Midnight rambler

With a backlog of sleep to catch up on this weekend, I should have gone to bed when my body told me yesterday - about 6 pm! Instead with just a few minutes of snoring beforehand, I stayed awake through the BBC's coverage of the Rolling Stones at Glastonbury.

Watching the performance from mid way through was a bit like watching a high jump from half way through the competition, or even the second half of a marathon. You never quite get the same feeling for how good it was. I've never seen the Rolling Stones perform although the original version of "Brown Sugar" is up there with another song featuring the Stone's guitarist, Ron Wood, in my favourites - the Faces' "Stay with Me". The only time I have been close to one of their members was when Ron Wood, with his first band the Birds, played at Farnbrough Town Hall in 1965 - about 30 yards away from where we lived when I was a kid

I thought about going to watch the start of the TT Triathlon at 6 am this morning. But after watching the Stones perform "Midnight Rambler" thinking about it was about as fas as I got. I was three hours later than usual having my normal run and self preservation (my hip has been sore since racing on Thursday) meant it was only going to be a slow three miles.

I carried my compact camera and took a few photos of the triathlon. I even stopped to talk to experienced Ironman triathlete Nev Jewell who told me the good news that Juan Kinley and Russell Collister were first and second in the short distance event.

I wasn't sure of the course for the marathon,  I'm going to pop and see some of it later, and couldn't believe it when I heard that the last mile includes one of my regular training routes from the promenade through Little Switzerland to the Grandstand, That is cruel.

There were reports that one of the competitors was pushing his bike 10 miles into the 113 mile route. I've got a feeling there will be a few midnight ramblers up the hill at the end.

Bizarre

Bizarre is one of those overused words. I don't recall it being used on this blog before. But the run at Laa Columb Killey tonight was bizarre in so many ways.

First of all I have to explain that the marathon is only 5.5 miles long (or even 5.5km at one place on the website).

There was a bigger field than for some years but nobody wanted to lead. Through the first quarter of a mile Isle of Man Newspapers Sports Editor John Watterson was in front. With me on his shoulder I joked (as we are both prolific photographers, he in a professional capacity, me in a take loads and one of them will be ok kind of way) that at least neither of us could record the moment.

Next up, as I pushed on a bit, I looked over my shoulder to see three runners in pursuit. There was Paul, Paul and Paul! Messrs Sheard, Sykes and Curphey in my tracks.

As we passed the Colby Glen Hotel Paul Curphey and I, who trained together three times a week for about 15 years, side by side leading the race. It was if we were stepping back in time.

I was beginning to enjoy it. Head down. 10 minutes in the race and I was on my own. 18 minutes, that must be about half way and I was still leading. Finally Paul Sheard and Paul Sykes passed me on Fishers Hill and I started to think I was hitting the way even in this truncated marathon.

I stayed ahead of Curph so spoilt an all Paul top three as Paul Sykes finished clear of his namesake Sheard.

But marathon running has rarely been so much fun - or as bizarre.

Marathon comeback

This blog has taken a break as I have been concentrating on publishing the www.parishwalk.com and its associated blog, Facebook page, photo site and videos. A real marathon if ever there was one but well worth it to try and publicise some of the wonderful achievements in the Manx Telecom Parish Walk and to try and add to the experience of everyone involved.

Its always a challenge to get the full list of all entrants since 1974 (and finishers before then) up to date but I got it finished last night. I took a break mid-evening to relieve the headache that so much screen staring had caused and we went for a walk to a place that I last visited in the days when I used to take part in the Parish Walk.

Since the main parts of Garwick Glen closed to the public I have never been sure of where you could go but there is still a lovely path from the Douglas side and we walked back up the road which emerges on the Laxey side.

Some of the Garwick Glen history can be found here - http://www.isleofman.com/places/countryside/glens/garwick-glen/

I thought I had run my last marathon but a late decision has been made for a comeback;

http://www.laacolumbkilley.org/sports/sports.htm

Part of the family

I realised recently, when it struck me that I was neglecting one of my publishing outlets, that trying to maintain  several websites, blogs and Facebook event pages is like having a big family. You try and give plenty of love and affection to one and you suddenly realise that you are neglecting one of the others.

So this blog has been a big neglected in the last couple of weeks as the focus has been on the Manx Telecom Parish Walk. The weather forecasts for the next few days include rain but hopefully the roads will not be as bad as they were on the Friday evening last year (see above).

Just as members of the family might prefer to watch TV than do their homework, I'm finding that the greatest interest in the Parish Walk is generated not by the statistics about times or who is going to win, but by talk of food and drink. By far the most popular story has been about SMP Partners' feeding station. Its had around 5,000 hits.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=640832719278917&id=172294956132698

This one wasn't taken tonight

I was talking to Richard Radcliffe before the start of the Up & Running Ramsey Park run and we each reckoned that we had run about 75% of all the park runs since 2000.

