The manxathletics.com blog

Greeba rave

2012-01-27T19:51:00.000Z

I've been setting up my cameras, files and laptops so that I can cover the Greeba Fell Race tomorrow. I say Race even though I accidentally named my video folder Greeba Fell Rave - I don't know what to expect!

Murray has been watching Murray

2012-01-27T13:48:00.000Z

Not going to get all the things done that I planned this lunchtime as I saw the final part of the Australian Open semi (I won't spoil it for anyone recording it).

Murray watching Michael tonight.

http://www.travelnews.im/island-to-feature-on-bbc-railways-show-tonight-january-27

FW: Murray, watch the Aviva International Match LIVE this Saturday

2012-01-26T20:08:00.000Z

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Tune in to BBC One from 1.30pm on Saturday 28 January

Missed out on tickets to the sold out Aviva International Match? Don't worry – you can catch all the action from Kelvin Hall live on BBC One from 1.30pm this Saturday.

The stars of the Aviva GB and NI Team will be out in force as they go head-to-head with teams from the USA, Russia, Germany and a Commonwealth Select.

Tune in to BBC One to enjoy performances from the likes of Hannah England, Andy Turner and Britain's best long distance runner Mo Farah as the Aviva GB & NI Team compete on home soil for the last time before the summer.

Tickets for all Aviva Series 2012 events are now sold out but you can watch them all live on BBC One and Channel 4:

Aviva International Match | 28 January | 13.30 – 16.30 | BBC One
Aviva Indoor UK Trials & Championships | 12 February | 14.00 – 16.00 | Channel 4
Aviva Grand Prix | 18 February | 13.00 – 16.30 | BBC One

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Tired already

2012-01-26T13:59:00.000Z

I've just updated the "fixtures at a glance" table through to the first week of August and frankly I can't believe how many things we are promoting in a little over three months. Its made me tired just thinking about them all.

I do encourage people to check the links and let me know any corrected or better ones. The object is to make it as easy as possible for new athletes to enter a race or join the sport. We don't always make it easy for them.

Free photo site - but only for three months

2012-01-24T19:42:00.002Z

This one is being closed down:
http://www.picnik.com/

but in the meantime Google are giving everyone the premium service for free. If you are short of somewhere to host your photos for a few weeks it might be worth considering.

Give the Manx some space

2012-01-24T19:36:00.001Z

In case you didn't see it at the time, here is a feature from Channel 4 News about the Manx space industry.

http://www.channel4.com/news/the-latest-space-race-on-the-isle-of-man

Although it is nearly three months since the link was sent to me and I have only just watched it, it is well worth a few minutes of your time.

Something for off island readers who want to see more of Isle of Man

2012-01-24T16:58:00.000Z

http://www.three.fm/news/isle-of-man-news/great-british-railways-to-feature-island-this-week-4814/

Great North Ballot entries close in less than 2 weeks

2012-01-24T16:53:00.001Z

http://www.greatrun.org/Events/Event.aspx?id=1

Emails

2012-01-24T14:00:00.000Z

I've just made another attempt to clear some emails at the expense of new content of the web and I am down to the lowest level awaiting action for some time - only 75! Some of them go back a few years.

No pun intended with my previous post about photographs and transparency.

Focused on the Manx Telecom Parish Walk on the site last night. I'll try and plug some of the other big events of the year again soon too. The Easter Festival is less than three months away, entries open for the Ramsey Bakery end to End Walk next week and entries are already open for the Salclear Isle of Man Marathon and Half Marathon.

Got drenched at the NSC on my early morning run today.

FW: Your Zenfolio account was RENEWED successfully

2012-01-24T13:48:00.001Z

I guess I am going to have to carry on taking photos now!

I am just sharing this in the interest of transparency. This cost is paid by me and not deducted from photo sales when making charitable distributions.

Murray

From: Zenfolio [mailto:noreply@zenfolio.com]
Sent: 24 January 2012 13:24
To: murray@murrayandmarie.com
Subject: Your Zenfolio account was RENEWED successfully

Dear isleofman.in photos (murraylambden),

Your Zenfolio account was RENEWED successfully!

Your account is now active until January 24, 2013.

Please keep these transaction details for your records:

Premium account:	$100.00



TOTAL:	$100.00

Current account balance:	$0.00
Paid with a credit card:	$100.00



Final balance:	$0.00

We thank you for being a loyal Zenfolio customer, and we hope to provide you with quality services for many years to come. If you have any questions, or if you need help at any time, do not hesitate to e-mail support@zenfolio.com (include your user name in e-mail subject).

Sincerely,
The Zenfolio Team

No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2012.0.1901 / Virus Database: 2109/4762 - Release Date: 01/23/12

How deep is the field?

2012-01-23T13:51:00.001Z

I really enjoyed the day at Ballanette yesterday for the Medis Isle of Man Cross Country Championships.. It was the first time I had raced there. I have been away for the first cross country of the winter for the past two years and didn't race the final event there last year. I have entered the trail race on Boxing Day for each year of the past two years but for different reasons failed to start.

The field was pretty deep in places - full of mud. But my main comment is about the depth of the field as in quality.

One of my moans about our sport, and I was passing this opinion when warming up yesterday, is that the quality of so much of the sport has declined during my time of involvement.

I remember when hundreds took part in national race walking competitions but now you can count the starters on your hands. I remember when good athletes would fail to make their club team for the national cross country but now average ones have to persuaded to run to make up the numbers. I remember when hundreds of British runners used to break 2.30 in the London Marathon but now you are a star if you do.

But stop. Let's have a look at the local cross country championships over the past four years. How many people have finished within 20% of the men's winner? Excluding the winner himself it was 11 (2009), 6 (2010) and 14 (2011). Yesterday there were 17.

Of course this measure of depth to the field is also a factor of the speed of the winner but I suspect that Kevin Loundes is every bit as fit as when he won in 2009 and 2010. When you consider that eight of those in the "window" last year didn't run yesterday (Andy Barron, Martin Malone, Simon Skillicorn, Mike Garrett, Paul Clarke, Stuart Christian, Richard Jamieson and Paul Cawley) then I think we have genuine reason to feel a warm glow from the improvement.

A warm glow would have been welcomed by the officials yesterday who starred every bit as much as the athletes in the cold wind. Thanks everyone.

I can only find four Manx runners on the Brass Monkeys website

2012-01-22T20:18:00.002Z

Kevin Deakes	55	01:21:32
Barry Moore	333	01:32:52
Jackie Moore	1204	01:57:06
Sue Furner	1559	02:14:58

London calling

2012-01-20T13:47:00.002Z

I've collected 24 names so far but there are likely to few more yet. I seem to recall another person who was featured in the local papers (I have two from that source).

Email murray@manxathletics.com with updates and corrections. Here are the 24:

Name	Club	Charity
Adrian Shorthouse		Alzheimer's Society
Alan Sandford	Isle of Man Veteran Athletes' Club
Andy Watson	Manx Harriers
Barry Moore	Western Athletic Club	/
Caroline Moran	Western Athletic Club
Eugene Wilson		Anthony Nolan
Emma Rogan	Metros Running Club
Gianni Epifani	Manx Harriers	Hospice Isle of Man
Helen Taylor	Western Athletic Club
James Moffett		St John Ambulance
Keith Green	Manx Harriers
Kim Hicklin		Anthony Nolan
Mark Peberdy	Isle of Man Veteran Athletes' Club
Mike Garrett	Manx Harriers
Murray Lambden	Manx Harriers
Nigel Armstrong	Manx Harriers
Paul Curphey	Manx Harriers
Richard Radcliffe	Northern AC
Rob Gillanders	Isle of Man Veteran Athletes' Club
Roy Faragher	Western Athletic Club
Sam Comish		Anthony Nolan
Sharon Cheeseman	Northern AC
Sarah Curphey	Manx Harriers
Tag O’Mahoney	Isle of Man Veteran Athletes' Club

2012-01-20T13:36:00.002Z

Double click the image above to see it in full size.

FW: UKA e-Newsletter - British sprint duo to launch 2012 campaigns with Aviva Series test

2012-01-20T13:05:00.000Z

From: UKA [mailto:intouchgoodform@yourcrm.co.uk] On Behalf Of UKA
Sent: 19 January 2012 16:16
To: murray@murrayandmarie.com
Subject: UKA e-Newsletter - British sprint duo to launch 2012 campaigns with Aviva Series test

Problem viewing this email? Click here to view online

UKA e-Newsletter

19/01/2012

British sprint duo to launch 2012 campaigns with Aviva Series test

Mark Lewis-Francis and Simeon Williamson will line up against world class sprint powerhouses Asafa Powell and Kim Collins in the Aviva Series 2012...

Read More

McCain Cardiff Cross Challenge
Full report from last Sunday's action at Blackweir Fields, plus full results and highlights video...

