Deal Half Marathon, G3-2 and Liversedge Half 2013

Well done if you braved the rain, snow and face chilling wind this weekend, even just on a training run - despite many layers on Sunday my fingers started to hurt so much I couldn't concentrate very well on the photos and it took until about 8pm for my hands to regain all feeling. With sleet and a steady 15mph wind in the face, it was shall we say "challenging". At least the runners at Deal had the wind on their backs on the way back in, they certainly looked happier afterwards than on the way out !

The race photos from the weekends races are now available as below:



The Deal Half Marathon 2013 Gallery is now live and on line here:
http://bit.ly/Deal-Half-2013-Photo-Gallery
Race results: IEK chip timing

The second allabouttriathlons G3 race gallery is now live and on line with free race downloads courtesy of Runners Need are here:
http://bit.ly/AAT-G3-Race2-2013-Photo-Gallery
Race results are on the event website

The Liversedge Half Marathon 2013 gallery is now live here:
http://bit.ly/Liversedge-Half-Photos-2013
Race results are on Sport Systems here

Today's theme for the blog photos is silliness. A selection from Deal and the second allabouttriathlons G3 race near Guildford are included below, they're not all silly, and unfortunately I've not had a chance to go through the Liversedge Half pictures yet to pick out the fun ones, I'm assuming that they did have fun there...despite the rain !

New Staff in the SSP Office
In other news, Shona has now started working in the office to help keep all the photographers organised and the race organisers informed, you'll know that she's doing the job properly if the right number of photographers are at the right place at the right time and the race director has a nice easy clear link to the gallery on their website. (hopefully with the results and in their post race emails). She lasted the first week, so that's a good sign ! (although she declined the offer of a free portrait photo this morning, so photo to be arranged).
She's in three days a week, (Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays) hopefully keeping us on the straight and level...


Get some Running Knowledge - for free
My friends at Stride UK are running a free workshop on gait analysis on Friday at their offices in Hove. This is proper gait analysis - not just having a look on a treadmill in the shop. So go to their website here to find out more and get edjucated like.   http://bit.ly/stride-uk-gait-analysis-feb-2013



Pictures from the Deal Half and AAT G3-2

Underarm Bolt

Extra large Gangham style 1

Extra large Gangham style 2

Hitch kick jump for joy !

Crossing the field of dreams 1

Crossing the field of nightmares on the way back, up hill.

Kate Bush had a song about this

ABC had a song about this in 1981

Triple thumbs up

Unintentional Photobombing

oops too late, she's not looking any more...

Thriller Zombie monsters ? 

They ran all the way around like this, except below...

YMMM... not YMCA

Mens winner - Daniel Watt in 1:16:22 at Deal - the lowest knee lift I've seen in ages  for that kind of speed.

Ladies Winner - Faye Roberts in 1:30:10 from Canterbury Harriers at Deal

Gemma and Samantha had warm legs for the 2:22:59 

Recently I've seen a lot of our photos being used as peoples online avatars on things like twitter and facebook which is absolutely brilliant.
To a certain extent I define myself by the pictures I'll let people see of me. Facebook is certainly a case in point and their privacy issues on tagging people has never been such a hot topic. Avatars are a really good example of self expression - a picture you're happy for others to see. I know several photographers making some part of their living as portrait photographers specifically for peoples linked-in profiles - which shows how seriously some people take this sort of thing. So next time you're thinking of updating your profile pic - don't forget the digital downloads on the gallery that you can use !

Also, don't forget it's valentines soon, so if you really are struggling for an idea, how about a photo (of them!) or a digital file so you can put it on one of those card things and tell them why you like them ? Or get them a digital download for them to use as their avatar on twitter or facebook ? (or even linked-in)

So to recap here's this weeks selection:


The Deal Half Marathon 2013 Gallery is now live and on line here:
http://bit.ly/Deal-Half-2013-Photo-Gallery
Race results: IEK chip timing

The second allabouttriathlons G3 race gallery is now live and on line with free race downloads courtesy of Runners Need are here:
http://bit.ly/AAT-G3-Race2-2013-Photo-Gallery
Race results are on the event website

The Liversedge Half Marathon 2013 gallery is now live here:
http://bit.ly/Liversedge-Half-Photos-2013
Race results are on Sport Systems here



Until next time, keep training in the bad weather !

Anthony

Watford Half Marathon, Bookham 10k and Ashford and District 10k 2013 now live

Hi there, here's the update from the weekends races.

