The Running Show, Pic2Go UK and ETL 3 Molehills 2014

It's been a very busy week here - essentially the end of the Half marathon autumn season brings in the Running Show and the relay race that is the Events to Live 3 Molehills.

Gallery links below for both races that took part in the unseasonably wet weather for the events, frankly if I had made it through these races in this rain I'd want some sort of evidence too !

Race	Gallery Link
ETL 3 Molehills	http://bit.ly/ETL-Molehills-2014-Race-Gallery
Sandown Gallops	Sandown Gallops - free download gallery These were taken for PR use, but we have made that gallery free for all. A bit less than our usual coverage, but you should be able to find yourself.

We also kept ourselves busy by preparing for and exhibiting the Pic2Go system in full fight at the Running Show Exhibition. If you went - we were over in with the super chaps at Run247 giving out the main event goody bags on stand K50. (http://runningshow.co.uk/exhibitors/#collapse2723757)

Demonstrating the technology was good fun - after registering their barcode and then selecting a Santa message, we took peoples photos and uploaded and identified the images using the Pic2Go system direct to their personal facebook timeline.

The conversation immediately after their photo was taken would be something like this:
Customer: "Will that be online soon ?"
Pic2Go: "Yes it's there now"
Customer: "Now ??"
Pic2Go: "Yes, check your facebook page on your phone"
Customer: "what? err ok WOW !! It's there already" "How do you do that!?" "That's witchcraft" etc etc
and generally much fun was had getting the shots online for everyone to share with their friends who were - or were not there...

Rory was offering a traditional Christmas service

Hopefully Santa will bring Cycling Shoes !

Some messages were more factual

It all seemed to work out quite well !

and our friends at Reigate Half had a message for you...

It was a very practical demonstration of the power and speed of the Pic2Go system - but also of how wide a reach that it can achieve in a measurable way.

Sharing and reach with Pic2Go
Given we were taking our time on the stand in explaining the system and only took photos of 157 people who shared their photos on Facebook (that's about 5-10 minutes chatting to each person given there were sometimes three of us on the stand) - the potential reach from the photos posted was 42,430 friends !!

We know some people turned up at the event on Sunday because of the Pic2Go images that they had seen from the Saturday, so it definitely helped get visitors to the show !

As an example of the size of marketing power that Pic2Go delivers - for a 2000 person race - you're going to be able to reach about half a million people via facebook - and this kind of advertising reach is very valuable to race sponsors - more used to putting names on race bibs or providing t-shirts this gives them a new option and it's a win-win for all the runners involved.

We managed to survive the two days at the show, and even took some shots of the races on the sunday as an extra bonus - which is in the Sandown Gallops gallery - as these were primarily for PR they aren't our usual blanket coverage - however I think Tony managed to get most people... and I'm not going to bore you with pictures of the stand either ;-) we did however shift a lot of goody bags with Paul and Andrew from Run247.com

The Running Awards
With the above Pic2Go at the Running Show exhibition in mind it's been officially announced today that we are providing the Pic2Go service to all the attendees at the Running Awards ceremony on Friday the 24th April 2015
http://www.sports-insight.co.uk/associate-news/the-running-awards-2015-and-pic2go-team-up-for-exclusive-social-media-photo

Here's the fun bit - we now have to be there to work - so please help us make the shortlist that closes on Sunday by voting for this Blog and then we can take some selfies on the night too when we hopefully win an award !
Vote for us here: http://bit.ly/vote-for-SSP-Blog and hopefully a big thank you to everyone who has clicked through on the link AND voted for us so far :-)



Meanwhile over at Denbies, there was the three stage - 3 Molehills relay race going one.
Unfortunately the stepping stones were flooded over - so it was the bridge route only for everyone to get up the top of Col du Boite on the first leg.
Frankly it was amazing that nobody drowned on the pavements, and there is a very thorough blog from Nicky detailing exactly how this was avoided here:  http://eventstolive.co.uk/blog/three-molehills-2014-the-wet-one
I won't even attempt to compete with that, so here's a few shots from the rain. I mean, er, race.

Now it's the winter season and we all need new hi-viz waterproofs or shoes, if you are around the Leatherhead area, I would encourage you to get you Running Kit from their mothership http://www.runtolive.co.uk/

All three relay legs, or an identity crisis ?

Three legged man does all legs of the race ?

Grumpy weather face

"The Hill behind me is THIS big". Er actually it's a bit bigger.

Victory in sight, well, the end of leg 2 anyway.

Everyone got wet. Hats or no Hats.

Right that's it from us for a short while. If we can find a babysitter then this is the first clear weekend days we will have had off work since the 11th and 12th of January, and will hopefully spend it on Saturday night with Burgess Hill Runners on their annual end of season dinner (well Sally is a paid up member). Fingers crossed on the Tombola. 90's clothing they said, so the Uni Shellsuit/Tracksuit is coming out of retirement...
After that on the 7th of December it's The Hogs Back, (spaces) and the Mince Pie 10 (full) - both have pic2go barcodes on their race numbers (to help us get the galleries online quickly), so we should have those available as easy Christmas present galleries for the £10 price bracket (prints or digital files to make custom christmas cards are an easy win!).

Otherwise don't forget to check the gallery for your recent race photos before they get archived - the 3 month gallery online will go faster than you think, especially as you get older...

Until next time !

Anthony

Brighton 10k, and Brutal Long Valley 2014 - Galleries live

Ok, so not quite sure how that worked out so well, but two dry gaps in the weather for the Brutal and the Brighton 10k. In fact if the Brighton 10k hadn't started half an hour earlier at 9:30 we would have been caught in a heavy shower...

