Do you remember
2013 ? (ok I can't remember back to March now, with this lockdown) hazy memories of a year after the London Olympics, Andy Murray won wimbledon, the UK assumed presidency of the G8 group (we were a world power back then!), the News of the World phone hacking scandal broke, the vote for scottish independance was announced for 2014, Margaret Thatcher died, David Milliband resigned as an MP, and the 14th of May, the conservative party announced their draft EU referendum bill under David Cameron as PM of a coalition government, but it was not put into the Queens Speech due to the Liberal Democrats, so it remained a Conservative Party objective.
Same sex couples marriage was legalised, Lee Rigby was murdered in the street, Health secretary Jeremy Hunt put 11 hospitals on special measures for poor performance, Prince George was born, and government "go home" advert vans drove around london. Fatbergs were a thing, Chemical attacks in Syria caused parliament to be recalled, and by a majority of just 7 votes, the MPs vote to stay out of the Syrian conflict, Peter Higgs gets the nobel prize for his work on discovering the Higgs boson, and Alan Turing was given a postumous Royal Pardon, whilst the Privy Coucil passed a Royal Charter on press regulations.
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| there was a lot of debate on lots of things in 2013 |
It was in summary, a busy year 2013 - the cracks were starting to show in the thin end of the wedge of nationalistic popularism and politics. Have a read of the wikipedia timeline page, there was a lot of stuff going on, and perhaps the sign of things to come were being waved in our faces ? However we came 19th out of 26 in
Eurovision, which is better than usual, but then it was Bonnie Tyler.
Looking back puts things now into context and we can see just how far we have come in what is now 7 years. Do you have an itch yet ?
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| Who knew in 2013 that someones husband was going to join UKIP ? |
In Athletics,
Andrew Cotter, of the now spoof pet labradoor commentaries started work at the BBC Athletics coverage, and there was the tragic terrorist Boston Marathon Bombing, Chris Froome won the 100th tour de france, Mo Farah won the 5000m and 10000m at the IAAF champs, and Christine Ohuruogu won her second IAAF 400m gold medal an amazing achievement.
So - what did you do in 2013 ? I mean, I can't remember last week at the moment, or even yesterday, but can you remember a running number you had at any race we might have covered ? Is it in your old A4 folder box of race numbers ? in your training diary ? and you can't be bothered to remember if it was in june or july ? panic not - if you have a race number there's an easy option ! (you might see it from an old phone photo before or after the race?)
Just browse the whole year !
Take the easy option and just browse the entire 2013 gallery for that race number ! - just go into it at the whole year view (
here) and stick your race number in. Everyone with that race number will come up in the search results across all the races we did, but it will probably only be about 4 pages of browsing (500 thumbnails per page) thumbnails and you'll see yourself easily enough.
Older blog links
One of the small problems we have is that all the blog links before November 2016 refer to the code our old gallery provider website used, which results in a 404 page not found error when you click on the links in the old blogs (on the left list here). So you can read the blogs on the left, but the links won't work - you'll need to go to the event via the main gallery start page
here whenver you see the 404 error page - just go straight up to the gallery page at the top - just don't give up !
Race Cancellation update
Everything is cancelled at least until 2021 (stands and waves arm along the horizon). If you support social distancing and applying common sense of avoiding being contaminated - yep, it's cancelled. To be honest, you know this - your not looking for a race either
https://findarace.com/the-pulse
That means we have no work, and therefore - no income. So please go back and buy some pictures that you always meant to buy but never got around to, anything since 2013 is very very easy for you to find, and I would be forever greatful, as would my kids beacuse they like eating apparently. My solar panels are earning more money than me at the moment, even in the shade. This is not sustainable.
Strava was good but, not *that good* (ie not as good as Fetcheveryone).
The only handy thing about strava was seeing if I'm ever getting back to running my favourite 5k loop a bit faster. That free thing has gone (where have you been? not reading the proper news it seems). However I can still check on Fetcheveryone, which has been going longer than Strava, and I've got my garmin/polar/fitbit linked in - so actually Fetch has more of my training than anything ever - and I can do proper comparisons between training runs much better than Strava ever did -
https://sspimg.com/Fetcheveryone-training-logAnd then you check out the analytics - and f-me (Fetch me) - the analytics are far far better than anything ever Strava ever puts up for you - but then it's been written by a proper statistical mathematical analyst, so what would you expect ?
Basically - Strava was written by cyclists for cyclists to compare their sunday coffee runs, and then they added other sports. Fetcheveryone was written by a Runner trying to get some friends together and motivate them to do a run together. Which do you think has an enduring and lasting usability ?
yep -
Fetch
And yes there's over a million signed up users, and I was in the first 800 back in the day (I think our websites started around the same sort of time), but hey, it's been going a while now, and it's still free for everything, and Ian is still very much there developing code every day, and users seem to use our photos as their avatars there just as much as they do on facebook, which is reassuring that we were probably doing our job right (when we had a job).
JUST SHOW US THE PHOTOS DAMMIT !! (because that's why I read this blog).
So for the sake of things to put photos of in this blog - I've used Marshal photos and miscellaneous images from the year 2013 - there were actually over 2000 to choose from, so here's just a small selection, and my obvious caption competition entries I'll never win anything with and the editor is off and furloughed, so I can write what I want these days.
