Are they mad? Don't they know who'll cop the blame for this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8556195.stm 

Anyway, that aside,  I have a question for you...........

If you are wanting to improve your running times, your endurance or just your overall approach to something we all enjoy so much what would you say makes the most difference - New shoes, new gear, maybe a heartrate monitor? Probably all of them in one way or another, but what about access to a premiere Sports Science Service where you will have an opportunity to not only be tested for your VO2 Max or Lactate thresholds (and so much more besides), but also benefit from a full report from Sports Scientists to really fine tune how you train and help you to train smarter.

OK, we can do that - We have been talking with the guys at Teeside Uni's amazing Sports Science Department about getting access for our parkrunners to just that and a couple of them are coming down on Saturday to do a quick presentation that will go into detail about what's on offer and take questions from you about this pretty nifty opportunity for us. So if you're interested, that will begin at 10 o'clock in the Visitor Centre (in the bit next to where we do the registrations after the run), so I won't say too much more as they'll be the best ones to cover everything that needs covering.

If we have enough interested in taking up the opportunity we'll be able to get some discount for you on their normal prices for each of the levels of testing they will be offering, so it's gotta be worth hanging back a little longer than usual to check out what's on offer 

On a related topic - on my visit to the Centre at the Uni to talk to the guys I saw the chamber that can be temperature/climate controlled and it's the one Sharon often uses to prep for her amazing running feats and she'll be using it again soon but this time they'll be setting it up to reduce oxygen levels while she runs as she will be running her next challenge at altitude, now that is in direct conflict with when I run, as I want more oxygen in the air that I breathe, in fact I often find myself thinking at about the 4k mark on a Saturday morning that there is just too much air and not enough oxygen at that top end of the park

And here's the icing on the cake..... all the punks among you out there may be aware already of one of my all time fave "performers" the incomparable John Otway, but head here and listen to track 10, appropriately called "Too much air not enough oxygen"!

http://music.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=music.artistalbums&artistid=20096674&ap=0&albumid=11343953&songid=43440585

In fact, while you're there, check out all the tracks  (Really Free was his one hit back in the 70's). He's touring soon and well worth the effort of seeing him gig if you haven't had the pleasure before!

Just dropping in from over here in the Lakes to say that with the gremlins at HQ today our results set from last week went missing and consequently the Pb info on today's results table won't be accurate for everyone (ie if you ran last week) as your time from last week won't be taken into consideration and I think your points from last week won't now be included as a result of this (No. of your runs will also be 1 less at the mo too) - HQ know about it and will be getting those results back and in the system then reprocessing this weeks results so the Pb, Points and Number of runs info is right for everyone.

Well I'm back from my morning out of town (and I missed being there even though I'm lame again!) Sounds like you had a really good event with 202 people starting. This is an absolute record, really great. 187 people finished and recorded times. I hear a number of people have now joined us to do a single lap or a shorter distance. This is really great and I know from my own early running days its best to build up gently. So welcome all!

Julie tells me the barcodes worked really well and everyone was recorded quickly. This is great; keep up the good work and remember to bring them each week.

Sorry folks

Our results have been processed but due to a problem at parkrun's end there will be a little bit of a delay before you can see them online.

Keep checking back....

Well, it's been a busy old week parkrun wise and this item could end up being rather long, so I hope you've got a cup of tea already made to help you through .......................

1st up is the repsonse to last weeks incident -

Neil Grey is OK and should be with us this Saturday all being well, so that's great news, but the most important thing is the safety of all our participants and although we can't legislate for idiots such as we encountered last week we have put/will put in place a number of plans to help us in the future:

From this weekend there will be a presence from the local Policing Team that has Albert Park on their "beat", initially for a few weeks but I have requested that this becomes a regular thing, as there are too many taking part now for the safety of those taking part to be compromised and I think from early discussions that will be possible. It is not just me making that request and I really appreciate the efforts being made by others in that respect.

All of our marshals out on the course will now be equipped with walkie talkies to enable them to communicate quickly with the Centre should they need to with regard to immediate/emergency action, but it will also enable them to keep in touch with each other as the event progresses to help "keep an eye" on all participants and help with the management of everyone out on the course - a big thankyou to Jimmy Watiss for his help with this  

Lastly on this part of the item, I would like to ask those who add another lap after their run if they would be "post event marshals" for us and keep an eye on our later finishers who are still completing their 5k as they warm down - if you're able to run in with any of the younger/less fast participants that'd be great, but if not, just a word to the marshals as you go by would be very welcome too just keeping them informed of how things are going before runners reach their marshal point.

The hope is that all of these things together will be beneficial to everyone taking part each week.

Then we get onto the Evening Gazette and our meeting with the reporter on Wednesday - it was very productive to be honest and having at first got across the point that we were most dischuffed that we had not had a chance to respond to anything said about us we were able to explain what we are about and he wants to do an item about us as a consequence.

We made it clear we didn't want that to be about saying "we didn't do that, but they did this" and just wanted it to focus on the community, inclusive and fun nature of the event while explaining the ethos of parkrun, as I think some misconceptions have arisen around that. Now call me crazy (I'm a bit worried at how quickly June did there to be honest!) but I know we can all get along and use the Park in our different ways while respecting all other users and being considerate in whatever way we can and after last weeks nonsense (it could easily have been another user that took the brunt of the antisocial behaviour had we not been there) I hope the other users see a benefit to them of what will be in the Park in the future as I've outlined in the bit above - and I'd love to talk to the dog walkers as I think they could also be a great addition to our event by being proactive as they move around the Park and being additional eyes and ears for all of us, making everyone safer for the time that we are all there. There's got to be more to be gained by working together rather than being at loggerheads surely? Anyway, that's my hope and we'll see how that pans out. They did want a picture this weekend to accompany the piece but we're away and for some reason they wanted me in it and suggested the week after, but I'll be contacting them tomorrow and asking if they can come down so the piece can go in next week hopefully - so make sure your hair is done in case you appear in the shot

I couldn't not say something about Barcodes, but it's the last time I will - you need your barcode tomorrow and for every week after to get on the results table, so please help the guys implementing this for the 1st time tomorrow by having them, but if you don't, please make sure you don't walk off with the lovely new tags as they will be harder to replace than the metal ones - there will be a tub by the registration desk for returns if you don't have your barcode for one reason or another and if any of you seasoned campaigners see anyone who looks unsure of the registration process at all please help them out and explain it to them - Thanks!

The team on duty this weekend could still use a marshal or 2, so if you can help out please let me know on andy.fisher@mclc.org.uk and I'll pass on your details and could all marshals on Saturday try and get to the Centre for 8.30 just so the team can have a get together to prepare for B Day!

Finally a call for marshals for the Sunday 21st March and the Sport Relief Mile - Jimmy was great getting us the Walkie Talkies and he could use our help - the goody bag is ace (the T shirt alone is a cracker) and anyone who can help out will get one of those. I think it'll be from about 9-9.30'ish to about 12/1'ish you'd be needed so please drop me an e-mail to the above address and I'll pass your name on - anyone who already e-mailed me could you do so again, as I had an Outlook crash that deleted a load of e-mails recently and I'm not sure if I've left anyone out of the list I currently have.

As mentioned we're away this weekend, so have a great event (I reckon a record number is on the cards) and I'll be watching avidly on Saturday for the results/news to go up from atop Blencathra!

Andy 

Well, it was another close run thing, but we have a Sweatshop prize to award so let's get on with it ..........................