Participation in Cross Country Cuppers in the previous year provided the organiser with a simple introduction to the event: competing was straightforward, but organising it required a much broader understanding of the work behind an inter-college sports competition.
The initial challenge was identifying every task involved.
Although completing the necessary steps, including sending emails and completing forms, proved less demanding than anticipated, planning was essential.
The co-organiser, Will, had staged the previous edition and was therefore able to guide the process from beginning to end.
Responsibilities were divided by subject, with Will taking charge of administration and the organiser handling promotion.
On the morning of Cuppers, they gathered early to transport the event equipment to South Parks.
Will secured a council permit, contacted a race official and prepared a comprehensive risk assessment covering the potential hazards competitors faced, including the use of the gazebo.
Meanwhile, the organiser worked to generate attendance by producing a poster featuring the key details of Saturday in Week 2 at South Parks and a call for participants.
Promotion was attempted through numerous avenues.
Club members from as many colleges as possible were contacted and asked to place the advertisement in their respective JCR or MCR bulletins.
Some did not respond, including people with whom the organiser had never previously spoken.
During the first two weeks of term, references to running were treated as opportunities to publicise the event, and the sign-up sheet was checked whenever time allowed.
Transporting the equipment was simplified by a shopping trolley borrowed from Aldi with permission from Iffley Sports Centre and kept in the organiser’s room the previous night.
The equipment included high-visibility jackets for marshals, flags for marking the route, and a recycling bin filled with water and flowers for the winners.
After the course had been marked and the OUCCC gazebo erected without injury, the races began.
Within an hour, the individual and college prizes had been presented, the equipment packed away and the event concluded.
A review of the results later revealed that the men’s trophy had initially gone to the wrong college.
Corpus Christi had been defeated by the greater depth of numbers provided by the six-man team from Univ.
The error required an emergency trophy handover, which was filmed and circulated to the members group chat.
The announcement described the introduction of VAR for the event.