Tuesday 20 December 2011

RPAC Holly Run 2011 now live

The 2011 RPAC Holly Run gallery is now live and online here:
http://bit.ly/RPAC-Holly-Run-2011-official-photos

Event website: http://www.rpac.org.uk/index.php?p=hollyrun
Race results: http://www.rpac.org.uk/index.php?p=results&resulttype=or

On a deceptively cold day, with firm ground underfoot a record entry in the junior races was a pleasant surprise for everyone.  With the wind and rain keeping out of the way several course records were broken making for a fantastic days racing- it's great to see the talent developing in the area with such great commitment from the coaches and clubs that took part. Very well done to the RPAC team for putting on such a great local - and wider community - race series.

Next Races
If like me it's a weekend off next weekend (yaay for my third weekend off in the year) then the next races are at the new year - for me it will be the Serpentine New Years Day 10k (full), or the Brutal10 on the 2nd of January as a pre-return-to-work freshener - highly recommended !

Christmas deadlines
Digital downloads are available instantly all the way through the Christmas break, today was the last day before 2pm for prints before christmas day, and digital files will be processed asap up to Thursday. Any custom products will be delivered after christmas now.

Thanks for reading and subscribing to the news Blog through 2011, so until next year
Anthony


Plenty of new talent on the run

Tight racing from the Senior Races

Close finishing and sprinting in
 
Checking over the wrong shoulder, 781 got there first


Minimal fancy dress this year


p.s. Please don't shop in Comet Hove - a docking station on display destroyed my wifes iphone (i.e. it burnt out the main circuit board killing it totally) and they have been refusing any liability whatsoever for the damage. Their customer services has been infuriatingly unsympathetic and not helpful in any way saying talk to the shop manager, and the shop manager claims he has no authority to help citing talk to customer services. However the faulty docking station was removed from display and returned to the manufacturer - because naturally they believed my wife about that bit of her story.
So, please don't support poor customer service and don't shop in Comet Hove. If anything changes - I'll update you ! In the meantime - if you must - go to PCWorld instead - because they just sold off Comet from the group at a loss.


Click here for our race finding link page on the blog

Current gallery listing - the ones at the bottom will be archived first to make space for new events so don't miss out, especially on the free download galleries.

December
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
November
27/11/2011 now live - The 3xMolehills 2011
20/11/2011 now live - Brighton 10k 2011
13/11/2011 now live - Poppy Half 2011
13/11/2011 now live - Phoenix Preston Park Races 2011
13/11/2011 now live - Grand Union Canal Half 2011
12/11/2011 now live - Brutal 10 Race 2 2011
06/11/2011 now live - Veteran Car Run 2011
06/11/2011 now live - Loseley 10k 2011 - free downloads
05/11/2011 now live - Future Car Challenge Run 2011
October
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
16/10/2011 now live - Kellystore Guildford 2011 - free downloads
15/10/2011 now live - Brutal 10 Race 1 2011
09/10/2011 now live - Petts Wood 10k 2011
09/10/2011 now live - Givaudan Ashford 10k 2011
09/10/2011 now live - Badger Half 2011
09/10/2011 now live - Herts 10k 2011
08/10/2011 now live - Dusk till Dawn 2011
08/10/2011 now live - XT MTB Enduro and 10k 2011 - free downloads
02/10/2011 now live - 7Oaks Junior Aquathlon 2011
02/10/2011 now live - Wimbledon 10k October 2011
02/10/2011 now live - Reading O2O 10k 2011
02/10/2011 now live - Basingstoke Half Marathon 2011
02/10/2011 now live - Rowers Revenge 2011
September
25/09/2011 now live - Tonbridge Half Marathon 2011
25/09/2011 now live - Hursley 10k 2011
25/09/2011 Now live - The Big 10k 2011
24/09/2011 now live - XT Festival 2011 - free downloads
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 - Chestnut Tree House 10k 2011
11/09/2011 now live - Bacchus Full and Half Marathon 2011
04/09/2011 now live - Newbury Tri 2011
04/09/2011 now live - Maidenhead Half Marathon 2011
04/09/2011 now live - ETL Spitfire 20+ Tempest 10
August
28/08/2011 now live - Bexhill Tri 2011
28/08/2011 now live - Arundel 10k- free downloads
27/08/2011 now live - Hard as Snails - free downloads
21/08/2011 now live - Ringmer Tri 2011
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
July Going to be archived very soon ! - don't miss out.
30/07/2011 now live - REP BTF Aquathlon 2011- free downloads
27/07/2011 now live - Bexhill 5k
24/07/2011 now live - Down Tow Up Flow Half 2011
24/07/2011 now live - Downland Running Festival 2011

Tuesday 13 December 2011

The Seaford Striders Mince Pie 10, 2011




The Seafords Striders Mince Pie 10 is now live and on line here:
http://bit.ly/MincePie10-official-photos-2011

The eagle eyed of you will have already spotted the images were live on line yesterday, so you've had a head start on looking and ordering your pictures. Apologies for the blog delay - events (as they say).