Read More

Faster. Stronger. For Longer.
This year Lucozade Ambassador Mo Farah will be pushing himself faster, stronger, for longer. Find out what it takes to succeed in his incredible new advert for Lucozade Sport...

View Now

Join us on Facebook & Twitter
Be in the know during the Aviva International Match and join the conversation as we support Aviva GB & NI...

Read More

Competition & Tweet Watch
Congratulations to Roger Jones for the winning entry in last edition's caption competition: "OK! I'll give you a lift, but Sally gets to sit in the front!"

Enter this week's competition now...

Read More

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Keith in top three

2012-01-19T13:57:00.000Z

Those of us who subscribe to Athletics Weekly were able to study the end of year statistical special in depth the week before Christmas. My favourite section has always been Peter Matthews' British merit rankings.

As Richard Wild pointed out to me recently, their "teaser" (listing the top three in each event) includes Keith Gerrard. See it here:

http://www.athleticsweekly.com/news/uk-merit-rankings-2011-men/

Neat timing

2012-01-19T13:27:00.001Z

Although I booked my travel some weeks ago to return to return to the Amsterdam Marathon in October, I've only just entered the race. The €60 fee equated to exactly £50 which, due to the decline in the Euro in recent weeks, made it slightly cheaper than in 2011.

Last year, however, I had to pay extra to hire a timing chip so I was cautious in case I had forgotten to add this to my entry. This year, however, the fee includes the use of a single use timing chip which appears to be more discrete than past versions:

http://www.mylaps.com/index.php/us_eng/Websites/B2B/run/services

Emma web presence

2012-01-19T13:22:00.000Z

I couldn't remember the name of Emma Rogan's club when I was adding her name to the list of local residents in the London Marathon. Although the Emma spends quite a bit of time off island in her occupation as a vet, she is the other half of the running couple in the Armstrong household (see above with Nigel in London).

Whilst checking I stumbled upon this feature about her performance in one of her many endurance races:

http://www.sportsister.com/2009/06/17/sportsister-talks-to-emma-rogan/

Those emails

2012-01-18T19:24:00.000Z

I was determined to clear some emails before I even had my tea tonight. Did my best only for most of the recipients to reply and my mailbox is as full as ever!

I have some more info on local marathon entrants but that can probably wait until tomorrow as I am reverting to my personal stuff when I get going again later.

Dave Bedford

2012-01-18T18:56:00.000Z

I realise that the email I received today from the above would have been exactly the same as the other 40,000 or so people who are entered in the Virgin London Marathon (see earlier post) but it was still quite amusing to receive one from him two months to the day since I learned that he had been talking about me.

Well to more precise, he had to listen to someone talking about me to him! Alan, my brother in law, had sat with him at a dinner the previous evening and told him that I had run London etc etc and Alan sent me an email the next day and said: "He's very impressed by you but think you sound a bit crazy!"

Of course Dave Bedford was always very conventional!

70s race walking videos

2012-01-18T18:09:00.001Z

Rob Elliott has, with the help of son, revived some cine film from the 70s.

He has a YouTube channel here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/SWCGuernsey?feature=mhee

At least one of the walkers featured can't even remember the race he is filmed in (York 7 Miles in 1978)!

I know that everyone on the London Marathon will have received this but it is very clever

2012-01-18T14:02:00.000Z

http://www.marathonnewstv.com/?f=Murray%20M&l=Lambden&n=1

Parish Walk for breakfast, London Marathon for lunch

2012-01-18T07:54:00.001Z

I have just used some of the data that I publish regularly on the Parish Walk site on the home page - there are only 13 days left for Manx Telecom customers to enter the Parish Walk and get a £5 discount off their bill.

At lunchtime I will be updating the list of runners from the Isle of Man that are known to be running in the Virgin London Marathon. Thanks to several people for feedback on this.

Skill loss

2012-01-17T13:43:00.000Z

I'm keen to get back to scanning in my old scrapbooks but I have set myself the target of clearing out more personal stuff first. All my school reports were victims of the shredding bag this week but only after I had scanned a copy.

Marie never believes me when I tell her that, as well as taking part in country sports, I used to enter handwriting competitions in the local summer fairs and won some useful prize money. As further evidence of my skill, my final report at Michael School, in the English sub category of handwriting, recorded an "Excellent". It wasn't long after that it went downhill to the point where I can barely communicate in handwriting.

One skill I had learnt since then was to sit in front of the TV on a Sunday afternoon with a cup of tea in my hand and fall asleep balancing the tea. Alas, I failed in my latest version of this when on Sunday I rewarded myself for finishing the website update with a read of the Sunday Times only to water it down when my head went down throwing my cup of tea all over the papers.

Before I started the scanning last night I worked on the site to produce the preview of local fixtures. That was not really planned but one thing lead to another. That's when the website is fun. I've got four more names to go on the London Marathon list. That becomes less fun when the compilation is to spread out.

Our Sporting Life

2012-01-16T13:51:00.000Z

Four months after it opened, I finally took a few minutes stop with Marie on our walk up Crellins Hill on Saturday afternoon to take a look at the wonderful exhibition at the Manx Museum:

http://www.gov.im/mnh/ViewNews.gov?page=lib/news/mnh/oursportinglifee.xml&menuid=11570

So many good things to look at - I love the Pathe News clips.Couldn't resist a quick burst on the exercise bike (for no apparent reason). The two football trophies go back to the days when a trophy really was a trophy.

I plan to go back and do it just sometime. Highly recommended.

Vera's mum is 100

2012-01-15T18:28:00.000Z

Vera Jones is another of those people that is always doing something quietly in the background. She might not be the fastest but she has achieved an awful lot; she might not be at every event but plays a big part marshalling at road races for just about every club, particularly when they are near her home at St Johns; but she probably has the oldest mum of anyone in the sport!

http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/margaret_celebrates_100th_birthday_1_4135925

Its not just running that runs in the family

2012-01-14T10:08:00.001Z

But Ben has a better lexicon than me!

http://iomsben.blogspot.com/

Fixtures for the next three months

2012-01-13T14:02:00.001Z

I have listed the local fixtures for the next three months. If anyone would like to improve the quality of the information for people who know nothing about our events, please let me know if there is a more informative link than the one I have used. - If I have made any errors it is best to correct these as soon as possible - but I don't know where they are!

Welcome back Paul

2012-01-13T07:50:00.001Z

Yo don't often see Paul Jackson (you do here, above) even though he has been organising road races for Manx Harriers for 10 years. He spends dozens of hours before and after events pulling everyone together and setting up road signs - road safety has changed beyond all recognition since Paul became involved. He has also worked with a team of Chris Quine and Dave Ronan to set such high standards of organisation in the Easter Festival.

For almost as long, Paul has been publishing the www.manxharriers.com website. I've made the task difficult for him in recent times as he shares all of the hosting services and software that I use. Most people reading this will recall that our webhost let us down before Christmas and I made the decision to switch to a different company, the one that has hosted the www.parishwalk.com site for years without any problems. I had just got Paul used to the features of this service when he went away for a holiday at Christmas and New Year. When he returned, we encountered problems with the new host which have caused him some difficulty.

We think we nearly have these problems behind us now and Paul was busy updating the site last night applying his usual classy style. Its worth noting that, at a time when people are rushing to voice opinions on Facebook and Twitter without any thought for the consequences, Paul spent a whole winter attending night classes to polish his skills in web design and publishing. And when so many people cannot even be bothered to read the instructions for the forum and apply for membership with their real name, I find Paul's thoughtful approach reassuring.

You cannot expect a webeditor to be at your beck and call night and day but the best results are there to see in a well designed structure.

Time for a few jokes

2012-01-11T22:08:00.000Z

Its been a long day today - I was running at the NSC by 5.55 and I finished a stint of cottage cleaning (part 1) after work by 8 pm. A few things at home and there goes the website time (apart from adding Stan's photo before Breakfast). So here are some Eurozone jokes from brother Mike:

1.) A Greek, an Irishman and a Portuguese go into a bar and order a drink. Who picks up the bill?
A German.

2.) The Eurozone credit ratings are like a frying pan.
Greece at the bottom...

3.) Oh dear. The eurozone's Facebook page has changed its currency status from ‘single’ to ‘it's complicated’.

4.) NEWS FLASH: Greece has approached the IMF for a €60bn loan after they were turned down by Wonga

5.) The eurozone leaders are looking for a stimulus package. Silvio Berlusconi suggests two Viagra and a Red Bull.

6.) My wife misunderstood my son when he asked for some Play-Doh for Christmas. She got him a load of euros.

7.) Q: How do you know it's going to be a double-dip recession?
A: Greek exports of taramosalata and tzatziki have plunged.

8.) Some years ago a small rural town in Spain twinned with a similar town in Greece.
The mayor of the Greek town visited the Spanish town. When he saw the palatial mansion belonging to the Spanish mayor, he wondered aloud how on earth he could afford such a house.

The Spaniard replied: ‘You see that bridge over there? The EU gave us a grant to construct a two-lane bridge, but by building a single lane bridge with traffic lights at either end, I could build this place.’