The following galleries are now live and on line:

Watford Half Marathon 2013: http://bit.ly/Watford-Half-2013-Photo-Gallery

Results: http://www.sportsystems.co.uk/ss/results/Watford%20Half%20Marathon/1031

ETL Bookham 10k 2013: http://bit.ly/ETL-Bookham-10k-2013-Photo-Gallery
Results: http://www.eventstolive.co.uk/results

Ashford and District 10k 2013: http://bit.ly/Ashford-District-10k-2013-Photo-Gallery
Results: http://niceworkevents.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/sunday-february-3rd-2013-ashford_4.html

Having had the winter snow setbacks of the past few weekends it was a relief to get back out to see the action this weekend. With three races on the Sunday, with the Watford Half marathon being a new race for us to cover we had over 8 photographers out working from the early hours across the three races. 

Over the week with the rain that had fallen the Bookham 10k XC course had become very muddy and wet at the end - and Nicky and Alan had a hell of a time marking out the course first thing on Sunday morning in the ice cold and dark - check out the gallery to see the final splashes, Mike had a busy day kneeling in the mud to get the right shots. Not a race for PB's but if you like a nice view or four - this is certainly one for you to pencil in for next year.

The Watford Half was fortunately not hit by the snow that stopped it last year, and the course was dry apart from the odd muddy puddle in the woods. A great turnout with almost 1700 finishers, which included Mick and Phil - back for their first race since October. Mick's had a lung tumour removed so it's great to see him able to get back and out for the running, and I'm sure we'll see him back to even faster fitness soon. First over the line in the men's race this year, was Yared Hagos of Wallsend (and Ethiopia !) in a season opener time of 67 minutes (his Half PB last year was 63 minutes), and the first lady was Tish Jones of Belgrave in 79:55 - someone who we usually see winning the allabouttriathlon and brutal races - so very impressed to see her speed over the longer distance of a half marathon.

Ashford and District 10k had a slight rearrangement of parking as the main field at the finish was waterlogged,but the loop of Kent countryside which this year fortunately was without ice or compacted snow on the course which made for near perfect conditions for running. Robert Latala covered the course in 33:20 which is a great time when you include the slight hills on the course.

Planning ahead, we have the Deal Half Marathon, and G3 races this weekend coming, the rearranged South of England Cross Country Champs and then the muddy Brutal race at Borden - always great fun, well attended and now getting so popular you have to be quick to get in before all the places go. Don't miss out !

2013 seems to be the year of the obstacle course - so the first one for you to sign up for is on Saturday the 9th of March - Back 2 the Trenches. 10 minutes from the M25 J8 (that's the one just along from the M23) it's within easy reach for everyone. 
The race route is hilly, muddy, with some amazing challenges to get through with water, climbs, slides, and - trenches. Checkout the race entry and information pages here: http://bit.ly/back2thetrenches-2013 the team putting this on at the Priory Estate have been organising major events for decades so this will be excellent and definitely one to be part of, so hopefully see you there !

Here's a few pictures from Sunday, First up Watford Half Marathon

The Mens start just before the merge point in Cassiobury park

At the 4 mile water station

Happy Jazz hands at 10 miles

Proper victory arms at the finish for the 67 minute win

Tish looks a bit shell shocked for the win

cool running in the U8 Junior races

giving it everything - always the best way

Sharing a story with Mick and Phil at the finish line, Mick's an inspirational parent.

The ETL Bookham 10k

Seeing double yet ?

Just a bit muddy at the start

Attacking route 1

How to take the water wings

Dirty, but fun.

Dr K clears the course at the end

Ashford and District 10k 2013

Off at the start, elbows flying

Going out from the start

Greetings from Kent

Sillying about on the way back, excellent !

Even more sillying, with marshals looking on

 

tu tu pour tu

Mr Bananaman slipping in at the finish

The joy of the finish

High fives all the way in from the club

Mobots from the USA ? whatever next !

Top team effort

So, go and check out the http://bit.ly/back2thetrenches-2013 if you're looking for a bit of fun in a months time, otherwise we'll see you soon at a race near you !

and finally... I've put a brief T&C agreement page on the website - once you've accepted it won't show up again unless we reset it, or you clear your browsing history. Have a  read and do let me know if you have any suggestions or improvements that can be made to it.

Until next time, hopefully not in the snow !
Anthony