Twenty five years ago today… I was standing on the start line of the Fishguard and Goodwick half marathon. It was a point to point course that started in the wilds of North Pembrokeshire. The locals boasted that Moby Dick had been filmed on location nearby. Standing there on a cool autumn day in a mesh singlet and short shorts I didn’t really care much about that and just wanted to get started.
The 1980’s running boom was in full swing and the race attracted a healthy number of entrants, including some pretty decent cub runners. I knew that I was in reasonable shape, I’d just ran a full marathon five weeks beforehand, but hadn’t trained since (in order to let a tendon injury recover) so I really wasn’t sure how it would go.
We were off and at a punishing pace. The course was on roads, but incredibly hilly. The only thing harder than running up the hills was running down the other side of them. I felt good though and settled into a pace that I knew should see me finish in a sub 1hr. 30mins time.
A glance at my watch as I passed the 12 mile marker confirmed that I was on schedule and I upped the pace for the last mile and 192½ yards. I caught up to a small group of runners in front of me. After a few minutes we began to realise something was wrong…..where the fuck was the finish! Should we have taken that last left turn? We doubled back slightly to check. No direction markers. Following runners went straight on, so we sprinted off in the same direction. A few minutes later I was crossing the finishing line in 15th position – in a time of 93mins and 27secs.
A respectable time for such a demanding course. I should have been happy, but I wasn’t and neither were some of the other runners. We knew we’d been running a sub 1.30 race pace and the only explanation we could come up with was that the course had been measured incorrectly.
I know in the grand scale of things it really shouldn’t have bothered me, but it did and has continued to niggle from time to time – for the last quarter of a century.
A few weeks ago I was raking through a drawer and came across the certificate for completing the race and there, for the first time, I noticed the words in the small print ‘Awarded…for completing the course of thirteen and a half miles.’ The organisers had added on almost an extra half mile to the half marathon distance. It looks like I got my pacing right after all.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
Laptop
I’m quickly posting this from a shared use computer.
Due to a MAJOR laptop malfunction it’s unlikely I’ll be blogging much over the next 7 days. I probably won’t get to check my emails much either. I shall return!
Due to a MAJOR laptop malfunction it’s unlikely I’ll be blogging much over the next 7 days. I probably won’t get to check my emails much either. I shall return!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Falkland islanders evicted
Fight continues for Falkland islanders
From our correspondent in Buenos Aires.
"We're down, but certainly not out." Says evicted Falkland islander.
That was the defiant message from the people of the Falkland Islands as they plan the next move in their fight to be allowed to return to the British overseas territory.
The cherished hopes of the exiles were dashed when the Law Lords upheld the government's last-ditch bid to stop them going home.
Despite the ruling, John Smith, the chairman of the Falklands Refugees Group, said the Falkland Islanders would rally round and fight on.
"We are Falkland islanders and we want to go home, and because of that we will fight on," he said.
"We are very disappointed at this judgment by the House of Lords, but we simply will not give up."
Mr Smith and the many Falkland islanders who attended the Houses of Parliament for the House of Lords judgment believe they have been subjected to a gross injustice.
"We have the strength to go on because our case is a just cause and because what we are asking for is nothing more than our human rights," he said.
"We will have a meeting with our lawyers to work out our next move."
He said the Falkland Islands people had suffered in exile and added: "There are two types of people - those who have access to their homeland and those who do not."
Marion Bull was born in the Falklands, before being forced into exile.
"It's really upsetting for everyone," she said of the Law Lords ruling.
"People are crying because of this decision."
The 42-year-old, who works at Gatwick Airport, said she had been told many stories about life on the islands before about 2,000 residents were evicted to make way for a military base.
"The desire to go home is what helps to keep us strong," she said.
"My dad always told me about life there and to be denied the right to live there is hard. We have been suffering in exile. Life has been hard, but we will keep going."
The government went to the House of Lords in June this year to argue that allowing the islanders to return would affect defence and security and upset its bezzy mate President Bush.
The Falkland islanders now hope that a political solution can be found because they have exhausted all the legal avenues open to them within the UK.