The following year the Spaniard visited the Greek town. He was simply amazed at the Greek mayor's house: gold taps, marble floors, diamond doorknobs, it was marvellous.

When he asked how he’d raised the money to build this incredible house, the Greek mayor said: ‘You see that bridge over there?’

The Spaniard replied: ‘No.’

9.) In heaven: the cooks are French,
the policemen are English,
the mechanics are German,
the lovers are Italian,
and the bankers are Swiss.

In hell: the cooks are English,
the policemen are German,
the mechanics are French,

the lovers are Swiss
and the bankers are Italian.

10.) Breaking news: The eurozone financial crisis will soon be over as Greece has received an unconditional €100bn bailout offer.

All they have to do is email their account details to the anonymous daughter of wealthy, but deceased African general...

Another night of scanning

2012-01-09T22:38:00.001Z

I've been making progress with some of the family archives that came to this house after my mother passed away - anything that is kept will be retained by other family members (won't they Margaid and Mike?).

At the same time I had David Griffiths' video of the cross country churning away in the background on my laptop. No time to do any production work this year - just satisfy yourselves with the memories thanks to David. A rather crude chop into three files and a file conversion by me and then an upload to YouTube. I will update the file descriptions tomorrow. With the improved upload speeds you should see more of the original film quality this year as I have not compressed the files so much.

One old document I saw tonight recorded that I was 10 lb 2 oz when I was born. Haven't grown much have I?

Lots of emails ignored tonight. Sorry.

Fine 12th for Keith

2012-01-08T22:25:00.000Z

At last I have found the result of the Edinburgh XC:

http://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=56918

Bupa Great Edinburgh XCountry

2012-01-08T06:27:00.000Z

Have just spent 15 minutes trying to find the full result but I can't. Wondering how Keith Gerrard got on. This is the best I can do:

http://www.greatrun.org/News/NormalNews.aspx?nid=7786

FW: Road runners, Marathon runners, Jumpers and Throwers of the Year

2012-01-05T19:40:00.000Z

All-Athletics.com

The Most Comprehensive Athletics Database

Road runners, Marathon runners, Jumpers and
Throwers of the Year

2012-01-05

Road Runners and Marathon Runners of the Year 2011

All-Athletics.com announced the Road Runners and Marathon Runners of the Year 2011 in the World, as well as in the different Areas.

Read article

ROAD RUNNING/MARATHON - Several changes, but Kenya takes it all

Road Running and Marathon? Kenya! It was as simple as that in 2011. Italy and Portugal claimed remarkable 3rd and 4th positions respectively in the women's special Road Running/Marathon Countries Ranking of All-Athletics.com.

Read article

Jumpers of the Year 2011

All-Athletics.com announced the Jumpers of the Year 2011 in the World, as well as in the different Areas.

Read article

JUMPING - USA and Russia lead; Changes in the event rankings

For the first time since All-Athletics.com has been publishing the Countries Rankings, USA is not the best in the men's Long Jump. Yet, the Americans have kept the first position in the men's special (combined) jumping ranking of the countries, while Russia is the leader in the women's list.

Read article

Throwers of the Year 2011

All-Athletics.com announced the Throwers of the Year 2011 in the World as well as in the different Areas.

Read article

THROWING - Germany on top

Germany took control of throwing, as the special Countries Rankings reflect it. The Germans not only defended their first position in the women's ranking, but overtook last year's male 'champion' USA in the men's ranking, as well.

Read article

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News - Videos - Photos - and much more

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FW: UKA e-Newsletter – Aviva GB & NI Team update ahead of Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country

2012-01-05T19:39:00.001Z

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UKA e-Newsletter

05/01/2012

Aviva GB & NI Team Update: Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country

The Aviva Great Britain and Northern Ireland team, including European junior cross country champion Emelia Gorecka (coach: Mick Woods), will compete this weekend for the first time since enjoying its best ever result at the European Cross Country Championships in Slovenia in December, winning 12 medals - including two individual gold - to top the medal table for the fourth successive year.

Read More

Farah to echo World Champs preparation in bid for Olympic Glory
World and European 5000m champion Mo Farah will return to the scene of his record-breaking run in Birmingham next month...

Read More

Vote for European Athlete of the Month for December
Vote now for Emelia Gorecka, Emma Pallant or Holly Bleasdale...

Read More

Frank Horwill
The athletics community has been paying tribute to prolific endurance coach Frank Horwill who died at the age of 84, on New Year's Day...

Read More

Caption Competition
& Tweet Watch
Congratulations to Peter Collins for the winning entry in the last edition: "Four-legged woman discovered cheating at indoor series..." Enter this week's competition...

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Blogging break

2012-01-02T20:53:00.000Z

I have managed to resist the temptation to spend all day on the website although several of the things I have been working on will have indirect benefits in the long term.

For now, I have just updated the fell race coverage with one of Paul Sheard's photos and Dave Kneen's video of the water crossing.

I'm going to do a similar update on the Parish Walk side of things now where entries are coming in a record levels. There were as many by the turn of the year as there had ever been on the start line up until 1990.

It was this big

2012-01-02T17:19:00.000Z

I've been keeping away from the websites today but still doing loads of things on the computer. Among my tasks was sorting out several months worth of photos on my compact camera, the one I put in my pocket when I go "out and about".

On New Year's eve we drove out to Peel and we saw one of the Island's greatest ever athletes training on the road between St Johns and Peel. I couldn't take a photo of Keith Gerrard as I was driving.

But a mile into our walk along the Peel Heritage Trail we met another of the Island's greatest ever athletes. I can't remember what she was describing when I took the photo but it looks like the fish that got away!

Happy new year

2012-01-01T19:22:00.000Z

All the very best for 2012 to anyone reading this is using any of my sites.

I was probably the first runner on the roads today with my usual Sunday morning run around Marine Drive at 7 am. Although I hadn't been indulging in the traditional way I still have a lack of sleep and was very tired after a long run yesterday too. But as I ran along the coastal road towards Douglas in my own mind there was nobody enjoying the new year more than me.

I started setting computers and cameras up ready for the St Johns Fell Race at about midday so after seven and half hours on it I am going to crash out now. There are a few extras I can add tomorrow thanks to the photos from Paul and Dave. I haven't really looked closely as my own yet. I have just watched the video though and am pleased with that.

Enjoy the video. Enjoy the year. And well done to everyone that took part in or made today's event so successful.

Kenyon Crowe - updated obituary page

2011-12-30T13:50:00.002Z

I have collected all of my references to the above here:

http://www.manxathletics.com/KenyonCrowe.html

Subscribe and unsubscribe

2011-12-29T14:58:00.000Z

I've just updated the Parish Walk blog - entries have now past 150. I've also mentioned that I have been reading my half read Race Walking Record magazines. Great to see Norman Wisdom getting a mention for his Parish Walk exploits in the obituaries.

I updated the manxxathletics.com site first thing to do featuring the videos of past St Johns fell races. I intend to continue plugging this but, although I am off work all week, I have been trying to avoid spending all day on athletics as I have so much other paperwork to attend to. Last year I was able to file my tax return online in record time but only because, like yesterday afternoon, I put time aside to work on the accounts for our holiday cottage.

One of the jobs I always like to get out of the way at this time of the year is to complete the membership renewals for my club for all our family. They would have been in the post to Jenny today only Robbie was not keen to sign yet.

As well as getting my subscriptions up to date I have also spent time unsubscribing to dozens of emails that choke up my mailbox.

Moving the dial

2011-12-28T13:01:00.000Z

I've just been doing a few updates to various sites while listening to some great music on local radio - but I don't think I can stay on the channel for much longer. The repetition of adverts puts more me off after more than an hour.

Here is the link for that great show on Radio 4:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b018gpdn/Mark_Steels_in_Town_Series_3_Douglas_(Isle_of_Man)/

Best laugh of the year

2011-12-27T19:29:00.000Z

If you didn't hear Mark Steel on Radio 4 at 6.30 this evening then, provided you can put up the micky being taken our of ourselves, you should listen to his show on the iPlayer. Lines like "You must have the shortest tourist brochure in the world - page 2 says if you don't like it there is a boat in the morning" make it hugely entertaining.

Cut out the detail

2011-12-27T14:54:00.000Z

Have just read that the results for the SCS relay were revised so I have removed my own analysis rather than reworking the stats for fastest leg times.

Walking into town to try my legs with a view to resuming running tomorrow.

Christmas dinner coming up

2011-12-26T17:33:00.000Z

That's would I would have been saying had I eaten it at the customary time yesterday. Ben set the scene with a few hours of vomiting in the early hours of Christmas Day and Marie and I started to feel rough as soon as we got up. My attempt to fight off the feeling by running yesterday morning was ill conceived and we all spent the day trying to take of Robbie's needs in between lots of moaning and groaning. Mother-in-law was kept safely at a distance.

