Tuesday 31 January 2012

Epsom Perch XIII 2012 - now live






The Epsom Perch Race photo gallery is now live and online here:
http://bit.ly/Epsom-Perch-2012-Photos

Sunday saw the second running of the Epsom Perch XIII at Nonsuch Park. A distance just past 10k it's an off road - two lap park based race. With over 380 runners its a well attended race and very popular with the local clubs as a start of the year 10k(ish) benchmark, although 35:02 on this course means that Guy Bowles (Datchet Dashers) won't be too worried about his early season performance if he keeps that up.

A home win for Becky McNicolas ( Epsom Oddballs) in the ladies for a 40:19 lifted the locals, but for age graded performance win went to Phyllis Flynn (Stragglers) for an 82.75% result, ahead of Neil Reissland (Collingwood AC) with 81.52% who also came 3rd overall.

There was a mix of first timers, experience and getting the annual club challenges in - and for reasons unknown East Grinstead Tri team turn out in force for this race and endear us all with their shiny purple tri suits, although to register a PB by 3 minutes at this time of year Stuart means we expect more and faster later in the season...

Full results are here on Sport Systems: http://www.sportsystems.co.uk/ss/results/The%20Perch%20XIII/773

Round of applause for Epsom Oddballs for their Mayor

And she gets them underway

Off into the metaphorical sunset

The hidden heros of these events
Graeme checks the new Marshals uniform

On his way to victory
Happy hands
Good running across the route
Through the woods to victory
Edenbridge hunting in packs

Just don't stop there, right in front of the finish

Which way ? (map behind you, finish over here)

Stuart - you would have taken more than 3 minutes off without the ankle weights
Very well done to everyone on completing the race, especially the first timers, and best of luck with your training for the rest of the season.

Here's next weekends 10k races that are worth a look:
http://bit.ly/ashford-district-10k-2012-entry
http://bit.ly/bookham10k-2012-entry

Until next time
Anthony



Being Archived soon - don't miss out !
18/09/2011 now live - Pilgrims Half and Full Marathon 2011
18/09/2011 now live - Kellystore Joyden Woods 10k - free downloads
11/09/2011 now live - Bacchus Full and Half Marathon 2011
11/09/2011 now live - Chestnut Tree House 10k 2011
04/09/2011 now live - ETL Spitfire 20+ Tempest 10
04/09/2011 now live - Newbury Tri 2011
04/09/2011 now live - Maidenhead Half Marathon 2011
28/08/2011 now live - Arundel 10k- free downloads
28/08/2011 now live - Bexhill Tri 2011



Click here for our race finding link page on the blog
Stuff to help you
StrideUK Video Gait Analysis
Want to increase performance and prevent injury ? look better in your pictures and run a bit faster ? Contact Mitch - at StrideUK for video gait analysis and running technique advice, exercise and improvement.

Monday 30 January 2012

South of England XC champs 2012


Saturdays Saucony South of England Cross Country Championships photos are now live and online here:
http://bit.ly/South-of-England-XC-Champs-2012-official-Photos

On a chilly but firm course the 2012 Southerns returned to the hills of Stanmer Park for the first time in a few years. Tough hill climbs and multi laps make for a great spectators event with the tented village making for good facilities. If only the Albion wern't beating Newcastle at Home in the FA cup at 5pm and then the parking might have been a bit easier, but everyone seemed to have made it on time for what were excellently filled and competitive races.

There are already some great race reports across the internet - here's a london centric perspective and here for a Sussex Athletics view
Full results can be found on the Powerof10

Enjoy browsing the galleries and reliving the days events - who was behind you and at what point !

If you see a picture you want to share, use the social sharing buttons on the page, or the link shown, or that facebook like buttony thingy. Just remember - don't right click it - as we remove them from the gallery. yes - seriously - we do ! (well the large preview at any rate).

Well done on a great days racing and a great atmosphere across the course, one of the best events in the years race calendar.