Inevitably - and I mean this with the utmost seriousness - some of these people may* have passed on in the past 7 years, so it's an honour to bring them back doing what they enjoyed doing for you. It has made me think I should do more marshal photos when* (if) I'm ever at a race again.
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| I think I've put the arrows in the right way said Midgie |
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| floaters |
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| almost unrecognisable 7 years on |
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| Seba working hard in Kent |
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| Always a smile when she's got a clipboard (and a hairband) |
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| The joy of watching runners in worthing |
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| just finishing the Top Gear hot lap |
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| "and that over there is where they fall over as they get up" |
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| Lisa marshalling the Clandon Park 10k |
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| Loughborough student being ignored by his lane marshal on the swim didn't go down as well as you'd imagine |
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| Sane people, turn right |
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| That feeling at the end of an event when nobody is dead |
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| Sportsystems innovative photo finish Mark1 tripod device |
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| Seba, so young and innocent back then |
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| Lead marshal takes the victory |
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| There were many people hanging about in the way at this finish line who didn't need to be there... |
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| Those REP marshals seem to have the most fun, and coffee |
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| All good Nikkie |
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| "PLEASE Do not touch the other runners like *that*" |
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| always being watched by the boss |
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| If you could kindly go down the plank we have put out for you and jump off |
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| kicking up a fashion at Ealing |
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| EVERYONE FINISHED !!! |
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| With the old chaps at the finish of the veteran car run, we would name off those who were missing each year. Sombre and life affirming. |
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| Always love a willing marshal for checking backlit exposures |
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| Sometimes photographers test their exposures on themselves |
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| Know your place photographer said the giant marshal |
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| Her favourite knee pads |
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| The REP sign bike up that bluebell hill |
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| Some marshals get a bit Reggie Perrin if they are too close to the water |
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| Guy says nothing to see here (as the fight breaks out behind him...) |
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| Not sure Sarah has ever been the last runner, but I suppose it might happen in a parallel universe |
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| The joys of that park in Sevenoaks |
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| The correct cyclist marshal greeting in Folkestone |
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| Attempting socially distanced high fives on bikes in brighton |
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| Marshalling is more fun than you would ever know |
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| ooh, now I see why Canons are better than Nikons... |
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| that smells wrong |
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| Perk of the job |
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| never mess with a RedHeaded marshal. You will die. |
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| waiting for the timing team to kick off big time. |
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| Don't you dare walk down my start line |
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| And then Mick said he'd had a chunk of his lung cut out. Oh how we laughed. |
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| Bin Marshal - most important of all, champion of marshals. |
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| Quick note for Nessie on effective camoflage |
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| what do you mean this isn't the mine marking tape we put out ? |
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| Staying in the sun too long can do this to a marshal |
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| Clipboard. Check. Happy. Check. Yes, it's Linda, with a plan ! |
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| And then the runner said "are you the Doctor?" "Doctor Who?" said the marshal |
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| ooh that finisher was a bit full on. |
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| Is it raining? I hadn't noticed mr runner !!! |
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| Yes, Hannes often wondered why his camera didn't work. It's because you covered them in wet mud Hannes and then cooked them on a fire... |
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| Don't mess with the wrong type of marshals. Dave doesn't like it when you do. Always do what Dave says you does. |
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| This is not the threesome any of them were thinking of with a 69 in the middle. |
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| Yeah mate, taking race photos is easy innit. |
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| Stood in a vineyard. That's why she's happy. |
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| Between them it seems fair to say none of them were not impressed by the athletic performance they had just witnessed. |
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| the anticipation before the storm is half the fun |
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| the sheer joy of responsibility given when volunteering at any age |
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| what photographers get up to when waiting for races to start |
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| always a good race to volunteer at when there is ice cream |
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| be prepared for 5 seasons in one day |
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| When photographers wait for runners |
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| The Creme de la Creme of lead vehicles |
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| Sometimes you get to meet famous people from olympics things |
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| not all volunteers and race directors are intimidating |
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| Volunteering - It's a team thing |
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| my favourite knee pads going strong in 2013, and that Coat-coat since 1992... |
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| KENNY !! |
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| hey guys look at the sign I found !! |
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| Tracey and her four man team |
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| Always important to have a race referee |
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| MBE race referee's are a thing still |
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| Best foot forwards is always a way to start any volunteering job |
So there we have it, it took three days to compile this blog, (because I've eff all else to do except learn Python programming), if anything our work is to try to help build memories of events and experiences and achievements, and hopefully looking back at these marshal shots you might recognise the locations, the races and the events you took part in.
We're going to be trying to inspire and help you put your race memories together - and remember, they are not just memories for you, but also for your family of the achievements and mountains you've climbed with your support crew, so it's worth making sure all that effort is recognised for posterity !
until next time keep socially distant (apparently four "fork handles" apart is about right as they are about 50cm long each), or hold a 6ft piece of garden bamboo at arms length and point at the ground - it will touch the ground about 2m away from you! Remember to point it at the ground though - not aggressively at the other person, and then use it to move yourself back the right distance - not to shove them like a croupier.
Stay safe, and be Alert (?!?!?!), and don't drive to Durham, or lie to your boss. or break the law.
Anthony
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