I was sorry to miss the relay today because, as usual when these things strike you, I had just completed my best block of training for 16 months of so.

After lots of snoozing I feel just about ready to eat my Christmas Dinner now.

The sleep also put me in a great mood to compile the coverage of the SCS Relay. It was really easy to do today thanks to Ian Astin's photos and Manx Timing Solutions' easy to follow results. It always helps when I can easily match numbers to photos. It was easy to sort the times into fastest per leg etc too.

Nice mild weather today although I can imagine it was very windy.

The spirit of Christmas

2011-12-24T18:37:00.000Z

Well, about six weeks after people started putting up their decorations, Christmas is almost here. I'd like to announce that I won't be going anywhere near my computer on Christmas Day. But that would not be in the spirit of Christmas. It would be a lie.

Some of us have had a good year in athletics and some of us a bad year. This only mirrors what goes on in society in general and there will, no doubt, be people deeply troubled at Christmas by illness, bereavement, financial or job concerns and relationship issues.

Notwithstanding our thoughts for those with problems, I hope that the majority of visitors to the site are able to have an extremely Happy Christmas.

FW: England Athletics eBulletin 21st December 2011

2011-12-22T13:28:00.001Z

If you cannot view this email please click here to view online

SEASON'S GREETINGS FROM ENGLAND ATHLETICS

England Athletics eBulletin - 21st December 2011

www.englandathletics.org

Let's get set for a great 2012!

As 2011 draws to a close England Athletics would like to thank all those who contributed to the sport over the past year; to our officials and coaches, athletes, volunteers, staff, council members and event supporters and spectators. We've got a really exciting year coming up for athletics, and sport as a whole. If you have a break over the festive season, enjoy yourselves and get recharged for 2012. We look forward to working together next year!

Features

Farah looking to end 2011 with another title – and you can help him win!
Mo Farah is one of 10 people nominated for this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award. The event, and the voting, will be taking place on the evening of Thursday 22 December. He has come a long way since he first got involved in athletics! Tune in on Thursday night to find out the number you need to call.

2012 - Are you ready?
It seemed so far way when London won the 2012 Olympics bid, and we all said we would be ready by the time it arrived. It is time for everyone to focus and seize the opportunity. This is not going to happen again in many of our lifetimes. Let’s be ready! Let’s take the sport and make it the biggest and best sport in the country.

Keep in touch over the festive season
You can find us on twitter and facebook over the seasonal break. www.twitter.com/englandathletic www.facebook.com/EnglandAthletics

England Athletics
growing the next generation of athletics champions

Athletics House, Alexander Stadium, Walsall Road, Perry Barr, Birmingham, B42 2BE
General Enquiries: Tel: 0121 347 6543 | Email: info@englandathletics.org

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Santa the champion

2011-12-22T13:23:00.000Z

I used to watch some of the Isle of Man Bank's Santa Dashes but I've missed most of them since I have been working in Ballasalla (5th Christmas down here already).

It was quite amazing to see (in Stan Hall's photos) and read about (David Griffiths on the forum) the number of top class athletes in one event. The quality was higher than many a Manx Championship.

Actually I recognised more than I expect because many of the beards seem to have been lost during the course of the event.

35% increase in entries for final hill race

2011-12-19T22:32:00.000Z

It shows how far the winter hill league races have come that 70 entrants is slightly disappointing (compared to the two previous rounds).

But if ever there was a case of racing come rain, hail or shine this was it. The weather conditions were dreadful on Saturday and yet the field was 35% bigger than ever before on that course.

I was one of the people who raced the previous round but not this time as I was concentrating on my marathon training, I thought it was 10 or 11 years that I had previously raced but it turned out to be 12.

Here is the result of my race before last in the winter league.

Have just added Peter Bradley's Hill Race video

2011-12-19T13:41:00.001Z

How long can one task take

2011-12-18T20:11:00.001Z

Subject to them both making a mistake, I have published the names of the athletes who competed in the 1989 Manx AC v Boundary Harriers football match. Steve Taylor sent me most of the names a few days ago and Chris sent me an alternative list yesterday. Amazingly, they both completed the gaps the other had left.

Its taken me a bit longer to publish the photos that Steve Taylor sent to me of the two walkers who featured in the 1983 English Schools walks over here. Martin Rush hardly looks a day older but Tim......

The big news of the weekend (to me anyway) is that the Isle of Man will be sending a joint club team to the Northern Track and Field League next summer. I have embedded the IOMAA website at the top of the home page so that you can't help but see this story.

The new Manx team will make their track debut 25 years since we sent a very big and successful team to the 2nd Island Games in Guernsey. The athletes had a wonderful time and asked: "Why can't we compete as one team all the time?". I got heavily involved to try and bring about the change that the athletes asked for by campaigning for a single island club. After four years of opposition I gave up but I'm delighted that at least a part of what "one club" was about has been achieved albeit after a long time.

But its taken even longer for me to achieve something else. I recently found a certificate recording that I did a faster time for race walking 20 miles in 1981 than the one I had previously claimed. Steve Taylor has forwarded it to the IOMAA for ratification!

Catching up day

2011-12-18T15:17:00.000Z

I knew that I would not have enough time to film all of the runners in the Winter Hill League race yesterday as I needed to be at the airport by 2.20 pm to collect Ben. Marie had been going to go but she was feeling rotten with a cold so it was lucky for me, but not for the passengers, that easyJet's flight from Liverpool was an hour late.

One thing that was apparent at Ronaldsway Airport is that, despite the massive investment in facilities, the airport cannot cope with the arrival of a single Airbus A319 (or whatever it is that easyJet operate to the Isle of Man). The pick up lane was blocked to the point where you could not get into the car park and when I did park up the arrival hall was full. Had a chance to update Andy Fox, who was also meeting the plane, on the results of the hill race.

So although I got the photos uploaded yesterday with family time (and a football match that I wished I had not watched) it was late in the evening before I finished off the video.

By the way, I have just noticed that the audio from my previous video (Winter League Walk) has new music. One of the audio tracks I used was not allowed (Warner Music Group) and so the audio was initially disabled. The strange thing was that when I elected to replace it with one of YouTube royalty free offers I was warned that it would take some time to replace but in the meantime the original audio is enabled again.

My computer is in a mess now and I need to do some tidying up.

But the main catch up of the day is our ages. Its Marie's birthday today.

Kenyon Crowe

2011-12-16T21:51:00.003Z

Soon after I wrote my first post of the day I received news of the passing of Kenyon Crowe aged 89. Widower of the late Ruby, and father of Linda, Graham and Nigel, in all but the last few months of his life he felt he had everything he ever needed.

He felt that Kirk Michael was the perfect place to be brought up; East Baldwin was the perfect place to spend his working life farming; Saddle Mews was the perfect place, alongside the National Sports Centre, to spend his final few years.

A member of Boundary Harriers, for whom he played table tennis for many years, his greatest contribution to sport was to be be there quietly in support. A quiet word from Kenyon was worth two louder shouts from some others. And he backed up his emotional support with financial support given quietly - sometimes to the extent that he would not continue it if it was mentioned publicly.

Richard Coates, Conor Cummins and David Knight were just three people to benefit and each one of them gave something back by visiting him and showing genuine gratitude. It wasn't just the motor cyclists who enjoyed the free use of his land. Boundary Harriers held cross country on his family farmland in the later 70s and early 80s.

I had a special attachment with Kenyon. He was the first person I ever saw when I was brought to Manx soil. He was my mother's younger brother and he used to meet us off the boat from Liverpool when we visited every summer (until my parents brought our family back to the land of my mother's birth). He was generous with his time to us on the farm and he was generous to me after my father died making a significant contribution to my travel costs when I was competing regularly in the UK in the early 80s - and I had to make one of those promises not to tell anyone.

Kenyon is on the right of the back row in the 1958 photo above. My parents are in the middle row and Kenyon/my mother's elder brother John and his wife Kathryn are on the left. Today saw the last of that generation. I'm also on the back row and I was, at the time, the youngest.

Kenyon's own family has extended to great-grandchildren. They had a mighty great grand father.

Slippery character

2011-12-16T07:38:00.000Z

I was caught out this morning. I had been up since 5.30 but not realised that the ground was covered in snow until I popped out for an easy run at 7. I wasn't going to take any risks as I have already had one fall this week - at the bottom of the Douglas Head Road last Sunday morning.

The snow may have slowed me to a crawl but it didn't stop the hardy - the woman who pushes her dog in a pram every morning was still there.

I was in the company of our elected ones last night. Going with Marie to the Speaker's Christmas Dinner is my only taste of turkey this year so it was good to be out. Although the number of elected members who attended would hardly have constituted a quorum in the House, it did include a former Commonwealth Games hurdler and a multi Parish Walk finisher. And a newly elected member who remembers his father's cows getting in our garden at Kirk Michael.

Thankfully I don't have to go to work today as I have a day off. The scanner is going to be busy again and I started the day by putting a cutting from the 2007 Island Games on the front page.

