a lag for you during the race?
I was away for dinner at the critical moment. I have not seen any reaction by Radek. Was he saying there was a lag?? I see plenty of lag on the Facebook live page. But I never had any lag on the Zoom session, which is what he is on. FB live is engineered so that videos can be laggy. It's a design decision. I am not positive, but I don't think Zoom works that way. It's for realtime videoconferencing. It would be a better design for it to simply gap if there is not enough bandwidth.
Clearly the cause is some kind of technical issue, and yes it really sucks. It's honestly a miracle this race worked at all, given the magnitude of what was required for it to come off.
Radek was standing, milling around for a full two minutes before running. The answer was unfortunate - but as Des Linden said about the US Olympic Marathon Trials - they're cruel but fair - everyone knows the rules going in. They're simple and straightforward.
Bob Hearn wrote:
Tron wrote:
It’s obvious he’s trying to say there is a lag in the feed for him..was there ever a lag for you during the race?
I was away for dinner at the critical moment. I have not seen any reaction by Radek. Was he saying there was a lag?? I see plenty of lag on the Facebook live page. But I never had any lag on the Zoom session, which is what he is on. FB live is engineered so that videos can be laggy. It's a design decision. I am not positive, but I don't think Zoom works that way. It's for realtime videoconferencing. It would be a better design for it to simply gap if there is not enough bandwidth.
Clearly the cause is some kind of technical issue, and yes it really sucks. It's honestly a miracle this race worked at all, given the magnitude of what was required for it to come off.
The point is, if it's the result of some goofy technical glitch --and you already KNOW these kinds of problems are happening all around with this completely goofy set-up-- then for Chrissake DON'T end the guy's freaking race on it, when he's already running and looking fine, after 63 freaking hours of living death!
Bob Hearn wrote:
Tron wrote:
It’s obvious he’s trying to say there is a lag in the feed for him..was there ever a lag for you during the race?
I was away for dinner at the critical moment. I have not seen any reaction by Radek. Was he saying there was a lag?? I see plenty of lag on the Facebook live page. But I never had any lag on the Zoom session, which is what he is on. FB live is engineered so that videos can be laggy. It's a design decision. I am not positive, but I don't think Zoom works that way. It's for realtime videoconferencing. It would be a better design for it to simply gap if there is not enough bandwidth.
Clearly the cause is some kind of technical issue, and yes it really sucks. It's honestly a miracle this race worked at all, given the magnitude of what was required for it to come off.
He received another phone call about 30 minutes into it and jumped off pointing to his cell trying to show something. You could hear about a 20second lag (not 2 minutes).
So yeah, I understand rules are there for purpose but I think obvious he was ready to go since standing on his treadmill and then being that angry when given the news
They shut off the feed after he finished his run and about to explain himself so may never know
A Hungry, Violent Mob wrote:
How do you know his camera wasn't plugged into zoom and he wasn't watching the FB feed on the tablet in front of him? How was he supposed to know FB is engineered to be lagged? And I experienced that myself an hour ago, my feed on TV was over 3 minutes ahead of my wife's feed on her phone when she checked in on it.
Seems pretty crappy to DQ someone over such low grade tech. He clearly was on the treadmill ready to go.
Perhaps that was the case - it was an 11th hour virtual race not designed to be snag free. But clocks around the world did not suddenly slow after 60 hours.
Indeed. For those who care - perhaps not RoJo - Laz's final update:
maybe i am the only person who is glad not to be in charge.
not this time.
people tend to see the world in black and white,
and with the screen of not having to make decisions when things go grey
deal in absolutes.
being here in quarantine in the house on the hill,
and handcuffed by a near total absence of technological skill,
i dont know how many people saw the events that unfolded at the start of hour 63.
but here is what i saw....
with the caveat that i had finally gotten to sleep for a couple of hours.....
i did not realize it at the time,
thinking i had just taken a nap between the start of hour 61 and the start of 62
i actually slept thru hour 62 and it was time for 63.
i got to the computer during the countdown.
as the final minute counted down i just saw radek's treadmill standing alone.
it got under 30 seconds and still no radek.
i thought he must have quit.
then with just seconds left here is radek.
he gets on his treadmill and is just standing there.
i am yelling at him,
which is useless because he cant hear me.
by a minute after the start i think he is done..
almost 2 minutes in, he starts running.
the race management disqualified him.
maybe in the world of people who are absolutely certain they know the right answer i am the only one
who is glad to not be in charge today.
mike did his 63rd hour,
and now he is the winner.
radek was left with the taste of ashes.
Fucking joke, Laz is an idiot.
...And then bringing the guy on the live video to explain it to him and let him react, and then *cutting it off* before he can say a word, makes the whole thing look even worse.
rojo wrote:
If I'm Radek, I keep going for another 10 hours and make Wardian and just ultra marathoning in general look weak as hell.
I will probably start another thread about this. Some will say it's the greatest thing ever that rules are enforced and others will say its' a joke.
Well, one thing's for sure: you HAVE to get the guy for an interview now, so we can hear his side.
And, for Chrissakes, get a freaking translator, if his English is weak,
sp2 wrote:
...And then bringing the guy on the live video to explain it to him and let him react, and then *cutting it off* before he can say a word, makes the whole thing look even worse.
Rojo please find Radek and interview him and give him his 5 minutes of fame. What a true beast of a champion to crank out 62 hours on a treadmill just to have some old dude who probably has no idea what lag, or Facebook Live, or a smartphone is, cut him off at the knees.
This is from a Personal Peaks rule page..look at last point..maybe regular backyard races mean you have to go but here it just states be on treadmill:
“
At home on your treadmill (or in your hallway if need be),
Connect in to Zoom call using a computer webcam, or smartphone with the Zoom app – this will allow you to interact with other racers and the live feed while running
At the bell you will start your treadmill and run 6.706km/4.167miles
When you finish the distance, point your camera at your treadmill to prove you completed the distance, and then you are free to relax, eat or do any other things you need to prepare for the next lap
You must be back on your treadmill when the bell rings to start the next loop”
Tron wrote:
This is from a Personal Peaks rule page..look at last point..maybe regular backyard races mean you have to go but here it just states be on treadmill:
This is the critical part:
2) Starting Corral
Your starting Corral is the field of view on your camera running Zoom. (If you aren’t using zoom, then designate a spot in the entryway of your home, backyard etc. and use that to begin each loop)
Participants must be in their starting corral at the bell, and must leave immediately to start their loop.
https://personalpeak.ca/quarantinebackyard/guide/rojo wrote:
If I'm Radek, I keep going for another 10 hours and make Wardian and just ultra marathoning in general look weak as hell.
I will probably start another thread about this. Some will say it's the greatest thing ever that rules are enforced and others will say its' a joke.
If you're willing to dismiss and ridicule an entire subset of distance running b/c you disagree with the decision made in a turkey trot of a virtual Backyard race, a race genre that was literally created by Laz in his own backyard, then I don't know what else to say.