Wednesday, 10 September 2014

Maidenhead Half, Chestnut Tree House 10k, Reading and Newbury Triathlons 2014

As the summer manges to stretch on a bit, and the busy weekends continue with the first of the larger half marathons for the month with the Maidenhead Half organised by Purple Patch. 
The Chestnut Tree House 10k over at Littlehampton was well attended as ever, and then we had two triathlons a stones throw apart - but targeting different experience levels so again both well attended. 

Not a whole lot of crazy to talk about here. As some of you might have guessed - everything about the Nuts Challenge is Nuts, including the post race cataloguing, and then the post race enquiry emails during the very busy week... 
I have made a few notes and observations. 
  1. Yes, all the photos are online, if you can't recognise yourself in the 000 folders, I'm not sure I'm going to be able to either.
  2. No, even if you email me a photo of yourself without mud on your face, I'm still not going to be able to search through the 30% we couldn't see a number in and recognise you. Having seen some people washed in the lake and muddy during the race - the only common factor was their race number - otherwise a very different appearance.
  3. Caption corrections. Just send me a list for each race number. A list of images and then a paragraph description of the appearance of all the members of your team wearing the same coloured tops in mud and their distinguishing features - is impenetrable and unworkable.
  4. No I can't take the watermarking off so you can have a better look, I'm sorry it's over the top of your head but I'm afraid it's there to stop or deter people who think I can feed the staff and kids for free, and unfortunately there seems to be a lot of them (at least according to google analytics). If there is an image you want a close up on a face to check your eyes under the mud, then let me know.
  5. Yes, halving the price would make it more affordable, but we would go into making a loss and shut shop, so not quite the longterm plan we have in mind, and then it wouldn't be the service you want. Perhaps pick something you can afford.
  6. Yes, we are very busy, it's a Nuts thing and we are doing our very best to get through things as soon as possible.
  7. Thank you for all of you who have sent in corrections for themselves, and notably for their friends, and who have put them on facebook and shared their race photos - you all look fantastic !
  8. Yes we need a better hashtag for facebook than #SSP. Thoughts on a postcard all willingly accepted.

Upcoming Races 

Get your final entries in for Reigate, Ealing and this weekend at Firle. They are all excellent races and ones you really should be planning for.

14th Sept: Events to Live - Bacchus Half and Full - off road trail + wine NB has sold out
14th Sept: REP Firle, sussex, Half Marathon (free photos) - off road trail

21st Sept: Farnham Pilgrim Half and Full - off road trail
21st Sept: Run Reigate Half Marathon (Major Area race, closed roads) NB will sell out

28th Sept: Ealing Half Marathon (Major Area race, closed roads) NB will sell out
28th Sept: Tonbridge Half Marathon - some closed roads

October
5th Oct: Basingstoke Half (Major Area race, closed roads) NB will sell out
12th Oct: Chichester Half - road and trail
19th Oct: Abingdon Marathon (flattest and fastest with PB potential)
25th Oct: Beachy Head Marathon (not flat, not fast, offroad) NB will sell out
8th Nov: Bexhill Poppy Half Marathon
9th Nov: Purple Patch Grand Union Half Marathon NB will sell out
16th Nov: Brighton 10k (Major Area race, closed roads) NB will sell out

All go at Chestnut Tree House 2014 - the different layout worked well

Gavin and Paul sweep all before them

Money in the bank for Chestnut Tree House

good competition from local runners in the charity vests

Not in the usual Haywards Heath kit...

Yes, the buggy came first, 933 second, 663 third...There's a battery in there somewhere I'm sure.

Easy finishing !

Adam Pitts of Lawson (that's a pop band apparently) did a good turn.

Always a good effort from the volunteers to help it run smoothly

All ready to go at Maidenhead

Yep, off they go for 13.1 quick ones in perfect weather for it.

Correct finishing arms. 10/10

Extra leap and finishing arms 12/10

Slightly off geometrically 9/10

Good Ealing Eagle finish 10/10

Should have known Midge would do something crazy with Louise. 30/10

Marshall tagging - he's now it

It's my party and I'll run if I want to...