Now I'm going to flag the Island Cross Country Championships. Not literally but by putting a photo of the course on the front page.

I'm going to avoid sprouts today as the hotel where we ate last night seemed to only have one vegetable and I've had enough for a week.

FW: England Athletics eBulletin: 12th December 2011

2011-12-16T05:54:00.000Z

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England Athletics eBulletin - 16th December 2011

www.englandathletics.org

Essential information from England Athletics

Are you winding down ready for the seasonal break? Or perhaps you're getting ready to spend more time training? We've published a number of new resources online for you to download and read, including the new edition of Setting the Pace, Asset management documents, and Athletics 365 videos.

Latest News

Setting The Pace is now available for download

The Winter edition of Setting The Pace is now available for download here on the England Athletics website. The perfect place for news and information on work being done across the sport by clubs, coaches, volunteers and England Athletics, plus discount vouchers for Sweatshop!

Raising the standard of facilities

England Athletics is committed to raising the standard of facilities at sustainable community athletics clubs around England, increasing the opportunities to access quality facilities for both new and existing athletes.

New Combined Events NCM appointed

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Kerry Eddie as National Coach Mentor for Combined Events. Kerry will be taking over from Darrell Bunn who has been in the role from the outset of the National Coach Development Programme.

Run! Project hits new heights attracting 22,033 participants

Run! is going from strength to strength in London, 6 months into the project the 10 Run! Activators have recruited an impressive 130 new coaches and 201 new volunteers who have given 447 hours to the project and 426 participants have had access to informal coach athlete and volunteer workshops.

Community Athletics Activator Resource

The "Run, Jump, Throw" Community Athletics Activator Resource was launched 2 years ago and has proved very popluar across the country. You can still buy copies of the Resource pack which is ideal for those wishing to run an informal activity or short form competition event in their school, neighbourhood, or community youth project.

Online Video Support for Athletics 365

England Athletics and UKA are pleased to announce that Athletics 365 online video support clips are available on their own section within uCoach. This will provide coaches with an extensive library of video clips covering each of the Athletics 365 challenges.

Run! Activator Walking Beyond Boundaries

Tower Hamlets Run! Activator Nicole Evans is used to writing good news stories about her participants and borough partnerships developed, this time it's Nicole’s turn to be the good news story........

Features

Warm up for Winter with England Athletics branded kit
Keep warm and show your support for athletics at the same time by wearing England Athletics branded kit - hoodies, sweatshirts, fleeces, hats and waterproof suits should do the trick.

Keep up with the latest news
England Athletics use twitter and facebook to ensure that even when on the move, you can keep up to date with the latest news and events. www.twitter.com/englandathletic www.facebook.com/EnglandAthletics

New Year. New Job?
Want to turn your passion into a career? We are looking for two new Club and Coach Support Officers (South West and North) and a Membership Services Administrator. A new resolution to do more voluntary work? Look in our jobs section (or contact your local club to see if they need help).

Are You Ready?
The England Athletics Volunteer Initiative and ‘Are you ready?’ campaign are now in full swing and clubs are working hard to recruit, retain and reward volunteers ready for Athletics' big moment. Join the ‘Are you ready?’ campaign and host two great events.

England Athletics
growing the next generation of athletics champions

Athletics House, Alexander Stadium, Walsall Road, Perry Barr, Birmingham, B42
General Enquiries: Tel: 0121 347 6543 | Email: info@englandathletics.org

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FW: UKA e-Newsletter - European Cross domination for Aviva GB & NI

2011-12-15T13:05:00.000Z

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UKA e-Newsletter

15/12/2011

European Cross domination for Aviva GB & NI

In yet another outstanding series of performances - including brilliant individual gold medals from Emelia Gorecka (coach: Mick Woods) and Emma Pallant (Mick Woods) - the Aviva Great Britain and Northern Ireland team topped the medal table for the fourth successive year at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Velenje, Slovenia today (Sunday 11 December).

Read More

Van Commenee looking for strong performances in Aviva Series 2012
UKA head coach Charles van Commenee has laid down the gauntlet to his athletes by demanding top draw performances...

Read More

Don't forget to vote for Dai Greene and Mo Farah for BBC Sports Personality of the Year
Vote on the night on Thursday 22nd Dec at 8pm. Spread the word on Facebook...

Read More

Aviva Athletics iPhone App – new version available!
Download or update your Aviva Athletics iPhone App full of lots of new features...

Read More

Caption Competition & Tweetwatch
Congratulations to Paul Nicholson for this winning picture caption: 'Well this is the nearest I'll get to a big Mac for the next eight months...' Enter this week's competition...

Read More

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Opening and closing windows

2011-12-13T22:25:00.001Z

In this house, and I suspect its not the only one, the woman goes around opening the windows saying "we need a change of air" and the man goes around closing them saying "what's the point of spending all that money on cavity insulation if you let all the heat out the windows".

And the windows have been opening and closing around the house tonight with Microsoft throwing up 15 updates this month for Windows 7 and if you don't force an install they end up interrupting your work later in the evening so its best to accept that that they will only be open for a short time before they get closed again....and opened....and closed.....

Finally the scanner started and was going flat out for a couple of hours other than a walk to the nearby shop via the death trap known as a pelican crossing. I've lost count of the number of times I have only put one foot onto the crossing as a car approaches at 50 mph in an area where a 30 mph limit is clearly sensible. Once on the crossing I couldn't believe it when another one went across the other side.

And its as bad on the crossing by the Gaiety on the prom which I sometimes use in the morning. Cars accelerate away fast from broadway passing the same pelican crossing each day without even realising they are supposed to be alert and ready to stop.

There should be a camera in the window of the Sefton Hotel to catch the offenders.

This window is closing now. I'll leave to visitors to the site to open the shutters and reveal the stories behind the old newspaper report I've put on the front page.

Christmas presents posted

2011-12-13T14:01:00.002Z

Nearly blown away in Ballasalla when I walked to the Post Office to post some Christmas presents. Cards already done and so I will some more time for my websites tonight.

Two is too many

2011-12-11T01:15:00.000Z

I haven't been up this late since the Parish Walk. I've been to two parties today (one in the afternoon and one in the evening) both with great hospitality.

My plan is do my "normal" Sunday morning run around the Marine Drive later and then take photos at the Winter League Walks. But I may just turn over and go back to sleep if the weather remains as wet as it is now.

Otherwise Christmas Cards take priority over website for a day or two.

FW: 3 Peaks Challenge 2012

2011-12-09T13:55:00.002Z

Enter your company for the 3 Peaks Challenge 2012

Enter your company for the 3 Peaks Challenge 2012

We are looking for corporate teams from across the UK to take part in our famous 3 Peaks Challenge event for Action Medical Research.

The challenge is on for teams of 4-6 to summit the highest mountains in England, Scotland and Wales in the ultimate team challenge. Action Medical Research's 3 Peaks Challenge has an extra special challenge built-in as teams must take charity mascot Paddington Bear to the summit of each mountain. Many teams will aim to complete the challenge in 24 hours or less, others will take closer to 30 hours.

All funds raised by the challenge will support the work of Action Medical Research and will make a huge difference to the research the charity is able to fund offering hope to the many thousands of families across the UK who are dealing with the trauma of a baby born too early, striving to support a child affected by disability, or facing the challenge of caring for a child with a rare and devastating disease for which there is no cure.

For full information please click the following link:

http://www.actionforcharity.co.uk/eventdetailsnew2.php/urlsearch/3-Peaks-Challenge

If you have any questions please e-mail: events@actionforcharity.co.uk or call us on 01590 677854.

Like this email? Send it to a friend.

Action for Charity

FW: November E-Inspire

2011-12-09T13:54:00.002Z

click here to view online version


	UK Athletics Ltd. Registered in England No. 3686940. Athletics House, Central Boulevard, Blythe Valley Park, Solihull, West Midlands, B90 8AJ TEL: 0121 713 8400 Click here to unsubscribe from E-Inspire updates

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FW: UKA e-Newsletter

2011-12-09T13:54:00.000Z

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UKA e-Newsletter

01/12/2011


	Welcome to the UKA e-Newsletter! UKA are set to relaunch our popular website in early 2012 with a brand new look and feel! In the meantime enjoy our new e-Newsletter, bringing together the popular features of previous newsletters Trackside and E-Inspire Update. So sit back, relax and catch up on the latest in UKA and Aviva Series news! You will still receive all the exclusive interviews, articles and competitions we offered before, as well as all the latest news and information about athletics in the UK.

Aviva Series set me on gold
medal trail
Dai Greene tell us how the summer's Aviva Series events prepared him for the World Championships...

Read More

Aviva GB & NI European Cross
Country Team Announced
Great Britain look to achieve a clean sweep of medals for the third time in four years...

Read More

BBC Sports Personality of the Year
Athletics has been buoyed by the inclusion of two World Champions in this year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards top ten...

