It seemed as if everything was well under control. All but the last control had been placed, and there was still half and hour left before the scheduled start of the event. Then came the sickening realization that I had neglected to pack the Registration Box in the car prior to departing that morning. Leaving the responsibility for finishing the event preparations in the capable but unforewarned hands of early arrival John Hansman, I raced home to pick up the forgotten supplies, stopping to give confused orders and explanations to my anticipated meet assistants as I passed them on the drive out of the park. Ultimately, I returned just slightly after 10:00 AM, but as a result of my absence, there was some understandable confusion for the early starters. In particular, some of the participants wound up copying maps off the clock, while most had their copying time included in their run. In addition, a few early finishers did not find the final control in the indicated spot. Finally, the start and finish watches were not fully synchronized, accounting for a 13 second discrepancy which may have been appreciated by those competitors who were taking splits. The final results have been adjusted to account for this difference.

At least the weather cooperated fully. It was clear and slightly breezy and just cool enough to be pleasant for the true runners without being unpleasant for the more recreational participants (or for the event staff waiting at the finish). This year's event attracted roughly 175 participants, although there were proportionately more adult competitors than had attended past Halloween events. Perhaps this was the explanation for the moderate excess of treats that remained in the candy cauldron stationed at the GO control.

As has been true in the past, the courses proved generally on the challenging side, although only the Orange and Blue courses grossly exceeded the recommended winning times. In truth, only the Orange course was purely unintentional as your course-setter is of the opinion that a Blue course at a local meet should cater to those hard-core enthusiasts who are looking for training opportunities that are not frequently available without significant travel. I remain available for any suggestions, general or specific (send mail to Jeff), that participants feel may make future events more enjoyable.

Finally, let me express my extreme gratitude to the many hands that helped to make the event a success despite my absence in the crucial early moments. In particular, I wish to recognize Donn Springer, Kathy McArdle, Jeff Saeger, Judy Karpinsky, Samantha Saeger, Ross Smith, Joanne Sankus, John Hansman, my parents Ann and Bob, my sister Amy, and anyone else who pitched in when I wasn't present to appreciate it. I also wish to thank Bob Dangel and Jeff Saeger for helping update the Powissett map as well as Dean Sturtevant for assisting in control pick-up.

I look forward to seeing all of you and then some next year.

PS: Please contact me at the above email address if you left a child's black winter jacket at the event.