Fog finally cleared off the Brutal course near the end of the race, so the lovely views back over the hills from the top were replaced with misty (and dark if you checked the back of a camera and the light readings) eerie conditions to be wading across lakes and along ditches where you're not quite sure where it's all leading to making it all the more fun. Some would say they like a bit of rain, but those post race chilli from Tom just wouldn't be the same in the rain...in a field, surrounded by mud.

Either way, I know both race directors were rather pleased that the weather held off, as indeed were we - for two great events...

And so - to the galleries !

Race	Race Gallery Link
Brutal Long Valley	http://bit.ly/Brutal-Long-Valley-2014-Race-Gallery
Brooks Brighton 10k	http://bit.ly/Brighton-10k-2014-Race-Gallery
Next Weekend
The Running Show	Get your free entry ticket for this weekend here: http://bit.ly/RunningShow We're going to be exhibiting Pic2Go on stand K50 - so come along and say Hi ! (We might even have some exclusive SSP Tshirts and BUffs for sale, and even competition prizes...)

In other news - if you are bored with typing SussexSportPhotography.com to get to the website - you can just type SSPimg.com   - only to get to the homepage, and not for anything else - but it will save you a ton of typing...and then it's just clicks from there.

SURVEY
And now - for those of you who like to help shape companies by giving them excellent feedback (You may remember the great screen resolution collection survey of 2012 - and look where that got us !!) - please have a look at this survey and help us to shape the future of our business once again:
http://bit.ly/search-box-survey
This will shape the future of your gallery, web experience, and determine which way our business grows - so put in an answer... it's in your very best interest.

Now, assuming you have looked at the survey - here's a couple of pictures for you from the weekends action ....


The Brooks Brighton 10k 2014

Over 3100 runners took a swipe at the new course - on the roads all the way - making it flatter and faster than ever before. And probably a bit safer without people walking about on the seafront pavements with their prams and dog leads...

John Pepper takes the side eye from left and right

Not taking it seriously almost cost him at a second at the start

The queue for the Steve Ovett Memorial toilets started to get out of hand

Time for a run !

It all looks so controlled

Second timing mat sorted out and on the way

He was just checking with the timing guys they get this

Good work into the finish

 

Famous bearded comedian

Infamous bearded friend Ed

Early leaders past the wheel

Often we just come to take landscape photos and the runners get in the way. What we call it when this happens is "Context".

Nothing quite like enjoying your running with friends

That's what 3200 people look like at the start of a race

Agent Smith gave Neo a head start, but was chasing him down

"I can't hear you I'm wearing headphones, but I'll look interested anyway, I'm sure it's important"

The joy of finishing !

7 Up. and you still don't get to see the team back in the office who turned around our 70,000+ images in 24hrs...

Brutal Long Valley 2014
It's a wet, hilly, sandy, muddy, not too boggy (comparing with others), festival of Brutality. The dogs did well too...

Ahh family sized bogs

Reduced to their hands and knees. Don't give up now !

Bailey had a good run

Almost at the top of the last hill !

tripping the light fantastic at the last bog

"really ? You know my feelings on this."

teamwork. Because someone has to keep their hands clean.

Sistine Chapel it's not, but you get the point

Ahh, spotted on the bank at last... Dave and his action man eagle eyes

See, not that deep...it was merely a shin wash

Double thumbs up at the end, so must have been good !!

Right that's it for this week, see you at the Running show, (you can do a 10k there on the sunday too) or at the Events to Live - Three Molehills on Sunday

Give the survey a visit and help us to help you ! http://bit.ly/search-box-survey

Until next time,
Anthony

PP Grand Union Canal Half Marathon 2014 and next weekend

Somehow the rain held off for the 8th running of the Purple Patch Grand Union Canal Half marathon. With lightning and thunder passing through the south east over night, the tow path along the course was a little bit puddly, but otherwise in very good condition. No frost and no rain during the race either - made for perfect conditions along the lovely canal paths, bridges and locks.

Another excellent event from the Purple Patch stable that goes with the Down-tow-up-flow half marathon and the Maidenhead Half marathon - to name a few...

Race Logo	Race Gallery link
Purple Patch Grand Union Canal Half Marathon	http://bit.ly/PP-Grand-Union-Half-2014-Race-Gallery
Provisional Race results: http://dbmax.racetecresults.com/results.aspx?CId=16421&RId=2073	Entries open for next years race - Race website: http://bit.ly/PP_Upcoming_races

And are we going to see you at the Running Show  in two weekends time on the 22/23rd of november ?

Have you got your free ticket yet ?

We will be there demonstrating the Pic2Go technology and helping you enter the competition on the Run247.com stand !

and in other news - did you manage to vote for us (the Sussex Sport Photograpy Blog - yes scroll down the list to the bottom!) last week in the Running Awards ? almost 7 of you clicked on the link to the voting - thank you !!! It's only 20 days until the shortlist is announced - lets hope we can make it that far ... best blog ?  go on ;-)  Otherwise you're not allowed to look at the pictures next...


In pictures - the Grand Union Canal Half Marathon

nice run along the locks at about 2miles

2 thumbs - must be two miles

All going smoothly at 3miles for Wei

Seriously questioning the photographer at 3.2 miles

Up the first main hill of the day

Unbelievable fortitude and excellent double guns

Seb always takes your photo if you blow him a kiss

Ealinger Eagling

Did very well to win the ladies race in a sharp 1:28

All is good

all smiles charging into the finish - must be the headgear

Martin won the mens race in 1:18:45, five seconds after I made it to the finish line

Proper celebration arms and shout !!

Right - that's it for a few days, with a Brutal 10k on Saturday and the Brighton 10k on sunday
Still a few last entries for the Brutal - don't miss out they are seriously far too much fun !!

Until next time,

Anthony