John Smith's firmly believes efforts should continue so that the US military closes its base on East Falkland as a first step towards repatriation of the islands.
"It's very sad the way the House of Lords has decided to reject our right to go back home," she said.
"We have been fighting for over 40 years and we will keep fighting, but it is shameful the way this Labour government has acted.
"We are a close community and everyone of us is fighting for our right to our homeland. We have had the strength to fight for the past 40 years and we have the strength to keep going."
Update:
Ooops! Did I inadvertently say Falkland Islanders instead of Chagos islanders? Britain was prepared to spill blood, spend millions and shatter the mental health of a generation of servicemen to protect the self determination of the Falkland islanders. The Government could do the same for the Chagossians without firing a single shot. Once again Labour demonstrates that its moral compass is not only broken but permanently lost overboard.
From our correspondent in Buenos Aires.
"We're down, but certainly not out." Says evicted Falkland islander.
That was the defiant message from the people of the Falkland Islands as they plan the next move in their fight to be allowed to return to the British overseas territory.
The cherished hopes of the exiles were dashed when the Law Lords upheld the government's last-ditch bid to stop them going home.
Despite the ruling, John Smith, the chairman of the Falklands Refugees Group, said the Falkland Islanders would rally round and fight on.
"We are Falkland islanders and we want to go home, and because of that we will fight on," he said.
"We are very disappointed at this judgment by the House of Lords, but we simply will not give up."
Mr Smith and the many Falkland islanders who attended the Houses of Parliament for the House of Lords judgment believe they have been subjected to a gross injustice.
"We have the strength to go on because our case is a just cause and because what we are asking for is nothing more than our human rights," he said.
"We will have a meeting with our lawyers to work out our next move."
He said the Falkland Islands people had suffered in exile and added: "There are two types of people - those who have access to their homeland and those who do not."
Marion Bull was born in the Falklands, before being forced into exile.
"It's really upsetting for everyone," she said of the Law Lords ruling.
"People are crying because of this decision."
The 42-year-old, who works at Gatwick Airport, said she had been told many stories about life on the islands before about 2,000 residents were evicted to make way for a military base.
"The desire to go home is what helps to keep us strong," she said.
"My dad always told me about life there and to be denied the right to live there is hard. We have been suffering in exile. Life has been hard, but we will keep going."
The government went to the House of Lords in June this year to argue that allowing the islanders to return would affect defence and security and upset its bezzy mate President Bush.
The Falkland islanders now hope that a political solution can be found because they have exhausted all the legal avenues open to them within the UK.
John Smith's firmly believes efforts should continue so that the US military closes its base on East Falkland as a first step towards repatriation of the islands.
"It's very sad the way the House of Lords has decided to reject our right to go back home," she said.
"We have been fighting for over 40 years and we will keep fighting, but it is shameful the way this Labour government has acted.
"We are a close community and everyone of us is fighting for our right to our homeland. We have had the strength to fight for the past 40 years and we have the strength to keep going."
Update:
Ooops! Did I inadvertently say Falkland Islanders instead of Chagos islanders? Britain was prepared to spill blood, spend millions and shatter the mental health of a generation of servicemen to protect the self determination of the Falkland islanders. The Government could do the same for the Chagossians without firing a single shot. Once again Labour demonstrates that its moral compass is not only broken but permanently lost overboard.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Quote of the day
“People don’t like being preached at.”
No doubt true, but a bit rich coming from religious bigot Stephen Green, fuhrer of the homophobic pressure group Christian Voice.
Background to the quote here. Now FUCK OFF Stephen and let the rest of us get on with enjoying life.
No doubt true, but a bit rich coming from religious bigot Stephen Green, fuhrer of the homophobic pressure group Christian Voice.
Background to the quote here. Now FUCK OFF Stephen and let the rest of us get on with enjoying life.
Obama v McCain
With the US elections looming I decided it was time to pay a return visit to the political compass website to see where it places Obama and McCain on the matrix.
This quote from the text caught my eye. “…it's important to note that although most of the candidates seem quite different, in substance they occupy a relatively restricted area within the universal political spectrum. Democracies with a system of proportional representation give expression to a wider range of political views.”