We had never experienced such an awful night tonight. The third lap was the worst for me with driving rain and wind knocking up back at the front of the park.

Didn't the park look so much better in April?

Yoga and steps

This week's big project has been to write and compile one of the special features on the www.parishwalk.com website and I chose Michael George. We are just doing a final piece of proof checking before publishing at lunchtime.

I have known Michael for more than 20 years and because of his involvement in so much of our sport I have more photos of him than anyone else outside the family.

The time required to write such features has reminded me of why I am not doing as many this year. Part of the problem this time was deciding what to leave out as much as what to put in.

Whilst out running this morning I realised that I had not mentioned that he did yoga. And then I remembered the photos of him doing steps too!

Not rushing in Rushen

It was early evening before we got time time to relax in the beautiful weather which still prevails on the Isle of Man on Saturday. We headed to the Waterfall Hotel at Glen Maye which had been high commended by several people since it was reopened in April.

We certainly weren't rushing around afterwards but we did wander up the Rushen Mines Road.

I was asked by our visitors last week why the Rushen Abbey was so named and my answer was confusing as I started by saying that Rushen was a parish, only to realise that Rushen Abbey is in the parish of Malew and here we were in Glen Rushen in the parish on Patrick.

I found some explanations here.

When I got back I also looked for some explanations for the disappearance of a little hall in Glen Maye village which was the venue  for the presentations after the Patrick Fell Race which, coincidentally, used to be held the week after TT .

It is has been replaced by a fake cottage currently on the market for a little under £300k. Photo above together with a photo of Ian Gale, Tony Okell and  Richard Jamieson who filled the top three places in the  2002. Patrick Fell Race  I took photos on the Rushen Mines Road in 2002, 2003 and 2005 - the last time I recall walking there.

There was mining in the Rushen valley between 1740 and 1870 and water forms a big part of the area's history. It's the Rushen River that flows down into Glen Maye and there is a disused water filtration plant near to the old village hall. There is currently a planning application to demolish the filtration plant and replace it with residential buildings.

Like everywhere else on the Isle of Man right now, it looks a perfect place to live.

Douglas Prom tonight

Private tram ride

Our friends left us last night still enthusing about our heritage railways. We decided to go for a tram ride ourselves as we always take them for granted. I planned to watch the races and then we would take the 15.10 from Douglas via Laxey to Snaefell. With the postponement of the races Snaefell was out of the question. "Laxey will do then" said Marie. "Oh no" I said. "we'll  not get a seat on the return. Let's go as far as Dhoon Glen and have some  tea and cake."

The 14.40 departed with a few empty seats - well all but two as we had the tram, including the trailer where we sat, to ourselves. After some refreshments and a walk through the wonderful new arboretum across the road we returned to Douglas - completely on our own once again as far as Laxey.

A few of the sights from a lovely day out are shown above. We didn't stop thinking about the suffering of the people injured in the terrible accident but we did feel much better for getting away.

That sick feeling

I watched the first lap of the TT from the end of Cronkbourne Road at the bottom of Bray Hill, just a few hundred yards from our house. Even with a stool to stand on I could see very little. I left to walk through the back lanes to Lancaster Road and during the time I was walking there was an accident on Bray Hill which has caused serious injuries to a spectator.

As I was leaving Cronkbourne Road, I met some neighbours who are very much involved in athletics and the last thing I did was cross my fingers and say I hope the race could be completed safely. I have called on them and there is no answer at their house at the moment.

The course tonight

I had an incredibly privileged position from which to watch the Red Arrows tonight from where our course went along the prom as warm up for Sam Webbs and O'Donnells. ITV4 TT coverage superb. Not going to try and compete.

Top spot

I enjoyed the most relaxing of TT Race Days for many a year yesterday thanks to our friends allowing us to watch from Ago's leap on Quarter Bridge Road. Lots of people passed through the garden to the next door vantage point including former Formula 1 driver and TV commentator Martin Brundle (top photo).

Lots of people took to the air as the passed the garden at 150 mph including Bruce Anstey (middle photo) and the great thing about the TT is that you can you meet the stars afterwards as one of our house guests did in the pits later.

We were dragged along screaming to the Woodie for the second night in a row. The websites had another rest.

Not focused on the job

Yesterday was one of those rare days when I don't think I updated a single website or blog. I took Robbie to watch the race on Bray Hill but when he became unsettled by the delays and decided to go home, I headed out to Marown Church for the first half of the race. I took a few photos but there were blurred.

Our friends arrived in the late afternoon and I was forced to show them where the nearest pub was. I have the day off work today and hope to do one of two website things but I have lost the focus.

Camera run

I took my camera around Douglas whilst on an easy run this morning to try and capture the spirit of the TT.

Full collection here:

http://isleofman.in/ttrun