One way of clearing the marshals, nick their bibs on the way round

Maidenhead Race "CHiP"s (for those of you with a 1980's tv history)

Winners

more winners

So, pictures are all online, and we're looking forwards to Firle, Bacchus, Alice Holt and the Falmer Tri this weekend - so be good, hope for good weather and see you soon,

Until next time
Anthony
Top team enjoying some downtime...



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Friday, 5 September 2014

Summer Nuts Challenge 2014 and LCD Tri-Together Triathlon 2014

When they call a race "the Nuts Challenge" they do that for a good reason. Everything around this event is completely nuts, from the course itself, the consistency of the mud, the size of the logistics, the number of people, the sheer race itself doing 4 laps.

Here in the office it's been Nuts too - four days of a very full office with the whole team cataloguing through over 120,000 images of people covered in mud - one by one - looking at each one squinting to see the half view of a torn tattoo on the underside of a wrist that is obscured by the half shade across it and a thin layer of white clay dried mud. That is why the indexing and tagging of this particular race takes so long - plus we took so many and you got covered in mud and/or the numbers couldn't be seen.

You may be surprised to know we did manage to catalogue about two thirds of the images - so to everyone having to search through the unidentified images saying that there are "lots of them" - yes we know, we have been through them already ! Join the fun and get stuck in and help with the corrections / additions.

Also on Sunday was the LCD Tri-Together triathlon at Crystal Palace sports centre - always a great event - most made up of first timers getting into the sport and many with extra mobility challenges that they are overcoming to have a great time taking part in sport !

So here are the gallery links:

Race name Gallery link
LCD Tri Together Triathlon		 http://bit.ly/Tri-Together-2014-Photo-Gallery 

The Nuts Challenge - SATURDAY		 SATURDAY

http://bit.ly/Nuts-Challenge-Official-Gallery-Sat-30-August

The Nuts Challenge - SUNDAY		 SUNDAY

http://bit.ly/Nuts-Challenge-Gallery-Sun-31-August

This weekend coming up is very busy on Sunday with the following races I think there is a small amount of entries on the day for the running races:

  1. The Purple Patch Maidenhead Half Marathon
  2. Chestnut Tree House Littlehampton 10k 
  3. Reading Triathlon
  4. Newbury Triathlon
We now have over 100 emails listing images to add race number tags to for the Nuts challenge - (thanks everyone for their help with those ones) and orders to sort out as a priority over the next 48 hours - the tagging challenge for this event is as hard as it gets so thank you for everyone for your patience and also to the team here in the office.

If you're wondering - the barcode stickers really did make a difference - often a lone barcode would be the only thing that would identify someone - usually in an impossible to index image sequence otherwise - so many thanks to the Nuts challenge for accommodating them into their number packs.

Right - here's a few silly photos from the weekend, and I look forwards to seeing you out on Sunday,

Enjoying the journey. Well the Trip at least.


"I've a bit of mud on my leg"

slip sliding along

Good teamwork

Staying alive has never been more apt

He did two laps. I think.

Quick wash. sort of.

Big respect to Mr Bear

Batman might not return

It's not good crying about it

Zen obstacle racing. Float around the course

Now, where do I start with you Mr Tissue ?

As if the course wasn't scary enough

The view on the course can be obstructed

Method #2 for fast obstacle traversing

You can do these things as a team

Superman did these things alone 

That's not a head injury, thankfully

Dave has his Eureka moment for the Reigate Half Marathon water station (enter at RunReigate.com)

He didn't jump of the Nutcracker Tower for this...

He wasn't going to get my Lens cloth

Stylish slipping

Hulk Muddy. Hulk sad

It's ok, you're alive

10 points if you can read a number in this one

Marshal jellybaby refuelling stop

Should have called the AA

The face of excitement

That all over mud cleanse look

No, i'm not going to give you a hand you have to do it yourself

She'll give him a hand though

The hardest easter egg hunt ever

OK, his tattoo worked - but get this - the barcode reading worked too

Top wash at the end

Wingardia Leviosaa - isn't going to help you Harry

IF ONLY everyone put their number on like this

Top dutch running

Wayne, master OCR course maker, and his boss/driver

Well done everyone involved, especially the marshals - many of whom did the race on the other day to their marshalling day. Always good to volunteer and get involved too if you can.

Until next time,
Anthony


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