Make your own mind up by checking out the site yourself.
This quote from the text caught my eye. “…it's important to note that although most of the candidates seem quite different, in substance they occupy a relatively restricted area within the universal political spectrum. Democracies with a system of proportional representation give expression to a wider range of political views.”
Make your own mind up by checking out the site yourself.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
It’s grime up north
This research caught my ear on the radio this morning. Apparently the study is part of Global Handwashing Day.
Be prepared for an onslaught of northern stereotype comments from those southern softies.
Be prepared for an onslaught of northern stereotype comments from those southern softies.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Wealth Crisis
If only Jeff Randall and Robert Peston got as excited about this loss of wealth as they do about the stock exchange.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Another blogger bites the dust
Blogs can be very short-lived. Mr Monkey Analyst has turned out to be the latest local blogger to die in infancy.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
They really are all the same
If it hadn’t already, it must now be dawning on people that there really is no difference between Brown’s New Labour, Cameron’s Conservatives or Clegg’s Lib Dems.
In a display of pseudo-democracy, the grey political parties all homogenised and fell in behind Gordon Brown’s bank bail out plan. All with the support of a compliant broadcast media. Where are the voices of dissent? Lack of proper scrutiny and meaningful debate leads to piss-poor decision making.
Just when we most needed an effective opposition, the Tories and the Lib Dems “wholeheartedly” supported Gordon Brown. It doesn’t matter if you vote Tory, Lib Dem or Labour. You still end up with the same old crap.
In a display of pseudo-democracy, the grey political parties all homogenised and fell in behind Gordon Brown’s bank bail out plan. All with the support of a compliant broadcast media. Where are the voices of dissent? Lack of proper scrutiny and meaningful debate leads to piss-poor decision making.
Just when we most needed an effective opposition, the Tories and the Lib Dems “wholeheartedly” supported Gordon Brown. It doesn’t matter if you vote Tory, Lib Dem or Labour. You still end up with the same old crap.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
Peace on Earth and goodwill to all men
I’ve seen some shit tattoos in my time but this suggestion takes the biscuit.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Keith Joseph smiles and a baby dies
I’ve just got back from a night out at the carling academy watching John Cooper Clarke. If you weren’t lucky enough to be there, here’s a taste of what you missed.
Cockney wanker
Thanks to Dolphin Hotel for flagging up this Link. I must grudgingly admit that Joe is beginning to win me over. Ultimately I’ll judge him on his results but I certainly can’t fault his passion.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Denial
I find myself unable to gloat or take pleasure from the present failings of the markets. The vast majority of people who will lose their jobs or their homes will be ordinary working class people. You can rest assured that the greedy bastards who created the turmoil will be well insulated from its effects.
Something I can take pleasure in though, is watching the collective ego-defence mechanisms of the disciples of free market conservatism kicking in. They are looking for a scapegoat. Conspiracy theories are rife. The fingers are being pointed. Pointed at academics, socialists, environmentalists, scientists, vegans!!! You name it; they’ll blame anything or anyone. Blame anything or anyone that is apart from the whacky free-market economic cult that they collectively worship
As I mentioned in a previous blog, free-market conservatism is far from dead and buried. The markets know no morals. The maggots are already devouring the flesh from the carcasses of their moribund rivals.
Something I can take pleasure in though, is watching the collective ego-defence mechanisms of the disciples of free market conservatism kicking in. They are looking for a scapegoat. Conspiracy theories are rife. The fingers are being pointed. Pointed at academics, socialists, environmentalists, scientists, vegans!!! You name it; they’ll blame anything or anyone. Blame anything or anyone that is apart from the whacky free-market economic cult that they collectively worship
As I mentioned in a previous blog, free-market conservatism is far from dead and buried. The markets know no morals. The maggots are already devouring the flesh from the carcasses of their moribund rivals.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Debt of honour
This is good news. It certainly makes a pleasant change from all the usual moans and unsubstantiated claims you hear from rabid right-wing bloggers about ‘uncontrolled immigration’.
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