On Sunday morning it was drier than the forecast had anticipated, with the pre-race rain blowing through before the start, and then starting again after the race. The only challenge was the incredibly strong storm force winds from the south west - but that did help with running back up the downs at the 6 mile mark !
Otherwise at some moments we even had some sun cut through the cloud and put a bit of glow on the ground.

James Baker flew round the course this year with 56:34 over a minute ahead of Mark Dooley in second place - even though both of them broke the magic 1hr mark and taking the course record. Respect for that - I'd be happy with 8 miles under the hour.
Sam Alvarez took the ladies title with a 1:10:45 performance to win by over a minute and a half over Susie Casebourne in 1:12:26.

Overall it was a record turn out - 327 finishers and they didn't run out of Mince Pies !

Results and other race information is available on the Seaford Striders website here: http://www.seafordstriders.org.uk/mincepie.html
The winner James, practising for his Christmas Eve shopping sprint 

Wild Dogs couldn't catch him

The hills were alive with the wings of Angels - variation on the airplane theme


Santa got caught up in the excitement

Good to see both Twins out and hopefully injury free

Mandatory hat wearing, black gloves

Thumbless sock gloves - probably a good idea given the cold wind

Red, black gloves and stripey mittens

No gloves for happy thumbs

A bit of argie-bargie banter on the downhill leg

Minimal fancy dress taken to a whole new level. At least it had Bells on !


Well done to Geoff and Natalie for another well organised event and the whole Seaford Striders team for a fantastically well marshalled race. The Mince Pies were delicious and very welcome after freezing up on the hillside ! I hope your


Next Sunday
The last run for the year is up at the RPAC Holly Run in Reigate - so get yourself up for that, if not yourself - get the kids out for the other distances and nurture the future - http://bit.ly/RPAC-Holly-Run-entries

Christmas orders
Please check the earlier blog post for the last minute orders deadlines before Christmas - and go to the event listed below to get that easy present. A customised whatsathingy with their photo on (or for parents - with your photo on it) - always a winner ! Get the right size digital file and then get onto your favourite on line gift supplier / maker and get that present sorted... (we use the professional services of http://www.photobox.co.uk/ but you might want to use someone else).

Until next time
Anthony

December
11/12/2011
10/12/2011
November
27/11/2011
20/11/2011
13/11/2011
13/11/2011
13/11/2011
12/11/2011
06/11/2011
06/11/2011
05/11/2011
October
30/10/2011
22/10/2011
16/10/2011
16/10/2011
15/10/2011
09/10/2011
09/10/2011
09/10/2011
09/10/2011
08/10/2011
08/10/2011
02/10/2011
02/10/2011
02/10/2011
02/10/2011
02/10/2011
September
25/09/2011
25/09/2011
25/09/2011
24/09/2011
18/09/2011
18/09/2011
11/09/2011
11/09/2011
04/09/2011
04/09/2011
04/09/2011
August
28/08/2011
28/08/2011
27/08/2011
21/08/2011
20/08/2011
20/08/2011
20/08/2011
14/08/2011
07/08/2011
Albums below will be ARCHIVED SOON
30/07/2011
27/07/2011
24/07/2011
24/07/2011

Monday 12 December 2011

Brutal 10 Race 3 now live



 4300 pictures of Brutal mud and sweat are now live and online here:
http://bit.ly/Brutal10-v2-R3-2011-race-photos

Over 200 cold hardened Athletes and Canine companions decided that the army training grounds at Bordon were the place to be on Saturday, the coldest morning of December so far.
With the car thermometer cracking up to -1DegC (from -3.5) when we arrived and with the sun slowly glinting over the trees it was a quick shake of wet muddy hands with Dave who had just run the course to check it for safety and ensure it wasn't too easy. Apparently it wasn't and he pointed me to a few of the trickier locations for Mike and I to go and take a look at ready for the race.

