Birmingham Cross Country League Division 1 result Jan 16th 2016

Photographic Quiz.

Photo number:- ten

Question:- Which year was this, where and which athlete went to the Olympics???

Dear Blog,

                 'The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner' was a book, or short story, written by Alan Sillitoe at the end of the 50s and then shortly afterwards made into a film, if you didn't know already Blog. The title has entered into modern parlance.

                Well you will not be surprised to hear Blog, that I am in the process of writing a sequel called 'The Loneliness of the Long Distance Marshal', not, I hastily add, a story about the gun slingers of the wild west, but the tale of a lonely race marshal, not, I hastily add, a story about prejudice and colour, but  a white knuckle tale of frozen endeavour on a freezing Saturday afternoon directing the runners in the Birmingham and District League Race around Coundon Hall Park in Coventry yesterday.

                 'Was it cold?' I hear you ask Blog. T'was indeed.

                 'Was it lonely?' I hear you ask Blog. T'was indeed.

                 'Was the race interesting?' I hear you ask Blog. T'was not really.    

                Stuck on the top corner of the very wet park at the furthest distance from the start, besides three brief glimpses of the runners as they passed on their three circuits of the park, I had only a solid line of traffic for company as the line of cars slowly crawled up Long Lane to take a right turn into Tamworth Road to go to the Ricoh Arena to watch the football match between Coventry City and Burton Albion. Burton, if you didn't know already Blog, is managed by Nigel Clough. Some of his dad's quotes have entered into modern parlance.

                   Well you will not be surprised to hear Blog, that I got into  the process of counting the traffic to keep my mind off my freezing toes, although I must admit that I had to use them for counting the cars when I ran short of fingers. Lots of cars there were..
Ther were green ones and some pink ones
And a blue one and some yellow ones,
And they're were all making exhaust fumes
And they all look just the same.

And the people in the motor cars
Are all off to the Ricoh,
Where they sit in boxes
And they come to watch the game,
And there's brickies and deliverymen,
And factory shop floor workers,
And they're all flash their money
Just to watch a silly game.

And they all sit in the traffic
And queue in the Long Lane,
And some have their children
And the children watch the game,
And the children go to football camp
And then to the Acadamy,
Where they all practice football
And they come out all the same.

And the boys get in the reserve team
And they try to make it big time
But then they get injured  
And they no longer play the game.
There were green ones and some pink ones
And a blue one and some yellow ones,
And they're all making exhaust fumes
And they all look just the same.

      Oh bugger, the race is over. So who won?? Which team came first? Did anyone sink under the mud? Does anyone care??

      Better collect the stakes in, and rewind the tape to use again somewhere, some time 'cos I know I'll need again to stick them out  on the top corner of a very wet park at the furthest distance from the start, and while stood around, cold and lonely, I may just catch a brief glimpses of the runners as they trudge past me rooted to the spot at the furthest point in the park from the start,  stuck on the top corner of the very wet park counting the cars in the solid line of traffic as they slowly crawl up Long Lane to take a right turn into Tamworth Road to go to the Ricoh Arena to watch the football match where Coventry City are still playing ....... this marshalling thing does funny things to your brain Blog, I kid you not.

                    Colin