Read More

Caption Competition & Tweetwatch
Congratulations to Zak Fookes with this winning caption from last time: "As I keep telling you, I can be faster than Usain Bolt." Enter this week's competition...

Read More

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FW: England Athletics eBulletin - looking to the season ahead

2011-12-09T13:53:00.001Z

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England Athletics eBulletin - looking to the season ahead

www.englandathletics.org

1st December 2011

England Athletics are looking forward to the season ahead, and beyond. This week we moved into our new Head Office at the Alexander Stadium. We have some vacancies for the essential Club and Coach Support Officer roles. If you're an athlete or coach planning the months ahead details on many of our team selections for upcoming race walking, mountain running and indoor track and field are now available, 2012 event dates are announced, and indoor championship online registration is open.

Latest News

England Athletics and UKA win joint NGB of the year award
Athletics was a triple-winner at this week's prestigious 2011 UK Coaching Awards, hosted by sports coach UK with three high profile honours going to the nation’s favourite Olympic and Paralympic sport.

Indoor champs online registration now live
Registration for the three England Athletics indoor championships is now online. You can now also view the dates and venues for all 2012 championships as well as register for the indoor series.

Indoor track and field team events announced
England Athletics are pleased to announce the events that athletes will be selected for 3 European teams (Linz, Bratislava and Vienna) and an U20 team (Celtic Cup) for the Indoor season.

England Team opportunities for mountain runners and race walkers announced
England Athletics is looking to support developing athletes and provide international experience towards major Championships.

Final Race Organisers' Course of the series
The final Race Organisers' Course in the second series will take place at Gravesend on 8 January. This is a great opportunity to further your knowledge and build your confidence by looking at how road race organisation is developing.

Features

New offices for England Athletics and UKA
We've moved! We are now at Alexander Stadium, Birmingham. New phone number: 0121 347 6543. Callers dialling the old number will be given the new one. New address: Athletics House, Alexander Stadium, Walsall Road, Perry Barr, Birmingham, B42 2LR. Mail forwarding from previous office is in place. Emails are unchanged.

Turn your passion into a career
Why not turn your passion for sport into a job? We are looking for a couple of full time Club and Coach Support Officers. Only have a little time to spare? Volunteer popportunities are also advertised, as are non England Athletics jobs.

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Blown over

2011-12-08T22:26:00.000Z

Today started battling against the winds around the National Sports Centre. You would have struggled to convince me that this was a lull before the storm - but it was. the wind got much worse later.

During the past couple of days I've had three time consuming tasks to keep me behind the scenes with a limited amount of updating to the home page, although I have just done so now.

Scanner still working flat out with press cuttings from 2005 and 2006.

Video recorder also working flat out connected to computer as I start the final transfer of data from that format - but that's another story.

And Paul Jackson and I are still working hard to fix a number of technical problems with his two sites. More about that soon.

Team from Valencia

2011-12-06T23:16:00.000Z

I've been watching a team from Valencia tonight so I thought I would dig out a team from Valencia in 1982.

There are two Manx residents in the photo.

A free copy of Chelsea's win over over the Spanish team for anyone who can name them both?

Hope that second comeback is as good

2011-12-05T22:37:00.000Z

I've spent most of the evening scanning newspaper cuttings from 2004 - it seems like these are never ending.

All sorts of gems that I would like to share over time and lots of things I thought about putting in this position tonight.

But I have gone with something from the final event of 2004, the Millennium Way Relay, when John Halligan made a comeback. He "blew up" on this occasion but went on to make quite a name for himself in the years that followed.

He is on the comeback trail again at the moment after a career threatening injury. Let's hope that the second comeback is as good as the first.

Peter's injury has helped the website

2011-12-05T13:49:00.000Z

Its a shame that Peter Bradley has been injured in recent weeks but he has been able to plug a gap that I created now that I have returned to cross country.

I've struggled for a few years at cross country and last year I kept missing races until I considered myself fit enough. This winter I kept my training going from the summer and have lowered my expectations by going for a long run of more than 21 miles the day before the race. But with a recovery run on Sunday morning and a steadier start than most of the runners I have been really pleased with the results and can't believe that I was going to call it a day. I will probably change my mind again when I have a bad run.

It might be hard running up the hill at Glen Lough six times but at least I didn't have much to do on the website when I got home. Probably just as well as I got really cold waiting for Robbie to finish and couldn't even talk properly (what's new?) when I got home.

We shouldn't under estimate the quality of the results. Spread across so many races it is remarkable that that the team that involves Lewis Veale, David Griffiths and Cheryl Pryke processing the results initially produced by the organising club manage to have them online so quickly.

And Peter had his photos online last night and there will be a video later.

I quite like this one of Peter's with Andy Watson concentrating hard and Juan Kinley about to take one of the river crossings. I'm following Richard Jamieson who has just been caught at full stretch in the mud.

The next clearout

2011-12-02T20:54:00.001Z

I was off work today and sat with a cup of tea at 9 o'clock hoping to find the motivation to do an hour of scanning old results sheets etc. I next moved at 1 pm with a few hundred more pages of scanning complete.

I returned to the task tonight and cleared out my whole collection of certificates.

It might seem harsh to get rid of my past but the reality is that I didn't know I had most of them and by scanning and indexing them I can easily refer to them now if I want to.

Here are a couple of classics. I was the last person in my class at Ballakermeen to swim 20 yards and got a big cheer. I may even have been the last in the whole school. I was well past 13.

And yet a few months later I made my debut in a senior athletics event walking from the Black Hut to the Grandstand six weeks before my 14th birthday.

I had a boss a few years ago who in an initial 10 minute interview noted my strengths and weaknesses. He spent the next few years highlighting the same characteristics in my appraisal meetings.

In fitness terms I haven't changed much either. The only thing I have ever been good at is an event that keeps going for long distances.

If I worked harder on my weaknesses such as DIY I wouldn't have spent several hours today providing another library of material for the website and other researchers. I'm too old to change now as I prepare to go for a long run tomorrow morning.

I've been using the other blog - back soon

2011-12-01T21:41:00.001Z

http://parishwalk2012.blogspot.com/

Final preparation still to go

2011-11-30T00:11:00.000Z

Part of a long session on the Parishwalk.com site tonight has involved arranging the videos from last year. I continue publishing the site for a week after the big event each year and then drawn a line. Its always a little frustrating when you come back and find things that you thought you had done but haven't.

Its the same with some of the text on the website. I keep finding typos or there have been emails circulating to agree wording on bits of the rules that seem to have been resolved in previous years but hadn't.

There are 12 pages on the website (apart from archive ones) and, subject to final corrections I have now published 9 of them. Still got some detail to add to the archive page, some more videos to link in and to republish the stats (all 20 reports) with the name of the new sponsor rather than last year's.

Oh, and there is that all important link to the entry page which you can visit in 23 hours and 50 minutes. Good night.

Foul day

2011-11-29T07:46:00.000Z

I republished the Syd Quirk Half Marathon lists before venturing outside this morning. Whilst still in recovery mode from racing on Sunday I was nearly blown to my best time for 100 metres on the promenade such was the strength of the wind. But it really was unpleasant running into the wind.

On my mind whilst I was running was the need to hold up my hands and admit that that I had several women flagged as men on the database - they must have been that way for several years but I noticed the error when correcting something else. And so Linda Kelly had been omitted from the top 30 and now that she is in Dawn Yates drops out. I thought I had been not chicken out of this omission on such a foul day.

First the Syd Quirk

2011-11-29T06:12:00.000Z

I had an evening on the Parish Walk website last night mainly on the statistics page. I don't think I ever published the split times (prepared by John Shimmin) last year so they will be there on launch of the site tomorrow evening as will a remixed version of the Braddan video (just about to upload that). Lost more than half an hour's work at one point last night when the web editing software hung and also found some errors in the "most improved" cumulative finishers times from last year which I had to republish.

I also had some feedback about the Syd Quirk statistics. In particular Mo Kelly pointed out that I had mixed up her husband Alan with her cousin Allan. So I will start this morning by redoing these lists. Thanks to Peter Bradley for the video - I also have a link to some of his photos which I need to add although he had a problem when his lens misted up.

Its good that everyone is finding the site again. 381 visitors on Sunday, 341 yesterday and 10 already since midnight.

SQ database

2011-11-27T22:30:00.000Z

More about the Haldane Fisher Syd Quirk Half Marathon tomorrow but in case you have not seen it on the front page here are the links for the database:

All runners: by fastest time by year by name All women: by fastest time

And here is a bonus showing the people with 10 or more finishes (name, number and average time):

Alan Pilling	30	01:43:04
Murray Lambden	15	01:19:06
Steve Kelly	14	01:13:17
Alan Kelly	13	01:33:53
Mitch Joughin	13	01:30:01
John Wright	12	01:27:03
Ian Callister	12	01:29:14
Peter Cooper	11	01:27:08
Ian Crawford	11	01:26:04
Martin Bell	11	01:35:04
Alan Postlethwaite	10	01:21:53
Paul Curphey	10	01:22:20
Robbie Callister	10	01:18:30
John Grimson	10	01:30:58
Bill Hooke	10	01:32:43

209 days until the Parish Walk

2011-11-26T22:46:00.000Z

I wouldn't have known that only one of next year's bloggers has a countdown clock.

www.parishwalk.com will be re-launched about 4 days from now.

