Wednesday 27 April 2016

Running Awards, Southampton, Brutal, Heart of the Wolds and REP Bluebell 2016



Early morning wake up at Southampton last Sunday, so early the curtains were still drawn
Good morning Sportspeople, (well it was morning when I started writing this)


The biggest and busiest weekend of the year is now behind us - timed to coincide with the London Marathon weekend everything seems to crash onto the same few days, compounded by my youngest daughters school dance performance (unmissable!) and having volunteered to do the parent videos making for a bit of a tight getaway to get to the Running Awards at the O2 through the rush hour M25 traffic on a Friday night.
Pic2Go UK


We were working with Pic2Go to promote and provide images for all the event attendees and prize winners instantly and directly to their social media feeds - something that continues to amaze and impress people so much, many just put it down to witchcraft. It is indeed groovy cool IT Witchcraft, but amazingly powerful, and it can work for mass participation races too as live race photos for competitors. What's not to like ? Get in touch with them if you want to know more.


You can read the rest of the gallery list below and figure out just how busy we have been after that on 5hrs of sleep on the Friday night - but suffice to say we are not quite back with it yet (hence the slightly late news blog, sorry about that). Hopefully you're feeling recovered from your runs at the weekend, be it training or racing - there was a popular marathon up in London as well if you hadn't noticed - and a very well done to all of you who managed to get a place (half the battle) and take part.

Olympics Time
Yes you're 4 years older since 2012. And a quick reminder - It's now 100 days until the start of the Rio Olympics - on the 5th of August. Unfortunately it's possibly a bit late to start training if you were thinking of competing, some of the others started 6 years ago, when they were 10. And if the theory of 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert is anything to go by, I've only got another 35 years to go if my Strava app record is accurate, although my Fat-bit seems to track things more usefully. Age-group Olympics anyone ?

Survey Time
The survey is still open on what you like (here) - discount corner is climbing the rankings, but it seems generally you like a bit of silly captions the most with a bit of a rant sometimes. Make your vote count !
So in no particular order of popularity...

Latest Galleries from this weekend
Date Event Gallery Page
Fri-22/04/2016 The Running Awards http://therunningawards.com/
Sat-23/04/2016 Southampton - Fun Run and Schools challenge http://bit.ly/Southampton-Fun-Run-Gallery-2016
Sat-23/04/2016 Brutal Windmill Hill http://bit.ly/Brutal-Windmill-Hill-Gallery-2016
Sun-24/04/2016 Heart of the Wolds Sportive http://bit.ly/Wolds-Sportive-Gallery-2016
Sun-24/04/2016 Southampton Half Marathon and 10k http://bit.ly/Southampton-Half-Gallery-2016
Sun-24/04/2016 REP Bluebell - Free race downloads http://bit.ly/REP-Bluebell-Gallery-2016


Don't forget the previous weekend !
Date Event Gallery Page
Sat-16/04/2016 AAT Clandon Park Run http://bit.ly/AAT-Clandon-Park-Run-Gallery-2016
Sun-17/04/2016 7Oaks Tri http://bit.ly/7Oaks-Tri-Gallery-2016

Discount Entry Corner - New Races ! 
(Event directors - please just get in touch if you want to offer a discount)
Date Race Event link Special SSP Discount code
Saturday 6 June The Hurt (5k, 10k, 20k) http://bit.ly/the-hurt-entry SSP10
26-Jun-16 Harry Hawkes 10 http://bit.ly/HarryHawkes SSP10HH
25-Sep-16 The Winchester Half Marathon http://bit.ly/Winchester-Half SSP10
25-Sep-16 Royal Borough of Kingston Half Marathon http://bit.ly/kingstonhalfmarathon SSP10RBK


ARCHIVES
All 2015 race archives are here: http://bit.ly/SSP-2015-Gallery-Archive
We are starting to archive off Early 2016 events now - and will advise on their archive location in good time. Get your orders in for January and February events before they go very very soon (some have gone already).


Caption and photo corner
With so many events and nearly 170,000 new images on the gallery, it's been a bit of a task to get the right ones for the blog... and I apologies now for missing out any friends and colleagues, or indeed for including you. Whichever - you know it is probably for the best anyway.

The 2016 Running Awards
The Running Awards
A fun filled awards event where event directors and race organisers actually get half a chance to meet each other along with race sponsors, running experts and some of the industry makers and shakers.
Many had been working at the London Marathon Expo across the river, so the chance to get out and take in a different view for a while was welcomed as well as drink a bit of vino.
Parkrun had Nell give them their prize for best race series

Ealing won best Half Marathon - again for the third year
Obstacle Race Magazine got all passionate on the podium
Congratulations to Tom and Tim of the Brighton Marathon (inevitably second behind London that obviously has more voters) they have worked hard every year to improve the runner experience
David Hellard, fresh from the Marathon De Sables, where he clocked 17th overall (ex 1000 entrants) for best GBR. He did a nice job at London on the Sunday to clock 3:14:49 which was just a little over form as he was a 3:15 pacer.