A handfull of deeply atmospheric pictures in a moment from the races, but to keep you on your toes - here's a quick list of the next races you should enter:

Next Weekends Races:
Kent  - Ashford 10k
Sussex / Surrey / M25 - Bookham 10k - off road and hilly
Half Marathons coming soon:

Kent - Deal Half Marathon - tough hills
Essex - Roding Valley Half

Sussex - The Stinger - Free race photos
Essex - Colchester Half Marathon - new course

and if you're running the Cambridge Half in March - let me know, as you'll have to try and beat me in my first effort. 
The nearby Brighton Amex Stadium in the background

So cold he wore a wig

Scary monsters in the woods


Great support and care for those that fell victim to/from St.Johns

Start of the Races is at the foot of the hill, with the finish in the background

Flying down the hills

Senior Women on the first lap down the hill

Tented village with Sussex University in the background

First lap of the senior mens - like wilderbeast unleashed

Hard climbing up the first hill

Andy - should know better than to do a brain slap infront of me, he's not usually this shy

"and if you turn left here..." The TWH runner had his own personal local tour guide of the woods

All smiles from Dave and RPAC

Delta wing airplanes, reduces drag, which can be important in brighton.

Socks were still white at the end = firm conditions


Have a  quick read and check of the "soon to be archived" list below and get any free downloads whilst they last.

Being Archived soon - don't miss out !
18/09/2011 now live - Pilgrims Half and Full Marathon 2011
18/09/2011 now live - Kellystore Joyden Woods 10k - free downloads
11/09/2011 now live - Bacchus Full and Half Marathon 2011
11/09/2011 now live - Chestnut Tree House 10k 2011
04/09/2011 now live - ETL Spitfire 20+ Tempest 10
04/09/2011 now live - Newbury Tri 2011
04/09/2011 now live - Maidenhead Half Marathon 2011
28/08/2011 now live - Arundel 10k- free downloads
28/08/2011 now live - Bexhill Tri 2011


That's about it. In other news, I almost broke the treadmill on the stress ECG the other day, but failed primarily due to lack of oxygen. Right Calf is injured at the moment so it's long bike rides to build endurance instead ready for Cambridge. Elle at Studio57 is fixing me - I can only reccommend their skills and new facilities based on 25+ years of having this sort of thing and it's excellent - Studio 57 in Hove

Finally in other news - Comet PLC admitted complete liability for the damage to my wifes phone (back before December) and have sent the cheque - the phone is now in for fixing - it only took about 8 weeks for them to do their 48hr investigation - apparently delayed by their store manager. I won't be shopping at the Hove store again, and neither please, should you.

So it's the Bookham 10k and Ashford and District 10k on Sunday next (links above), the February G3 race on Saturday is fully booked so I've not advertised that, but I think they have some space for March.

Until then, enjoy the training and go carefully in the cold,
Anthony


Click here for our race finding link page on the blog
Stuff to help you
StrideUK Video Gait Analysis
Want to increase performance and prevent injury ? look better in your pictures and run a bit faster ? Contact Mitch - at StrideUK for video gait analysis and running technique advice, exercise and improvement.

Monday 23 January 2012

F3 Events 2012 - 10k and Duathlon now live



With a quick 9 man-hours of office time yesterday evening to go through everything - the Galleries for the F3 Events 10k and Duathlon race 1 - 2012 are now live and online here:


10k:
http://bit.ly/F3-Events-10k-1-2012-race-photos
 
Duathlon:
http://bit.ly/F3-Winter-Duathlon-1-2012-race-photos
Windy but warm conditions for January saw the start of the F3 Events Duathlon and 10k series held at Dorney lake near Windsor.

Tight racing including some at Olympic standard gave it everything, including some first timers trying their hand at triathlon without the annoying wet bit.
A full race report is here from the organisers so I won't replicate that !

For our bit we had a new team member out on the course covering the running sections and race, whilst already a professional phtoographer and runner, for Hannah getting on the other side of the lens during a race was a new experience. "I'm exhausted from the amount of concentration whilst watching people run" was my favourite noted comment of the day (and we had only covered the duathlon at that point.)