Checking across different points around the course and figuring a plan of action we aimed for 6 different points with two priority locations of the 6k swamp and the 9k tunnel which you will find are probably the most fun shots to have a look at !  Hope you enjoy the gallery, another fantastic race put on by Colin, Dave and Allan with their team of volunteers and the fantastic food from Tom, I recommend the Currywurst.

 The Next Brutal 10 is at Longmore, on the day before you have to go back to work after New Years day - i.e. the 2nd January.
Click here to go to the Brutal website: http://www.brutalrun.co.uk/ and get your entry in soon !

Across the frozen fields at the start


Don't mess with the tame wolfs
Fun up to your knees

All ok So far at 4k


Carry your small friend with you under your arm

Canicross with your mascot

Honest, proper running. Just not on grass.

From up here I can see for miles

At one with nature

Apparently it was cold.
Through the tunnel of love


Runners over the top and then down and round

Soundbite - "And your going on a diet after this" "woof".
All happy with a quick wash down near the finish
off together into the woods upstream.
So the Brutal race Gallery is live and online here:
http://bit.ly/Brutal10-v2-R3-2011-race-photos


Next race for us is the RPAC Holly Run kids races - the very last run out before christmas ! http://www.rpac.org.uk/index.php?p=hollyrun

The Seaford Mince Pie 10 is just uploading as I type, so that will be blogged up next !
until next time
Anthony
(p.s. current live gallery list is below - get them before they are archived)

Click here for our race finding link page on the blog


Current Event listing
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 - Poppy Half 2011
13/11/2011 now live - Phoenix Preston Park Races 2011
13/11/2011 now live - Grand Union Canal Half 2011
12/11/2011 now live - Brutal 10 Race 2 2011
06/11/2011 now live - Veteran Car Run 2011
06/11/2011 now live - Loseley 10k 2011 - free downloads
05/11/2011 now live - Future Car Challenge Run 2011
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
16/10/2011 now live - Kellystore Guildford 2011 - free downloads
15/10/2011 now live - Brutal 10 Race 1 2011
09/10/2011 now live - Givaudan Ashford 10k 2011
09/10/2011 now live - Badger Half 2011
09/10/2011 now live - Herts 10k 2011
09/10/2011 now live - Petts Wood 10k 2011
08/10/2011 now live - XT MTB Enduro and 10k 2011 - free downloads
08/10/2011 now live - Dusk till Dawn 2011
02/10/2011 now live - Reading O2O 10k 2011
02/10/2011 now live - Basingstoke Half Marathon 2011
02/10/2011 now live - Rowers Revenge 2011
02/10/2011 now live - 7Oaks Junior Aquathlon 2011
02/10/2011 now live - Wimbledon 10k October 2011
25/09/2011 now live - Hursley 10k 2011
25/09/2011 Now live - The Big 10k 2011
25/09/2011 now live - Tonbridge Half Marathon 2011
24/09/2011 now live - XT Festival 2011 - free downloads
18/09/2011 now live - Kellystore Joyden Woods 10k - free downloads
18/09/2011 now live - Pilgrims Half and Full Marathon 2011
11/09/2011 now live - Chestnut Tree House 10k 2011
11/09/2011 now live - Bacchus Full and Half Marathon 2011
04/09/2011 now live - Newbury Tri 2011
04/09/2011 now live - Maidenhead Half Marathon 2011
04/09/2011 now live - ETL Spitfire 20+ Tempest 10
28/08/2011 now live - Bexhill Tri 2011
28/08/2011 now live - Arundel 10k- free downloads
27/08/2011 now live - Hard as Snails - free downloads
21/08/2011 now live - Ringmer Tri 2011
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
Archiving soon
30/07/2011 now live - REP BTF Aquathlon 2011- free downloads
27/07/2011 now live - Bexhill 5k
24/07/2011 now live - Down Tow Up Flow Half 2011
24/07/2011 now live - Downland Running Festival 2011

Monday 5 December 2011

Year End Review and Christmas 2011


The Christmas shopping rush begins...

The Annual Christmas Discount Sale !  All prices held at 2011 prices until year end...

A bit about Christmas Discount prices, some stuff about the busy year, and Christmas order deadline dates. And some happy pictures (as usual).

Christmas Discount
Everyone knows that photographs get more valuable as time goes by, which is why we don't offer any crazy discounts on your pictures as they get older, and because we're nice we don't put the prices up either (but that's a thought!) - also you're not cheap and the images always get better value over time.
There was Snow last year just before Christmas

We work hard to keep our prices realistic and good honest value all through the year and now is no different - so get to the gallery to get hold of your precious memories today whilst they are still there (there's a big list of races still live at the bottom of this blog).


