The Brutal 10 race 2 - now live

The Brutal 10 race 2 gallery is now live and online here: http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/a.tlx?k=26pzgi1 

The race event website is here:  http://www.allabouttriathlons.co.uk/races_brutal-run.html

With two of us covering the course it was a choice of getting as much coverage as possible as well as "find the mud shot". The only problem is twofold. It was very dark and cloudy. Muddy places are very dark. Most of the course is under tree shade.


After a bit of course surveying, the obvious stream "dunk" was ruled out on account of it getting too crowded/tight on the exit and once it has had half the field run through it - the boggyness of it might just get worse.

So it was back to the earlier point, about 150m earlier, the mud looked a little boggy, and it smelt worse, but I could keep out of the way better and the trees wern't in the way.

Sitting for 40minutes waiting for runners next to a stinking bog, in the rain and dark mirk, with no phone or data connectivity can be a bit boring, but on the bright side I did get to spend some time listening to some music. Nicklebacks, "Next Competitor" came on and woke me up a bit, and I only realised later that I clearly wasn't listening to it at the time when I replayed it in the office - the lyrics have absolutely nothing to do with running.

The first runners came through so fast that I checked the bog again with my testing stick. It was still soft and very boggy. The leader had done a very good impression of walking on water, and I was starting to regret my choice of location - I can get nice clean shots on better parts of the course.

However my depression was only short lived as gradually people begun to sink deeper and deeper into the mud - so much so the samaritan in me got me shouting out warnings to the advancing competitors. Things like "don't travel to Libya" were foregone for "mind out the mud does get very deep just, yes - just there where you found it"

I now present a small selection of mud surveying shots, including proof that 4 legs were no better than two at spreading the weight, as well as 403 who had his left shoe eaten by it, and despite a lot of hunting about to find it, didn't.

I left it in here somewhere...

There was a happy ending  - Very fortunately the poor chap with the twisted ankle after the bogs had the same sized shoes - and kindly lent his left one to the chap who lost his so he could finish the race.
The Brutal Brotherhood lives on...

iron man turns mud man

pushing on through

up to your waist in it. Full Mud jacket.

eeeuuuuwwww

yummy muddy

crazy - both of them, all the way round

run to the left

along a dry bit

and run to the right

Tomorrow it is the Roding Valley Half marathon , and I've got to get up in 5 hours time and mission imposible 3 is looking quite possible at the moment on the telly, so night night, apologies for the brief bloggage and until next time.


Anthony



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The Deal Half Marathon 2011 - gallery now live

The Deal Half Marathon 2011 gallery is now live and online here: http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/a.tlx?k=2grzgee
The race website and results are here: http://www.dealtri.co.uk/captains/running/dover-mercury-half-marathon

Up and out early on a Sunday morning with a forecast of rain ready for the next Ark wasn't the exciting prospect it can be made out to be. Zooming down the M20 past Ashford (mental note made - channel tunnel is 1hr from home and Sunday mornings are a good time to get there) the rain thinned out and the great skies of Kent parted to a thin white layer instead of the dark grey we had left behind in Sussex.

With a slight mizzle (the annoying lens coating type) tickling the face at the start, it was easy to forget when the course presented us with an opportunity for what can only be described as a magazine cover road backdrop at about 2.5 miles. Then the rain stopped.

The weaving road as a backdrop adds depth and perspective

 The only challenge remained to get as many pictures of everyone in the groups as possible - which is where the years of practice kicked in, fishing in between everyone as they zoom past.

A slight hill at 2.5 miles - but a great background

At this point a polite mention should be made for the winner 371 - who as the local DealTC /Invicta runner put in a 1:10:14 half marathon on what can only be described as severely hilly. I'd love to see this chap Phil Anthony have a go at Barns Green Half. He could take the winnings there too, but by all accounts he has quite a good pedigree. We saw him last week at the Ashford and District 10k, where he came second, so he's had a busy week and he'll be on for a good summer season by the look of things.

This is what 70:14 looks like - note the crowds following close at 2.5miles

So apart from the very strong westerly wind, which kept everyone occupied for most of the first 6 miles, the weather was perfect. So perfect I don't think I've seen so many waves, face pulls and generally happy looking people running a race. It must be the Kent air.

Rolling Stones tounge 1

Rolling Stones Tounge 2

Rolling Stones Tounge 3

Happy double thumbs and smiling

one big thumbs up

bada bing, bada boom

The main thing with this race is to make sure you don't forget anything. And concentration is very important on the hills.

Concentrate up the hills

Doh ! Try to remember everything and plan ahead

All done, the finishing straight down the hill to the timing mats and your Gatorade drinks, £5 Sweatshop voucher and Fetching Race Mug. For some it was emotional.

push it to the finish

wave to the stands

It's been emotional

Great team efforts !

Souvenier mugs listing the sponsors you should support !

Very well done to everyone at Deal Tri club for the second running of this course, including the new course record which will be a real challenge for anyone to beat now.

Enjoy the rest of the gallery: http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/a.tlx?k=2grzgee

Until next time, run safe and keep dry,
Anthony



__________________________
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The Sussex Race Planner	Sussex Races
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Runners Need G3 February Race 2 - now live

The Free Download race photos from the Runners Need G3 Race 2 are now live and online here: http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/a.tlx?k=28czgh8

A slightly different race course for Race 2 in the Series.

This time it's straight out of the carpark, head for St.Marthas Hill, don't turn up it and then go south for little while.

Down from Newlands corner and round the field south of St.Marthas Church

Enjoying the flat bit before the hills bit at the lowest point of the course

 After that it's turn north, and head straight up the steepest path to the top of St.Marthas itself. I mean, who wouldn't want to do that ?

It was a bit Misty, so the view from the top wasn't as good as it can be, but still worth the effort.

Why ? Why, Why, Why ?  I honestly don't know.

Some people didn't seem to suffer up the hill

Up the top, turn left, and then - down the other side - just a bit sandy

floating over the soft sand at the top makes it a lot easier

Once you're up at the top, You ahve done a whole 2 miles, and apart from catching your breath and looking out over the North downs and the pilgrim way, it's back down the hill for 1.5 miles to the water stop, and then back round through the woods climbing back steadily to the top of St. Marthas.  You will have done just over 5 miles at this point.
To give you some idea of how you should look if you're giving it everything - here's the winners, you can see the church in the background to add context:

Mens Winner at 5.1 miles

Ladies winner at 5.1 miles

 Alternatively, you can look like this instead - which is far more fun (I mean, you might as well enjoy yourself!)

Raaaar !

Seriously ?!

lalalalala...

yaaay!

Big Yaaay !

Oh Yay !

After this, it's downhill all the way, except of course for the final uphill back to the finish and the car park - but we took photos there on the last race didn't we - so no point in covering that one again.

Mens winner down that last sandy hill from the top

Finally - check out the sponsors website - Runners Need - they did pay for your free race photo downloads after all !


Tomorrow Sunday the 13th we're off to the Deal (Dover) Half Marathon to see 500 runners challenging themselves to a swift 13 miles. Entries are available on the day if you're near enough after reading this at 7am ! Race start is 10:30am.
Hope to see you there !
Otherwise, why not go to the TCR show at Sandown Park, just off the A3.


Until next time, train safe and keep injury free.
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
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