As I'm not a paparratzi (and never will be) I'm not used to random people purposefully standing in my way and being abusive, but there was a first time for everything during the duathlon cycle - so if I don't have your photo on the bike course it's probably because your father came and stood right in the way in front of me (only 2km of route to stand on and he chose my 1m) and then decided to verbally abuse me. Weird doesn't describe it, but in 25 years of professional photography I guess there is still a first time for everything. I have his photo as he's supporting, but unfortunately out of focus (because he's in the background). I'm tempted to post it here, but that might seem a bit unfair... For what it's worth the race manager wanted to disqualify the competitor who he was supporting - but obvisously as I didn't get their photo (due to their supporter) and I couldn't ID him (not that I would - you can't be responsible for your Dad now can you?)

Anyway for those who didn't have my view blocked I was having a day out with some off camera remote flash. Here's a small sample from the bike course some with and some without flash - it's a tough call between blur and freeze - and sometimes just sometimes lots of blur is good - it's a bit of gamble sometimes, enjoy ! At least I was out of the wind when I was lying on the ground doing some of these. For the technically minded it's about 100th or 125th of a second depending on the amount of blur you want and adjust your ISO depending on how dark you want the background to be.

surely she was cold ?

this chap gave it the face all the way round, and did ok too

Out of the saddle and driving off for the down-wind section

looking ahead carefully

reaching for the banana

Big shoulders. Very Big. Big Deal.

Enjoying the race


If it wasn't for the wheel blur, this could almost be a studio shot with the flash fill

That old standard - the slow shutter panning along piccy

So that's the first of the events under wasy. We're scheduled to be at the 2nd and 4th races in Feb and April because the whole country has decided that the 25th of March is the day for a race - and with 5 other 1000+ people races on that day we get a bit short on resources. If we can get coverage to Dorney lake for the 3rd race we will - but I can't bank on it at the moment (booking photographers is a bit like hearding cats).

Other Events for you to enter:

Apart from the rest of the F3 races here: http://www.f3events.co.uk we would like to draw your attention to these ones:
Half Marathons from Feb - if you're on a spring marathon training plan:
http://bit.ly/Colchester-half-marathon-2012

http://bit.ly/Deal-half-marathon-2012-entry
http://bit.ly/Roding-Valley-Half-2012

And a 10k-ish next week for your training warm up in south london
http://bit.ly/Epsom-Perch-2012-entry

RIgtht, fingers crossed my Calf has de-knotted and I can get back out running, otherwise it's a treadmill ECG in two hours with the cardiologist. Could be interesting in a "that's normal" kind of way hopefully.

Until next time
Anthony

Here's a list of recent galleries you might have forgotten about your pictures - get them before they go !
Date Recent Events
22/01/2012 now live - F3 Events 10k #1 2012
22/01/2012 now live - F3 Winter Duathlon #1 2012
14/01/2012 now live - G3 January Race 1 - free downloads
08/01/2012 now live - Sussex XC Champs 2012
02/01/2012 now live - Brutal 10 Race 1 2012
01/01/2012 now live - Serpentine NYD 10k
18/12/2011 now live - RPAC Holly Run
11/12/2011 now live - Seaford Mince Pie 10 2011
10/12/2011 now live - Brutal 10 Race 3 2011
27/11/2011 now live - The 3xMolehills 2011
20/11/2011 now live - Brighton 10k 2011
13/11/2011 now live - Grand Union Canal Half 2011
13/11/2011 now live - Poppy Half 2011
13/11/2011 now live - Phoenix Preston Park Races 2011
12/11/2011 now live - Brutal 10 Race 2 2011
06/11/2011 now live - Loseley 10k 2011 - free downloads
30/10/2011 now live - Barns Green Half Marathon 2011
22/10/2011 now live - Beachy Head Marathon 2011
16/10/2011 now live - Abingdon Marathon 2011



Click here for our race finding link page on the blog

Sunday 15 January 2012

G3 January Race 1 - Free Downloads




The January G3 10k race free download gallery is now live and online here:

http://bit.ly/G3-race1-2012-free-race-photos

In the opening event of the years Runners Need G3 race series, organised by allabouttriathlons.co.uk 370 runners braved the sub zero (-2 degC) early morning temperatures with a clear blue sky above whilst fog and mist hung in the valleys.

