Primal Tracking

04/01/2025

And we are off for 2025, first event is the BMF by the folk at Waterville Trailrunning Festival. Runners have 8 Hours to complete the 43km loop and be back on the start line for the subsequent one. The loops will continue for as long as any runner can keep going. Only full loops count and if no participant can complete more loops than all other participants there will be no winner. Will make for interesting viewing when the predicted weather closes in.
https://live.primaltracking.com/bmf2025/

BMF 2025 has begun. 17 runners started loop 1 at 08:00

31/07/2024

An interesting insight from our partners at Open Tracking as to how we manage allocation and overall tracking at larger events. A busy few weeks ahead for the team here at Primal Tracking as we deliver the live tracking and event timing for some of the largest events in Ireland.

How do we do it? handing out well over 2000 trackers and making sure the right person gets the right tracker? Does it work? is it fully charged? Will it last till the end of the event?

Many events in the UK now use trackers and its not unusual to see a table full of trackers with bib numbers or names attached to them. Whilst that approach may work with say 200 or 300.. it won't work with over 2000. The space needed let alone collecting the right tracker. That's not to say we don't use that approach on events of that size, just that won't work on the Lakeland 100 / 50.

For this event we charged all of the trackers up in the week before the event sent the settings and confirmed they were working. We also tested the timing chips in our trackers to make sure they were all functioning and then powered the trackers down.

We have a bespoke app on some industrial scanners that scan the participants bib number and then the next available tracker. The app checks the battery status of the tracker, and if its powered on. If you ever hear the sound of crashing glass - the app is saying hang on something is not right. The allocation of the tracker only happens if everything is right.

What makes this event a challenge is that we needed the trackers to last from Friday morning until Sunday afternoon.. longer in case one goes home. However we also want the ping rate to be the best it could be. To keep it simple we allocated the same trackers to both the 100 and the 50 - so we didn't have the faff of asking what event someone was doing and selecting a tracker off a different pile.

There is a bit of secret sauce in here - in that we set all of the trackers up on a 5 min interval. But on arrival at Dalemain they automatically switched to a 60s interval. At Dalemain the mobile signal often tanks so this had to be an automatic thing and we didn't want those trackers on 60s all day Friday whilst 50 runners are doing laps of the event centre.

For the 100 we resent settings after registration closed and put them on a 90s interval. And for both events we had the trackers switch to 30s interval when they were 3km away from Coniston.

Whilst that all seems simple - occasionally people make it complicated. To make sure we have given everyone a tracker, we scan all of the left over race packs which removes them off the active participant list. In theory everyone left on the list should have a tracker.

Sadly we do have people pick up packs with no intention of running. It does cause a lot of problems - invariably we try and call them - but also double check to see if they had a photo taken. Our nightmare is that someone starts without a tracker - it does happen, particularly where English is not someone's first language and they misunderstand the purpose of the device. So if you pick up a pack on a race and don't intend to take part - expect a phone call. If you want the map etc.. arrange to collect it after the event has started.

For the 100 we had readers up by the cattle grid, just outside Coniston. This was to verify all that had collected a tracker had actually started. Its not unusual for people to register, come to the start and change their mind. The result is people swearing at us that X's tracker is not working - the reader helps us confirm how many exactly are heading up the Walna Scar Road. An approximate number is just not good enough.

The 50 was a bit more complicated.. if interested I'll rabbit on a bit more about how we managed the wave starts, but also how we managed to account for all 2450 trackers and know that there was 1 missing before the presentation on Sunday had finished. Comment below if interested.

James (Open Tracking)

Photo of Lord Mills

27/07/2024

All our trackers are out with our good friends at Open Tracking this weekend as they deliver the tracking for the massive number of runners at the The Montane Lakeland 50 & 100. We had the pleasure of working alongside the Open Tracking crew a few years ago at the event and the sheer scale of the event needs to be witnessed at first hand. The event area and finish line is simply world class. Great to see so many Irish flags on the runner listing.

Lakeland 100 2024 - Live Event Tracking

30/05/2024

Sophie Power is aiming to become the fastest woman to run the length of Ireland. She started from Malin Head just after 8.00am on Tuesday and is nearing the 250 miles mark just outside Charleville. The record is 3 days and 15 hours so she is well up on that. Just the rolling roads to Cork to contend with between here and the finish.
Follow her live here -

Sophie Runs Malin Mizen - Live Event Tracking

06/01/2024

Bauers Megabackyard Funrun starts at 8.00am this morning in Waterville, Co Kerry. Using the loop of the Waterville Trailrunning Festival, Runners have 8 Hours to complete the 43km loop and be back on the start line for the subsequent one. The loops will continue for as long as any runner can keep going. Only full loops count and if no participant can complete more loops than all other participants there will be no winner. This will be an interesting one .......