Progress with the Parish Walk website

2011-11-26T20:19:00.000Z

Only four days left to complete the site and I have spent a few hours on it today.

I have completed the first of this year's special features which I started earlier in the week and got a couple of other pages ready.

Still a long way to go but with a bit of luck I will also do a remix of the main Parish Walk video from Braddan last year. I compressed it a bit too much in the rush to get it published and then it was removed by YouTube because of a copyright problem. It would be nice to get it visible before the relaunch. Sleep will be the deciding factor. I'm falling asleep now and will probably be the same after the half marathon tomorrow.

Its got to be done

2011-11-26T20:15:00.001Z

Anyone who reads the stuff I put on this site will know that I am proud of anything I might achieved as an athlete. But I like to commit the races to memory and if my own fails revert to computer memory - websites, databases and scanned documents.

The boxes of things I have won over the last 15 years or so (since I did the same thing) lying in the attic do nothing for the memory so they are being recycled tomorrow.

Not quite a labour of love

2011-11-25T13:46:00.000Z

One of the ways I get my pleasure from doing the websites is that I am not tied down by the content. The feature I did on Boundary Harriers the night before last was a good example. After Steve Partington had tipped me off about the 50th anniversary I had a plan to show the records from the late Willie Turnbull's book but the rest flowed from there. It was fun.

I also get a lot of pleasure from the Parish Walk website because so many people enjoy it. But at this time of the year with a deadline approaching it becomes just a bit too much like hard work. Something that has to be done rather than something I feel like doing. I am already behind with my schedule but I am meeting the featured walker this evening and completing the feature page is always one of the biggest challenges.

A good part of my weekend is earmarked for the PW site. No long runs tomorrow though with the half marathon on Sunday.

If I finish the race on Sunday I will have done 15 of the Syd Quirk Half Marathon. Only one person has run more. In fact Alan Pilling will be aiming to finish number 30. Hopefully its still a labour of love for him.

Moving into 21st century

2011-11-25T13:39:00.000Z

I've just entered the Lancs Cross Country online - it was see easy and just an extra 80p. I did decide to retire from this event last year but if my latest comeback continues it makes it even easier to enter in the future as all the data is stored. This is the sort of system I have been advocating for years. I shall dig out some of my previous jottings on this subject.

Howler, growler and fouler

2011-11-24T13:52:00.001Z

For anyone reading this away from the Isle of Man, I should tell you its really windy here today. Quite hard to train the morning.

There is a great entry for the Haldane Fisher Syd Quirk Half Marathon on Sunday (see links on front page) and, although the date has changed for the first time in its long history from the first Sunday of November to the last, it looks like we may have some of the wind that I traditionally associate with the event. I can remember battling into the wind by the airport a few times over the years.

Of course, you also get some advantage when you get to the point where the wind is on your back. I had just got to this point on the NSC roadway this morning when some idiot in a van came the other way with a dog following him. Its bad enough that dog owners can be so lazy, worse that he was breaking the rules by bringing a dog onto the NSC and even worse that he chose to drive tight to the inside of the corner leaving me to take action to avoid a collision with the dog.

The language was a little foul. I just hope that the dog didn't foul.

Behind me?

2011-11-22T21:24:00.000Z

"That's all behind me now" I wrote a few minutes ago describing the web hosting problems of the past week. So I went to set up my email accounts at the new host and my router was down. More swearing! It been happening at least once a day since we have been on the new super fast broadband and much more often if I connect up all the gear we have. We've already had the router replaced but I have ordered my own - a type which is still not available. It wasn't cheap as it is powerful enough for a SME business but its not good enough at the moment.

There are usually as many people ahead of me as behind when I race these days but I am hoping these technical problems really will be behind me soon.

I'm going to do some more scanning. I welcome the numbness of it this time.

You can contact me on murray@manxathletics.com but I do have rather a lot of outstanding emails again.

Murray

Light at the end of the tunnel?

2011-11-22T13:39:00.000Z

The question mark is all important. I have just looked at the site that records the details of all the domains and the manxathletics.com has been updated today as follows:

Domain Name: MANXATHLETICS.COM
   Registrar: TUCOWS.COM CO.
   Whois Server: whois.tucows.com
   Referral URL: http://domainhelp.opensrs.net
   Name Server: NS.MAINNAMESERVER.COM
   Name Server: NS2.MAINNAMESERVER.COM
   Status: clientTransferProhibited
   Status: clientUpdateProhibited
   Updated Date: 22-nov-2011
   Creation Date: 08-dec-2000
   Expiration Date: 08-dec-2012

I'm not keen on seeing the word prohibited though. Fingers crossed that we are only a few hours away from regaining control of the website.

FW: C251016445 - 1&1 Internet Support

2011-11-21T22:32:00.001Z

-----Original Message-----
From: Murray Lambden - personal mail [mailto:murray@murrayandmarie.com]
Sent: 21 November 2011 22:32
To: 'support@1and1.co.uk'
Subject: RE: C251016445 - 1&1 Internet Support
Hi, I've waited for another 7 hours. The domain has not been transferred, nor is it forwarding or even pointing to the root directory. This is getting oneandone a bad name. Hopefully this will be finalised in the next few hours to prevent the considerable disruption continuing for a further week.
Thank you.
-----Original Message-----
From: support@1and1.co.uk [mailto:support@1and1.co.uk]
Sent: 21 November 2011 15:36
To: murray@murrayandmarie.com
Subject: RE: C251016445 - 1&1 Internet Support
Dear Murray Lambden, (Customer ID: 2384892)
Thank you for contacting us.
We do appreciate your prompt reply and do apologize for the inconvenience that this has brought to you. We are going to forward your case to our back end administrators for further checking and proper advises. Please do wait for an update coming from them. It is our pleasure to assist you and your understanding is very much appreciated.
If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
--
Sincerely,
Elsie Estrera
Technical Support
1&1 Internet Limited
� Registered at Cardiff, Company number 3953678 - VAT No GB 752539027
Aquasulis House, 10-14 Bath Road, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 3SA, United Kingdom

Thanks but still this latest fix is not working. Please could you complete the domain transfer as a matter of urgency and then this forwarding solution will no longer be necessary. The service has been disrupted for almost a week now.

FW: C251016445 - 1&1 Internet Support

2011-11-21T13:41:00.002Z

-----Original Message-----
From: Murray Lambden - personal mail [mailto:murray@murrayandmarie.com]
Sent: 21 November 2011 13:39
To: 'support@1and1.co.uk'
Subject: RE: C251016445 - 1&1 Internet Support
Thanks but still this latest fix is not working. Please could you complete the domain transfer as a matter of urgency and then this forwarding solution will no longer be necessary. The service has been disrupted for almost a week now.

-----Original Message-----
From: support@1and1.co.uk [mailto:support@1and1.co.uk]
Sent: 21 November 2011 04:50
To: murray@murrayandmarie.com
Subject: RE: C251016445 - 1&1 Internet Support
Dear Murray Lambden, (Customer ID: 2384892)
Thank you for contacting us.
As we check, the status of the recent changes made is still ongoing. Please allow it a couple of hours to propagate. Once it has completed, it should be forwarded to http://79.170.44.78/manxathletics.com/index.html.
If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
--
Sincerely,
Karen Becillote
Technical Support
1&1 Internet Limited
� Registered at Cardiff, Company number 3953678 - VAT No GB 752539027
Aquasulis House, 10-14 Bath Road, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 3SA, United Kingdom
> Thanks for your latest email. My point was that although I had removed the link to the Website creator, the domain manxathletics.com is still not accessing the root directory. The file Capture3.jpg shows a folder number whereas the file Capture5.jpg (my other account with you) makes a direct reference to the root folder. I have since tried to forward the manxathletics.com domain to a new site (not at oneandone) but still I get the error message as per the attachment Capture4.jpg. The impression I get is no matter where the domain manager indicates the domain should be directed to, the command is not working. Could it be that because I have applied to move the domain to another host that any changes I try to make are being blocked? This shouldn't happen because I am still paying for a service.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: support@1and1.co.uk [mailto:support@1and1.co.uk]
> Sent: 20 November 2011 14:05
> To: murray@murrayandmarie.com
> Subject: RE: C251016445 - 1&1 Internet Support
>
> Dear Murray Lambden, (Customer ID: 2384892)
>
> Thank you for contacting us.
>
> Would be able to provide us the domain name in concern for further checking here on our end? We have checked you two contracts earlier and could not see any domain that is pointing to any application like website creator. Your patience is highly appreciated.
>
> If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
>
> --
> Sincerely,
> Leslie Ancajas
> Technical Support
> 1&1 Internet Limited
>
> ? Registered at Cardiff, Company number 3953678 - VAT No GB 752539027
> Aquasulis House, 10-14 Bath Road, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 3SA, United Kingdom
>
> > Thank you but domain has not yet reverted to the root directory.
> >
> > Murray

This would test a saint

2011-11-20T21:41:00.000Z

I've been sending messages on and off all day to oneandone who keep apologising for the problems with the website and suggest something else that doesn't work. I'm afraid that under the circumstances I have very little enthusiasm for updating the site at its new home when so few people are finding it. Things always seem worse when I am knackered, which I am, so I shall try and build up some enthusiasm for websites sometime tomorrow.