Another excellent muddy adventure from the Brutal team - no artificial obstacles here - just proper hard cross country running...
If it's splishy splashy, be careful who you run behind

get on with it !!

Just a few hills

not seen this hill descent technique before ?

The realisation your dog is faster than you

Double thumbs for icy water


Are we having fun yet ? Someone is...
The Annual Angmering Bluebell Run didn't fail to deliver another great 10mile and 10k with a new course record being set - more news here - very well done Team REP on another excellent race !

Nuts on the trail past the bluebells

more proof that race number belts don't work, and the associated poses of frustration at them

They're getting better on the timing of these

Hi Bob  !

The Hills are alive etc etc

It's actually the law that you have to run with your arms up around this corner

Top work on the trails

The motivation of being chased by invisible zombies

All ok, no zombies here

Spongebob fast pants for the win

Running makes you smile. Even after *that* final hill

Big congratulations to Chris and the team who put together another fantastic half and 10k for the second time. Significant route changes, and organisational logistics made for a great runner experience - along with a perfect temperature and sunshine to be running in.
First up was the fun run and schools challenge:

Everyone starting to get ready for the start of the junior races

Chris called in route clearance as the Mayor watched closely

All fast at the front as they are released to race

Always a good sight to see any race get under way


Pre-race checking that the timing was ready with Will from DBMax - go here for your results 

The Mayor disappeared from sight momentarily

In no particular order from the main event on Sunday - captions with some help from the race number bibs...

Lauro gets the VIP treatment

All off from the start with the boom video camera moving swiftly too

Hello Julie !

I think he broke a sweat - but we are still uncertain

proper smiling finish

Benmyname was pleased to finish

may have been delayed by the pub stop ?

Rolling road closures as the race progressed

Miss Hampshire and IOW titles are getting a little competitive these days

Paula Radcliffe had a good run out

Good game Brucey

Yaay for the winners !

Keeping a watchful eye out on support

Fair play to him - he got the medal pre-engraved with "will you marry me", I think it got given to the right person too. Probably could have been messy if it hadn't. (This was just the photoshoot aftermath and oscars) Our congratulations to them both !

Victory waving for beginners - please both of you - try not to take out the person overtaking you

His secret is out - four legs are better than two

To be Frank, when we spot dodgy looking numbers, we always report them Helen 

His couch to 5 pints plan is going very well indeed [number says "I need a beer"]

proper happy to be finishing

no. simply no.

nice full and a busy after the first bit of downhill

photographer hell. 

Still looking busy after the first hill back to the high street

Angry Birds running vests are an actual thing !

Hello Mr Lighter

Unsure if he is wiping away a tear or blowing his nose on his Pompey kit ?

Run for it !

Matt Le Tissier managed to avoid the screaming fans

Always a shout out for my last club - especially when they take 3rd place !

Thumbs up for over the bridge

Just add a C, and Andy becomes Candy ! very respectable 1:55 chip time.

Probably the hardest fancy dress entry of the day - top work

Finding a guide that can go this fast must be a challenge - top running


Fine form at turn three on her way to victory in the 10k

yes - 100% human - and feeling it ?!

Silently she tried to signal her fear of running

Top flying feet at the finish

time for cookies !

Top running, top smile, what it is all about !


And this is what we are going to be getting up to soon  - only the 4 events on this Sunday !

Sun-01/05/2016 Ranelagh Half http://bit.ly/Ranelagh-Half
Sun-01/05/2016 YMCA Fun Run http://www.ymcaredhill.com/get-involved/fun-run-2013
Sun-01/05/2016 REP Steyning Tri http://www.rawenergypursuits.co.uk/events/steyning-triathlon/
Sun-01/05/2016 3Forts http://bit.ly/3-Forts-Challenge
Sun-08/05/2016 Seaford Half http://bit.ly/Seaford-Half
Sun-08/05/2016 EG Tri http://www.egtri.com/index.php/race-home
Sun-15/05/2016 Bognor 10k http://www.bognorprom10k.org/
Sun-15/05/2016 Oxford 10k http://www.townandgown10k.com/oxford/
Sun-15/05/2016 Kelly's Cycle Challenge https://charity.kellystorage.co.uk/
Sun-15/05/2016 Godalming Run http://www.godalmingrun.org/
Sun-29/05/2016 REP Arundel Tri http://www.rawenergypursuits.co.uk/events/arundel-triathlon/
Sat-04/06/2016 The Hurt http://allabouttriathlons.co.uk/race/the-hurt/
Sun-12/06/2016 ETL Polesden Lacey http://www.eventstolive.co.uk/events/information/polsden-lacey-10k
Sun-12/06/2016 Mid Sussex Tri http://www.midsussextriclub.com/the-mid-sussex-triathlon.aspx

Right, I'd better keep on working through the galleries and sort out the parents video as well !
very well done to everyone who got up and out at the weekend and I hope to see you out again soon,
Until next time
Anthony