Fun at the Bexhill 5k this year.
From personal experience I know photos get more valuable because the ones I have of my parents and family I cherish more every day. Once they are gone, they are gone. In a recent survey the family photo album was top of the list of things people would grab in a house fire on the way out, although I'm not sure how that works with digital computing and the advent of "the cloud". Anyhow - just ask any ex-runner if they regret not having a photo from a particular race and I'll bet you'll get a long breakdown of their best performance in a race ever - a thousand words that cold have been said with one picture !
We make you look cool. It's our job.

I've never heard anyone yet complain that they have too many photos of themselves playing sport especially once they have stopped playing the sport - they are a guaranteed risk free purchase as presents for friends and club mates!
You can even buy a picture for your Mum if you like James...

Some might complain that they don't look "model perfect" in a particular race photo, however I can attest to this now - nobody looks perfect in a race - you're not supposed to. Actually the better and harder and more effort a runner puts into a race, the less model perfect they look, and the more human and real it becomes, and hence a better memory.
The legend that is Jacko. He retired from Sussex, but came back because it was too boring up north. Definitely not an Ex-runner.
 
 The bad news is we all become ex-runners at some point, I broke my foot for example, and I'll never do a PB again after that (18mins for 5k allegedly), for others, it's the knees, or for some, it's the family - and then how do you prove that you were once a runner to your youngest and dearest when they ask for proof ? Get that photo now before it's too late. Frame it and put it up in the small room with your other certificates where they will one day see it and doubt it really is you with hair.
The 10 legged Tempest 10 - time for a team Tshirt

Still not too late

The good news is it's still not to late to get some of the pictures we hold from 2011, and so below at the bottom is a list of events and race photos that are still currently available on the gallery.

Whilst the economy continues to trudge along the blunt edge of a EU butter knife trying to cut a garlic filled sauerkraut, and with 2012 not looking much brighter so far unless you're an administrator in Brussels, you can guarantee yourself a small ray of sunshine by looking at your 2011 race photos, getting the best one for yourself and perhaps your best friend from *that race* and make sure you keep it safe for when you need it.

There is a full list of races below at the bottom of this blog that are currently still on line on the gallery. Go and have a look now and get your best friend a picture as a secret Santa for the office party.

Christmas post and snow = give it plenty of time
Christmas Last Order deadlines: UK Mainland Only
  • Digital downloads - instant delivery - no deadline, even Christmas day at 9pm - they're yours.
  • Medium and High resolution files by email - Wednesday the 21st December
  • Prints by post - Thursday 15th December
  • Mugs and Mouse mats - Monday 12th of December
  • All Images@event collections
    • By Server Download - Tuesday the 20th December
    • By Post on a CD - Saturday the 17th December
There is no greater happiness than self fulfilment

The joy of ordering your images on time for Christmas feels a bit like this


The hard data for 2012
Some people seem to think that photography is a magical process that doesn't take much time and effort, fuel or involve anything like server hosting costs (strangely this frequently seems to be freelance writers on paid jobs asking for free images for their magazine article. Words are cheap, but not free apparently), but having been a spreadsheet guru in my previous line of work (still available for consultant work...), I thought I'd share what we get up to using some of the numbers. With over 15 professional photographers now on our team it takes a fair bit to make sure they all get their commissions correctly at the end of the month. With over 23 new events this year it's been quite busy with my last free Sunday not attending an event having being Easter Sunday back in April. I will be seeing my daughter this Christmas.

It's teamwork wot gets your images on line innit.

This year (up to the end of November for 2011) we saw over 75,251 performances, across 135 events putting over 970,846 images for sale on line. That's 19% more people at 12% more events than last year with 50% more images making it onto the gallery than last year. That worked out at 26% more images per runner at an average of 12.9 each, of which on average there were 614 runners per race.

Still with it ?

Additionally in 2011, we covered 24 events where over 120,845 images were put on line for free download (worth £5.45 each !) with over 6368 runners getting almost 19 images free each - good value for the event organisers and the competitors, with free download rates in the ~80% range for most events.
Caged like Monkeys in the office we work long into the night (2am mostly) to get images online for your delight the next day.
And now there is over 7600 of you on the blog subscribers list (it would be many more but they didn't click on the email anti-spam sign-up confirmation when they got it), I have to watch what I say here. Allegedly.


