I made a lot of friends in the walking world back in the 80s but one of the best was Denis Jackson. He was fiercely competitive and always so unassuming.
I made my GB debut on the track at Brighton alongside Denis and the stadium announcer kindly announced that we were the future of British 50km walking. I'm afraid my future was short but Denis stayed around much longer and always did better than anyone would predict.
You can now find the finish of his European 50km performance on YouTube.
I'm hoping to meet up with Denis in a couple of months but I see his nephew reasonable often - he my co-website publisher Paul Jackson.
Monday, 29 April 2013
The long run tonight
I'm starting a website session tonight, mainly on the parishwalk.com site, in a good mood having listened to a couple of the Eagles talking to Simon Mayo on Radio 2. They are promoting their new DVD "History of the Eagles" and I really hope that I can get to see them one last time.
What's unusual about the Eagles (compared to most other 70s bands) is that all four of the long serving members, and even the three ex-members, are all still alive! Yet, a few years ago Joe Walsh appeared on the BBC's One Show on the same day as they were talking about pensions. Bear in mind all the drug and alcohol abuse they put themselves through, he was asked had he made provisions for his pension to which he replied: "I didn't think I would be alive this long."
I used Joe Walsh's solo hit "Rocky Mountain High" on my one my Snaefell Fell Race videos a few years ago but it was blocked. One thing was for sure, it wasn't written about fell running.
What's unusual about the Eagles (compared to most other 70s bands) is that all four of the long serving members, and even the three ex-members, are all still alive! Yet, a few years ago Joe Walsh appeared on the BBC's One Show on the same day as they were talking about pensions. Bear in mind all the drug and alcohol abuse they put themselves through, he was asked had he made provisions for his pension to which he replied: "I didn't think I would be alive this long."
I used Joe Walsh's solo hit "Rocky Mountain High" on my one my Snaefell Fell Race videos a few years ago but it was blocked. One thing was for sure, it wasn't written about fell running.
Sunday, 28 April 2013
Adam chases his story
Adam Russell recorded a negative split last week as he rushed to get his interviews for the Marathon Manx radio programmes. I caught him in the above photo as he is about to produce his microphone e to interview the runner ahead who claims to be setting a world record!
Seriously, he has kindly allowed me to keep copies of his two programmes.
You can find them on the London Marathon page or
Just found out
The third and final version of the 2013 fixture list was published on 13 November. I published my version on the same day including a round of the Dave Phillips Road Races on 3 May. I have just found out today that this has been changed to 10 May. Its still on the IOMAA site as 3 May so be careful.
Friday, 26 April 2013
London Marathon in less than 6 days
Some years it has taken me months to get around to watching the TV coverage but I whizzed through the 330 minutes tonight. I was worth it just for one quote from Paula Radcliffe which went something like:
"Its much easier to run the second half of a marathon faster than the first."
I know what she meant of course. If you go too fast in the first half you are going to be slowing all the way to the finish. But not many people are fit enough to cruise the first half and then speed up.Especially if you put your spikes on as Colin Jackson said they were doing at the start!
In some ways I wish I had not known the result because it really was a great race. And as the commentators said, in fairness to Mo Farah, he did not appear to hog the limelight.
I liked Steve Cram's comment too about how he usually advises people to follow the example of the elite with regard to pace judgement. Of course Steve ran alongside our very own Paul Curphey on one occasion looking for tips.
"Its much easier to run the second half of a marathon faster than the first."
I know what she meant of course. If you go too fast in the first half you are going to be slowing all the way to the finish. But not many people are fit enough to cruise the first half and then speed up.Especially if you put your spikes on as Colin Jackson said they were doing at the start!
In some ways I wish I had not known the result because it really was a great race. And as the commentators said, in fairness to Mo Farah, he did not appear to hog the limelight.
I liked Steve Cram's comment too about how he usually advises people to follow the example of the elite with regard to pace judgement. Of course Steve ran alongside our very own Paul Curphey on one occasion looking for tips.
Kipsang and Mutai taking advice on pace judgement from Paul Curphey
Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Not in overall results
Scott Overall failed to finish the London Marathon (was he a pacemaker?) but another runner appears to have made the overall results by default. Have a look at his split times - he was with the leaders at 20km (having not registered a time before then) but then continues at six and a half hour pace but still beats 4 hours. The word CHEAT is on my tongue.
On the way to the start
Here are Ed Gumbley, Paul Sykes, Nigel Armstrong, Paul Curphey and Mike Garrett on the way to the start of the marathon.
Its an almost impossible job finding out who from the Isle of Man is running each year but do please spread the word for next year that I compile the data.
I found out today that there were two more Manx runners but it was too late to include them in the press this week. And I have run out of time to do the new features I planned tonight after republishing all of the stats.
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