Pictures

Cool; there are some photos of me in action at Windsor on this marathon photos site.

Bloody hell; rough night. Felt sick as a dog until the early hours. Feeling a bit better now. The results are out.

Windsor half-marathon

So despite looking like I’m over fifty, I ran the Windsor Half–Marathon (my first one) today. 13.1 miles over an ‘undulating’ course (i.e bastard hills everywhere, if, like me, you’re used to the flat terrain of London) on a warm and sunny September afternoon. My aims were to break 1hr30mins and to beat the two guys from work who were also running.

It didn’t quite go according to plan. I started feeling absolutely terrible after about 10 miles and really struggled to get to the finish. Absolute agony. Bloody terrible and I’ve felt rubbish since. I had to get off the train back to London because I was going to be sick and spent the rest of the journey (after another train came along) laying on my bag on the floor next to the doors (looking to all intents and purposes like a drunken, smelly tramp, I suspect). I then dizzily stumbled the 4 miles home on foot because I couldn’t face the tube.

Realised with a couple of miles to go to my flat what was wrong: let’s see… nausea, confusion, dizziness, dry and sticky mouth, just run 13 miles in the sunshine — it’s probably bloody dehydration, you bloody rocket scientist. A dioralyte when I got home seems to have gone some way to fixing me up, but I still feel pretty sick. The problem at the race was that the fluid on offer was water in squidgy plastic cups and in my inexperience, I was terrible at actually getting any of it down my gregory around the course. Added to the temperature, it was a recipe for disaster.

So, my first race. I didn’t beat one of the guys from work (who used to run for Cambridge, but no excuses, a target’s a target) and I didn’t break 1hr30mins. Vain aspirations, born out of inexperience. On the plus side, I finished despite feeling crap, and I didn’t stop and walk. I didn't get kicked, pocket–picked or nicked when I was lying on the floor of the train. I gained some valuable experience (if I’m ever daft enough to try to do this again… the way I feel now, unlikely, but that’s what everyone says). But I still feel gutted for failing to achieve either of my vain aspirations. Maybe I’ll feel a bit more proud of myself once I stop feeling sick…

Younger than I look

Now as I said the other day, I turn 30 this Autumn. But I must admit that I was a little surprised to be handed this in the street last night:

Slightly worrying that I look like I am:

1. over 50; and
2. currently receiving benefits.

Big Brother

According to this article, they’ve invented some intelligent CCTV cameras which can tell when a crime is about to be committed and alert the authoritities:

“People’s movements are then reduced to a series of pixels and compared to a pre–defined set of patterns, or algorithms. As soon as the computer identifies someone’s behaviour as “unusual”, such as wandering aimlessly near a potential target building — perhaps a royal palace — the computer alerts CCTV operators or staff”.

Riiiiiiiight. 1984, Big Brother, intrusive surveillance issues aside, it seems to me that there is an obvious practical difficulty, if a person “wandering aimlessly” is one of the criteria for paging the S.W.A.T team. The guys who came up with this obviously haven’t attempted, say, to jog past the Houses of Parliament recently; an impossible feat due to the flocks of morons “wandering aimlessly”. Maybe someone “walking purposefully” near a public building would be a better trigger for the 999 call? Perhaps we could propose a few more:

1. wearing a mean/determined expression (where public building ≠ City institution)
2. wearing an expression of religious fervour (where public building ≠ church)
3. wearing fancy dress (where time ≥ 21.00)
4. sweating profusely (where suspected perp ≠ jogger)

Any other ideas?

I-Tunes

What do you think about the idea that I–Tunes (whizzy though it is) is totally ripping off the British public by charging 79p to download a song when this only costs 67p in France and Germany (and 55p in the US)?

UK customers are barred from purchasing from the European or US sites by the requirement that payment be made by a credit card registered to an address in one of those countries. With no shipping costs involved, what is the real justification for this? My guess is that they would plead copyright restrictions, tax rules or the need to fight credit card fraud. But in relation to France and Germany, at least, why is this not against the free market principles for which the common market is supposed to stand?

On a similar note, I was somewhat annoyed recently when I wanted to buy a digital download from Amazon. I would be paying by credit card. I would download over the internet. The amazon.co.uk price was more–or–less in pounds what the amazon.com price was in dollars. On putting my credit card details into the US site, I was told that European customers were not allowed to order digital downloads from the US. What a rip off. Result? I said stuff it and decided I might as well just buy the hardcover edition and get it shipped.

The internet is obviously a force encouraging global competition in a worldwide marketplace, because it allows price comparison and sometimes purchase across national boundaries. Aren’t attempts by companies to restrict this (whether it be under the guise of copyright restrictions or whatever), basically attempts to continue to partition the world market, with a view to restricting ‘virtual’ parallel imports and to continuing to rip customers off as much as possible?

Autumn

A real autumnal feel to the air this morning. Autumn always feels like a transitional time, full of opportunities. I think that this is something to do with memories of beginning at new schools, new classes, universities, colleges. A time to start new things in life, which Spring isn’t, really, despite being the time of rebirth in nature. This Autumn I turn thirty. Shit. Wonder whether I’ll start anything good this year?

Wolf

The great thing about Wolf was the pack of dogs that was allowed to cruise around participating in the dance performance. The dogs did not appear to be trained in what to do but instead were allowed to improvise as they saw fit, sometimes sleeping, sometimes barking and jumping about with the dancers. Absolutely fascinating. The music and the dance were of generally high quality too, but the dogs were the my favorite bit. Maybe not the best dance work I have seen (tended towards a feeling of being a collection of set–pieces), but certainly one of the most entertaining. See it if you can. Here is another review from the Guardian.

Labels: contemporary dance

Charity run

Now that I’m back, I will soon be running the Windsor Half Marathon on 26 September to raise funds for the British Red Cross. I’m 8 weeks into a rigorous 10 week training schedule (and 19 hours into a pre–race alcohol ban)! I’m running with a couple of lads from work and we and the British Red Cross would welcome your support. We’d like to offer you the opportunity to sponsor us if you wish. You can donate online by credit or debit card at the following address: www.justgiving.com/windsor. Alternatively, you can drop me a line.

So please join us in supporting the British Red Cross & we’d love to see as many of you as possible on the day as we struggle round the course…

My absence

I’ve been variously away and busy. Highlights have included a camping trip in Sardinia (top!) and attending Alain Platel’s “Wolf” at Sadlers Wells (very entertaining).