Bauers Megabackyard Funrun 2024 - Live Event Tracking

04/10/2023

We have been tracking Dmytro Moyseyev since last Friday as he runs the length of Ireland from Mizen Head to Malin Head. 555ish km and plenty of tough days in there. He is nearing the finish, just passing through Carndonagh and raising money for a great cause along the way.

Project 555 - Live Event Tracking

12/09/2023

A different tracking job this week - we are providing the live tracking for Jonny Davies as he runs the entire London Underground routes over 11 days. All for a fantastic cause. Thanks to our partners at Open Tracking for the referral.

Jonny Davies, 31, says he has trained most of the year for the challenge which is "really fun".

18/12/2022

Great work once again by Mourne Mountain Rescue Team. Always on call in any conditions, 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. Thankfully those who were rescued knew how and when to extract themselves from the mountain with the process of location and pickup by MMRT being made much easier as they were being tracked by Primal Tracking every step of their way.
The mountains are fairly unforgiving at this time of the year and conditions can change in an instant. If you are heading to the hills at any time of the year be prepared with adequate clothing, food, water and shelter, make sure others know where you are going and what your expected time of return is. Know how to use a map and compass, your phone is no good once the battery dies or you have zero signal.
If you are doing a longer challenge and will be on the mountain for a large number of hours and you feel that being tracked will provide reassurance for those at home and in worst case scenarios fast response times to any emergencies, we provide individual and group tracking 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. [email protected] for all queries.

Callout 18.12.22:

At 0022hrs this morning, the team received a request for assistance for two Mountain Runners. The two runners had been undertaking a challenge when their support crew became concerned as to their welfare. A team Co-ordinator liaised with the support crew advising and supporting their role while the team responded. The support crew played an invaluable role and including the use of trackers made our initial response much quicker. Fortunately one runner was able to descend unaided and reached Trassey Road to receive aid from the support crew. The second runner was being aided on the hill by a member of the support crew before being met by the team. After a brief assessment and treatment for the effects of exhaustion/exposure, the casualty and support member were transferred by team vehicle to Trassey Road and with advice, into the care of the support crew. A total of 6 team members responded and stood down at 0320hrs.



Library pic

24/12/2021

When we looked at 2021 this time last year it was one of uncertainty and what if's. However as the year progressed, events started to happen, we started to see the familiar faces and get back on the roads less travelled.

Now when we look back on the year we have had the privilege of working alongside some fantastic race organisers and delivering a premium tracking service to events and solo challenges across Ireland and beyond.

From the highlands of Scotland, to the Lake District. From as far south as Castletownbere to the wilds of Donegal we delivered our tracking service in some outstanding locations.

2022 is shaping up to be another busy one, there will be lots of miles covered, there will be new locations visited and we look forward to working with everyone again soon.

If you have an event that needs tracked or you have not rebooked for 2022 get in touch soon so we can secure your date.

In the meantime, have a great Christmas and New Year from the team at Primal Tracking

06/08/2021

Over the last few years it has been great to work alongside Joe Barr and his entire crew at Team Joe Barr. This week Joe has taken on cycling the full 2,400km of the Wild Atlantic Way for the second time after the race beat him a few months back. This time around the weather was no different, probably worse, but the man's resolve has gotten stronger each mile he has travelled. He is now on the final stretch with about 100 miles to the finish in Kinsale, tailwind on his back and the thought of a comfortable bed for the first time since last Sunday. If you are on the road or near Kinsale get out there and will him on to the finish.
The disappointment of losing often makes us overcome in the end.
Live tracking link below.

Team Joe Barr Wild Atlantic Way - Live Event Tracking

30/04/2021

Great to see lockdown restrictions being eased, people getting back onto the roads, into the hills and race organisers finally seeing some light at the end of a dark tunnel. We have received a LOT of requests for tracking of personal challenges and race organisers are currently scrambling for suitable dates for their events.
If you need an event or personal challenge tracked please feel free to contact us at [email protected] and we will get your challenge or event booked in.
Looking forward to getting back on the roads around Ireland and meeting some familiar faces!