The last race weekend of the year ?

Right, this is the last weekend you have to yourself before the imposed duties of Christmas begin in December.
Personally I think anything Christmassy before December should be made illegal, and so I've avoided that aisle in the supermarket now for over two months and won't be covering any Santa Dashes in November (that's just flagrant commercialism - Santa is still working in reality).

 I've checked through the race finding links (all of them - yes!) and you have a limited choice of things to do if you're from round these parts and don't fancy driving to Norwich for their half marathon (although the snow they are having at the moment might just be causing the organisers a little bit of concern).

First off a spot of cross-country as part of the Sussex League - sponsored by Brooks - that's on the Saturday - info via the Sussex Race planner : http://sussexraces.tripod.com/sussexraceseventplanner.html

Then Sunday, if you're a "south of the M25" kind of runner, the main option is the Events-to-Live organised 3 Molehills. 15 miles in total over three different length loops.
http://www.eventstolive.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13&Itemid=26

Do it as an individual, or as a relay team of two or three and then sit back and enjoy a glass of wine at the Denbies vineyard. Entries are still open on the day, and as they managed to get in the top ten events of the year for their Spitfire 20 race, you know that you're in safe hands on the day. Race starts at 9am, registration from 7am. It should be fun !

Right, enjoy the snow, if it makes it to you wherever you are, and go safe.

until next time
Anthony


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Brighton 10k, Sussex Obstacle Dash, and Chelmsford 10k

 Just a quick summary note from the weekend - as the main email didn't seem to go out (first time that's not worked in two years).
So just in case you didn't see them and were waiting for the updates here are the quick links to the galleries that are now ready online from this weekend.

The Brooks Brighton 10k : http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/a.tlx?k=33ezg9t
The Sussex Obstacle Dash: http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/a.tlx?k=1x5zg9u
The Chelmsford 10k: http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/a.tlx?k=32rzgaw
 
 Each gallery has a link to the events own website and their results, so you can get back there easily to see how well you and your friends did !

The Team start at the Brooks Brighton 10k 2010

Until next time !
Anthony


Click here for our race finding link page on the blog

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Sussex Obstacle Dash now live

The Sussex Obstacle Dash is now live on the gallery here:

http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/a.tlx?k=1x5zg9u


This was the second year for the Sussex Obstacle Dash, which offers 5k and 10k racing with a few challenges! With it being almost a complete sell out the racing was entered into the spirit it was intended - tricky, fun and wet.  You can find a race report here and the results here http://www.sussexobstacledash.co.uk/results

There was a healthy mix of serious racing and fun on the day, here's a selection:

The juniors tested the course first

 

These little piggies went to Ardingly...

 

Flapping your arms doesn't make it drier

Rugby players and Obstacles hmmm...

 

There were some splendid pants on display

Tom Morris, winner of the 10k in a respectable 00:40:28

Turn right for the finish

But don't slip. Time for a dip...

Good team turn outs

banzaiiiiiiii

The shortest dress always wins - allegedly

Walking on water is an old trick after a few obstacles

Splashing the camera is not big nor clever and we put your mugshot in the blog ;-)

Ending it all with a Lovers leap ?

Strange honeymoon ?

The Sussex Obstacle Dash is now live on the gallery here:

http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/a.tlx?k=1x5zg9u


 Until next time, sometime soon,
Anthony


Click here for our race finding link page on the blog

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Brighton 10k now live, Chelmsford 10k too

 The Brooks Brighton 10k is now live on the gallery here:

http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/a.tlx?k=33ezg9t

The Chelmsford 10k is now live here:

http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/a.tlx?k=32rzgaw

and the Sussex Obstacle Dash is being prepared and will be here later:
http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/a.tlx?k=1x5zg9u
  

The Brooks Brighton 10k
There are some much better race reports on the facts of the race, who won what and how well they did written up on the sussex athletics website here http://www.sussexathletics.org.uk/news.php?id=920

The main news is that the first two women home beat the new record from last year, giving it a severe kicking with third place matching it. This is possibly because a) they were pretty good and b)who could ask for better conditions ? Usually a strong wind is in the face until the Hove turn,but this year - it was hardly a huge difference, making for fast flat and even pace through the course.

The mens course record was almost beaten, but not by 19 seconds in the end despite good pacing in the early race. More importantly Andy from Brooks gets the prize for the fastest fixing of a finish arch, as someone maliciously pulled the plug on the inflating fan just as first place was on their final few meters. It got fixed, and there was no further incidence - there were a few seconds of flurrying frantic fixing. Phew. you can see the photo below...


Other than that a special mention to numbers 44 and 45 from the Hove Prom 10k who decided to run the race. You were far too late for the Prom race and your illicit entry would have been less obvious if you hadn't run in just behind the genuine number 44. Didn't plan that very well.

Otherwise there were some great fancy dress costumes for Movember (wear a moustache for November in aid of Male Cancer Awarenes and Support - http://uk.movember.com/ ) particularly from the women ?!?!?

Here's a selection from the day:

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Phoenix Road Races and Poppy Half Marathon galleries now live

The Poppy Half Marathon and Phoenix Road Races Galleries are now live online.

Poppy Half Marathon:http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/a.tlx?k=45fzga7
Phoenix Road Races:http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/a.tlx?k=8krzgas

 Both races suffered from rain and dark skies - making action photography particularly difficult on the day. Over in Bexhill one of Micks cameras getting so wet it went awol on him. Fear not - he has two cameras, just in case this kind of thing happens. Because that's what we do.

Here's a few photos from the races, you wouldn't know it was raining cats and dogs most of the day:

Go here for the race website and report: http://poppyhalf.co.uk/

 

Go here for the race results and Phoenix website: http://www.brightonphoenix.org.uk/

It was windy and rainy down in Brighton at Preston park - with a confusing northerly wind as rain came in from the south coast. With most of the course under some type of autumn tree canopy it was a challenge to find enough light to freeze the action - the success rate under the finish line trees serving as a testament to the tricky trickster conditions - photography is about recording the available light - and if there isn't much about - then that can cause difficulties. For those interested - ISO800, F3.2, 1/120th at some points during the day. Trying to freeze the action with a shutter speed that slow takes a bit of practice !
There's a full race report on the Phoenix website, suffice to say the weather kept the teanagers away, but the new format for the senior race worked well.

Here are some rewards from the work below, the rest are on the gallery here  http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/a.tlx?k=8krzgas

Next week is the Brighton 10k, the Sussex Obstacle Dash, and just in, The Chelmsford 10k over in Essex. So there's bound to be something out there for you if you fancy a run out. Fingers crossed for the weather...

Until next time
Anthony 


Click here for our race finding link page on the blog

Race Finding links
Who ?	Just click on the Logo
Fetch Everyone: Race finder
The Sussex Race Planner	Sussex Races
Active Europe Calendar - Running
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