Starting from Newlands corner and down around the January course, (here on the good running guide) the 10k course takes in the challenge of St.Martha's hill on the sandy hills of the north downs, which once you've done that twice, you still need to get back up to the finish at Newlands Corner from wence you came. It's a bit of a sting in the tail.
The view from the top of St.Martha's Hill

Smiling on the way up for the first time
 Toby the event organiser asked if I could also do some arty blur shots - which for the technically minded of you requires wirelessley triggered off camera flash, external battery pack for fast flash recycle time, and a tripod, camera set at about 1/40th on Shutter priority (some on 1/20th too). There's a high edit out rate, and also the flash doesn't go off (when it's busy, unless you want to blow the flash bulb which costs £250) but there's a couple of hundred in the arty folder here:
http://bit.ly/G3-Race1-2012-blury-action-pics if you fancy a look see.
Naturally due to the blur and angle I can't index all of them - so worth a gander or check through the 000 files as always. Let me know if you find one that needs renumbering - makes it easier for you to find next time...
wizzing through the woods

mind the tree...

one way down the hill in the dark woods

almost looks like a studio shot

yep looks like a studio shoot

power zoom, off camera flash, long shutter speed. the equivalent of photo gambling - sometimes it works and you get a dynamic result

enjoying the view from the top of St.Martha's


Freewheeling down the hill at more than full pace

Rory led the runners out on his bike, cheating as usual

at about the 2k mark in full flow

it obviously wasn't too cold, just sub zero

The view of St.Martha's Hill from Newlands Corner - with mist hanging in the distant valleys

good finishing all the way to the line

pushing in to get the time down

Competitive running to the end

So go to the results here to see how well you all got on - http://www.allabouttriathlons.co.uk/events_g3-run.html and also to make sure you've entered the next race on Saturday February the 4th. See if you can do the Feb course faster than Guy Bowles did this months in 39:44 - which as a sub 40 on that hilly course is frankly awesome...

And as way of an experiment - if you do download your photos - please give the event a "like" (as on the gallery page here http://bit.ly/G3-race1-2012-free-race-photos  ) for the facebook thingy

Have a look at this list below in case you may have missed yourself in any of these recent gallerys - it's a small selection of some of the recent ones, as well as the next ones that are going to get archived.

Next race is the F3 Events Duathlons and 10ks at Dorney lake - hopefully it will be summer by then and a bit warmer !

Until next time,
Anthony

p.s. in other news Comet took their 48hrs, added 4 weeks, and finally agreed that the display docking station may have damaged the wifes phone (which of course it did). The cheque is apparently in the post, thanks to Darren in customer services who chased the technical report and the Hove store manager who didn't quite do everything possible to delay things, so I'm not going to ever shop there again !, just like you ? We await the postman.


Recent races of relevance
14/01/2012 now live - G3 January Race 1 - free downloads
08/01/2012 now live - Sussex XC Champs 2012
02/01/2012 now live - Brutal 10 Race 1 2012
01/01/2012 now live - Serpentine NYD 10k
10/12/2011 now live - Brutal 10 Race 3 2011
12/11/2011 now live - Brutal 10 Race 2 2011
06/11/2011 now live - Loseley 10k 2011 - free downloads
15/10/2011 now live - Brutal 10 Race 1 2011
Next in the archive queue
20/08/2011 now live - Pride Run 2011
20/08/2011 now live - F3 Dorney Triathons 2011
20/08/2011 now live - Big South Swim 2011
14/08/2011 now live - REP Birdman Swim 2011
07/08/2011 now live - Milland Valley 2011
30/07/2011 now live - REP BTF Aquathlon 2011- free downloads


Click here for our race finding link page on the blog