Weedon

Photograph Quiz:

Photo no. 29:- Well as you can see this is not really a photo. What is it? And why Blog it?

A bit more heavy Blog. Weighty stuff and nonsense this, so hold on and take the ride. Lose your grip and bloody your nose.

On Tuesday, I went down to the Weedon 10km road race with my daughter and wife where the former was racing. All three of us have run the hilly course at various times in the past. The Weedon race is another of those local races which attracts a field of 2-300 runners annually despite the course being ‘tough’. It is organised efficiently, results are done quickly and there is plenty of not only homemade cakes on sale before and after the race, but homemade quiche etc.. The race is well known for this unusually phenomenon of athletes queuing for refreshments before the race!! The entry fee is modest and the prizes fair, being presented soon after the last person has crossed the finish line. The run is on open roads, well marshalled with little fuss from local traffic or residents of the village. The entry form and map are available well in advance of the race. It is organised by the local club from the local school. Profits are ploughed back into club and school for community benefit. Monies are raised by the band of organisers from the modest entry fees and the sale of the refreshments which are very moderately priced. The race exemplifies all that is good about our sport. Contrast that with the local city half marathon. The course is far from favourable for the runners and every year causes hassle for the citizens and aggression to the marshals who are paid a moderate fee for their services. I believe the cost to the rate payer has been considerable in past years, the finance coming from various funds within the council budgets to promote healthy living styles  etc.. ‘Invited’ athletes are rewarded, the financial cost of their participation doing nothing to promote or enhance the enjoyment or reputation of the city event. How an entry fee of £25 can be justified is hard to appreciate in these austere times, except to cover the costs and profits of a professional promoter and invited athletes. Of course, many entrants are satisfied with the promotion because they have little experience of comparable athletic events. To most, their experience is judged satisfactory and regarded as the norm, what is to be expected from a running race. To local athletes and athletic officials however, the experience is frustrating. It can be seen that a little tweaking here and there would offer something memorable to the joggers. In the city there are three athletic clubs which promote ten or so races each year with minimum of fuss; a pool of invaluable knowledge and experience of race organisation and promotion. The city council could do worse than switch the organisation of the race to give responsibility to local clubs. Give possession of the event to the citizens. They have staged big races before. They are more than able. With a little lateral thinking the event could become unique. And I mean unique in the true sense of the word. A little idea or two could have athletes clambering for an entry and swelling the field to cause the imposition of a race limit. Still it won’t happen. It will remain a minor parochial Fun Run and while we will be subjected to the annual media hype of the ‘thousands taking part’ kidology. What a wasted opportunity for the city.

There endeth the second lesson.

But the good news is that i have just got another £162 for my charities Tiny Tims Children’s Centre and Newlife, thanks Rob. Don’t you think that is great, Blog??

                         Colin