FW: C251016445 - 1&1 Internet Support

2011-11-20T12:02:00.002Z

-----Original Message-----
From: support@1and1.co.uk [mailto:support@1and1.co.uk]
Sent: 20 November 2011 10:38
To: murray@murrayandmarie.com
Subject: RE: C251016445 - 1&1 Internet Support
Dear Murray Lambden, (Customer ID: 2384892)
Thank you for contacting us.
As we have further checked here, none of your domains now is pointing to website creator application. It might be a temporary glitch on our system that the update did not reflect immediately. Apologies for this inconvenience again. Please recheck on your end if you still have the same concern. You can also try using another web browser to review it.
If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
--
Sincerely,
Leslie Ancajas
Technical Support
1&1 Internet Limited
� Registered at Cardiff, Company number 3953678 - VAT No GB 752539027
Aquasulis House, 10-14 Bath Road, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 3SA, United Kingdom
> Thank you. I have unassigned the domain (following your instructions) but on the domain list the domain list still appears to be pointing to the Web Creator - is that just something that is going to change in time?
>
> Murray

FW: C251016445 - 1&1 Internet Support

2011-11-20T06:46:00.001Z

-----Original Message-----
From: Murray Lambden - personal mail [mailto:murray@murrayandmarie.com]
Sent: 20 November 2011 06:46
To: 'support@1and1.co.uk'
Subject: RE: C251016445 - 1&1 Internet Support
Thank you for recognising the inconvenience. The domain should have remained assigned to the root directory (webspace/webfiles?) - what I find difficult to understand is how you identified an error several days ago (that my account had been changed by you to a web site creator) and yet the problem was not resolved. I emphasise again that I have been a customer for 11 years and have always uploaded files to the same directory using the same FTP process until your ill fated upgrade.

-----Original Message-----
From: support@1and1.co.uk [mailto:support@1and1.co.uk]
Sent: 20 November 2011 00:42
To: murray@murrayandmarie.com
Subject: RE: C251016445 - 1&1 Internet Support
Dear Murray Lambden, (Customer ID: 2384892)
Thank you for contacting us.
We really do sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this have caused you. As we checked your domain manxathletics.com is assigned to the website creator application. May we ask if this is the correct application where your webiste files are created or they are on your webfiles area? Please specify to us where should be the domain be pointed for we can check further. Again we do sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this have caused you.
If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
--
Sincerely,
Mary Arn Malapitan
Technical Support
1&1 Internet Limited
� Registered at Cardiff, Company number 3953678 - VAT No GB 752539027
Aquasulis House, 10-14 Bath Road, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 3SA, United Kingdom
> Another 10 hours have elapsed without you either giving me the capacity to publish my files or move to another host. It was changes instigated by your company that brought about the problem - i didn't change anything. I refer you to my previous email, however, and note that the domain was assigned to website creator by you. Please allow me to publish files to the root directory as i have been for the past 11 years or speed up the very slow domain transfer process.

Good job its not a business

2011-11-19T22:28:00.000Z

The graph shows the rapid decline in visitors whilst I strive to get the website problems sorted out - see previous post.

I'm continuing to build a huge library of scanned documents. I've found loads of results and programmes for events that I didn't realise I had. They will keep the website fuelled for years to come even if there weren't multiple events every week.

FW: C251016445 - 1&1 Internet Support

2011-11-19T22:18:00.000Z

-----Original Message-----
From: Murray Lambden - personal mail [mailto:murray@murrayandmarie.com]
Sent: 19 November 2011 22:18
To: 'support@1and1.co.uk'
Subject: RE: C251016445 - 1&1 Internet Support

Another 10 hours have elapsed without you either giving me the capacity to publish my files or move to another host. It was changes instigated by your company that brought about the problem - i didn't change anything. I refer you to my previous email, however, and note that the domain was assigned to website creator by you. Please allow me to publish files to the root directory as i have been for the past 11 years or speed up the very slow domain transfer process.

-----Original Message-----
From: Murray Lambden - personal mail [mailto:murray@murrayandmarie.com]
Sent: 19 November 2011 12:09
To: 'support@1and1.co.uk'
Subject: RE: C251016445 - 1&1 Internet Support

Thank you. I now (finally) have access to my files again but this still doesn't resolve the original problem that I get the attached message when accessing the website.

Is it something to do with one of several separate faults that you have admitted to such as this sent by one of your staff 4 day ago which has not been fixed:

"We sincerely apologize for the mess up .

We checked this domain name which is manxathletics.com and this domain name is pointing to WebsiteCreator."

-----Original Message-----
From: support@1and1.co.uk [mailto:support@1and1.co.uk]
Sent: 19 November 2011 06:02
To: murray@murrayandmarie.com
Subject: RE: C251016445 - 1&1 Internet Support

Dear Murray Lambden, (Customer ID: 2384892)

Thank you for contacting us.

We checked the issues on webfiles already been fixed.
Please try to double check on your end and try to launch webfiles if you still encounter the same issue.

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

--
Sincerely,
Jennifer Bringuela
Technical Support
1&1 Internet Limited

Registered at Cardiff, Company number 3953678 - VAT No GB 752539027 Aquasulis House, 10-14 Bath Road, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 3SA, United Kingdom

> Dear Jefferson
>
> Nearly two further days have passed since you provided this update. It has been almost 4 days since a "10-15 minute" break in service resulted in the removal of all my files accumulated over an 11 year period (and no access to replace them). Had you cared about customer service surely it would have been possible to have provided a temporary solution for your customers. If you reflect on the initial advice I was given I was told that I should attend to the problem! I have now resolved to move most of my business to another host because I have, in the past, threatened to make such a move but after a period of time problems like this have returned. As an act of good faith perhaps you could speed up the unnecessarily slow transfer of my domain to a new host as it is something I am only doing because of your company's failure to provide good service.
>
> Your sincerely
>
> Murray
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: support@1and1.co.uk [mailto:support@1and1.co.uk]
> Sent: 17 November 2011 02:43
> To: murray@murrayandmarie.com
> Subject: C251016445 - 1&1 Internet Support
>
> Dear Murray Lambden, (Customer ID: 2384892)
>
> Thank you for contacting us.
>
> This email pertains to the issue you have with regards to the error
> you have received after your have accessed 'Webfiles' application from
> the 1&1 Control Panel. Our admins have already verified that this is a
> bug on the system that is already known and reported to our
> developers. At the moment, we do not have an estimated time frame for
> the fix however rest assured that we are currently working on a
> resolution. Once we have the fix, it will be implemented to all
> affected customers. To ensure that your case will be taken cared of, I
> will be adding the details of your case to the list of affected
> customers. We understand that you might be anxious to have this
> resolved as soon as possible so thank you so much for your patience
> while we work on the resolution
>
> If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
>
> --
> Sincerely,
> Jefferson Quijano
> Technical Support
> 1&1 Internet Limited
>
> ? Registered at Cardiff, Company number 3953678 - VAT No GB 752539027
> Aquasulis House, 10-14 Bath Road, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 3SA, United
> Kingdom
> -----
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 2012.0.1869 / Virus Database: 2092/4620 - Release Date:
> 11/16/11
>
>
-----
No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2012.0.1872 / Virus Database: 2092/4624 - Release Date: 11/18/11

He used to be free

2011-11-18T19:00:00.000Z

I can only remember ever watching one cabaret in the Isle of Man and it was free. It was probably about 1985 or 1986 and the headline act was starting a summer season at the Palace Hotel and tickets were not moving fast. He had a couple of top 20 singles but they were a dozen or so years earlier and a few tickets to workers at Ronaldsway Aircraft Company, where I worked at the time, helped to swell the numbers.

The name of the singer was Tony Christie. 25 years later, thanks to Peter Kay, we are paying twenty quid each to see him tonight!

I can only remember watching two acts in the Isle of Man where I have been desperate to leave before the end. One was the Russian Ballet on Ice and the other was Will Young. I hope tonight's concert is not going to fall into this category. The price I pay for dragging Marie to some of the acts I like.

The scanner will be switched off in ten minutes. Still no sign of the domain switch or even the old website being switch on.