It's not all free !
Work wise we have put in over 941 hours attending events, and more than 1600 hours in the office to bring you the images, that's up a total of 29% on last year - and I'm not including travel time, preparation time or other general office admin, marketing and blog writing in that total time - it's just time spent getting and putting images on line for you !
Also we now have a team of three image hardened individuals who work on Sundays and Mondays going through all the pictures we take to make sure only the finest quality images get shown to you - none of your out of focus blurry stuff on a small preview that you can't really tell anything with, but I won't mention those other companies...

Hurry now to get those photos from this years races so you have something to show your friends at Christmas when they ask what on earth you've been doing and why haven't you seen them all year.


Next Weekend is mostly - 
Saturday - The Brutal 10 - race 3 - http://www.brutalrun.co.uk/ simple but brilliant off road racing
Sunday - Mince Pie 10 at Seaford  http://www.seafordstriders.org.uk/mincepie.html you win a mincepie and a sense of self worth.


So until next time,
Anthony



The current gallery list, in reverse order - the July events will be leaving us very soon.

November Race Name Pictures
27/11/2011 now live - The 3xMolehills 2011 3700 files
20/11/2011 now live - Brighton 10k 2011 23783 files
13/11/2011 now live - Poppy Half 2011 5445 files
13/11/2011 now live - Phoenix Preston Park Races 2011 1832 files
13/11/2011 now live - Grand Union Canal Half 2011 10874 files
12/11/2011 now live - Brutal 10 Race 2 2011 2313 files
06/11/2011 now live - Veteran Car Run 2011 12618 files
06/11/2011 now live - Loseley 10k 2011 - free downloads 10932 files
05/11/2011 now live - Future Car Challenge Run 2011 313 files
October Race Name Pictures
30/10/2011 now live - Barns Green Half Marathon 2011 29112 files
22/10/2011 now live - Beachy Head Marathon 2011 35653 files
16/10/2011 now live - Abingdon Marathon 2011 28756 files
16/10/2011 now live - Kellystore Guildford 2011 - free downloads 4001 files
15/10/2011 now live - Brutal 10 Race 1 2011 1505 files
09/10/2011 now live - Petts Wood 10k 2011 3895 files
09/10/2011 now live - Givaudan Ashford 10k 2011 6728 files
09/10/2011 now live - Badger Half 2011 5570 files
09/10/2011 now live - Herts 10k 2011 20207 files
08/10/2011 now live - Dusk till Dawn 2011 2355 files
08/10/2011 now live - XT MTB Enduro and 10k 2011 - free downloads 5459 files
02/10/2011 now live - Rowers Revenge 2011 2277 files
02/10/2011 now live - 7Oaks Junior Aquathlon 2011 1548 files
02/10/2011 now live - Wimbledon 10k October 2011 3318 files
02/10/2011 now live - Reading O2O 10k 2011 4692 files
02/10/2011 now live - Basingstoke Half Marathon 2011 26329 files
September Race Name Pictures
25/09/2011 now live - Tonbridge Half Marathon 2011 13510 files
25/09/2011 now live - Hursley 10k 2011 4856 files
25/09/2011 Now live - The Big 10k 2011 3618 files
24/09/2011 now live - XT Festival 2011 - free downloads 11889 files
18/09/2011 now live - Pilgrims Half and Full Marathon 2011 18163 files
18/09/2011 now live - Kellystore Joyden Woods 10k - free downloads 2071 files
11/09/2011 now live - Bacchus Full and Half Marathon 2011 7881 files
11/09/2011 now live - Chestnut Tree House 10k 2011 12896 files
04/09/2011 now live - Newbury Tri 2011 4290 files
04/09/2011 now live - Maidenhead Half Marathon 2011 20355 files
04/09/2011 now live - ETL Spitfire 20+ Tempest 10 7022 files
August Race Name Pictures
28/08/2011 now live - Bexhill Tri 2011 3692 files
28/08/2011 now live - Arundel 10k- free downloads 6327 files
27/08/2011 now live - Hard as Snails - free downloads 5693 files
21/08/2011 now live - Ringmer Tri 2011 2142 files
20/08/2011 now live - F3 Dorney Triathons 2011 12324 files
20/08/2011 now live - Pride Run 2011 11392 files
20/08/2011 now live - Big South Swim 2011 1089 files
14/08/2011 now live - REP Birdman Swim 2011 1409 files
07/08/2011 now live - Milland Valley 2011 3868 files
July Race Name Pictures
30/07/2011 now live - REP BTF Aquathlon 2011- free downloads 2843 files
27/07/2011 now live - Bexhill 5k 3258 files
24/07/2011 now live - Down Tow Up Flow Half 2011 13058 files
24/07/2011 now live - Downland Running Festival 2011 2240 files