Commonwealth Games Bolt out of the blue 2014

Photograph Quiz:

Photo no 216. 217, 118.

Question:-  No question really, but the first three shots of my wonderful scarecrows which came neither first, nor second nor third in the Allesley Festival three weeks ago. Lots more pikies to to come, Blog. Can’t send them all at once with this new fangled charging for letters … is it a big packet or a small letter? Is the Queen looking the right way on the stamp or has she got bored and gone to feed the corgis? Will Charlie have to face left when Camilla gets her mits on the throne???

Dear Blog,

                   Now that I am back home from one of the colonies, I will try to catch you up on all the unexciting things that haven’t happened to me during the last three weeks or so. So, as Paul once said, here is the first epistle …   Tell me Blog, why is it so bloody hot in the swimming Baths for the spectators at the swimming events at all the major Games???

                              Colin

p.s Remember Blog ... the subject was 'Countries of the World', so I chose God's Own Country!!!!

Northbrook 10 Kilometre Race, july 13th 1024. Result.

The Photographic Quiz: …. And did you remember which was the crow from my scarecrows of 2012, Bolg? Well done … it is always useful to save all these wonderful letters which I send you at a great cost of many quids.

Photo no 215.

WATCH THIS SPACE FOR THIS YEAR’S SCARECROWS

Question:- Which will be the first one you may wonder, Blog ……

Dear Blog,

              Today, 13^th July 2014, was the Northbrook 10 kilometre race which finishes just passed the gates of my Mansion House. And it was so special this year as all the runners were able to enjoy my display. As I said in my last letter to you, I am like the brilliant Brazilian football team …. We didn’t come first, nor were we second and we never made third spot. But, I, like the Brazilian football team, know that we are the best …. We are simply the best. Better than all the rest. Better than the other crows, Everyone knows that, knows. We are the best. Period!

                                              Colin

Allesley Festival 2014 Scarecrow Display Result

The Photographic Quiz:

Photo no 214.

Question:- A dead easy one for the Blog. Look back two years an decide which crow from 2012 was this!!!!

Na then Blog,

                     If the can remember, sum two years to t’date, I wrote the abart the Allesley Scarecrow Festival. Tha mun have sin me Olympic display in yon 2012, tha must a kept sum pictures like? Any rowds, I reckon it were fixed as there were no way that a culdn’t not win. Last year I niver entered as a were still sulkin. Nay but, as am generous wi it, I enetered thisear year. Sublect were ‘Countries o World’ A did abart ten crows and t’country a did a bit abart were God’s Own Country, o course. An do ye know wot, Blog, a ad the explain t villages that a were talkin abart Yorkshire. Thee knows that, a knows that but these ear southerners know nowt. Well Blog, cutting in, it were fixed agen this year as I nobbut got a sniff of an award. Am a fed up or am a fed up???? Am reet set off al tell thee no nowt. Wen me film cums back from t’chemist wi me pictures of me crows al send the sum.

                             Seethe,

                                             Colin

le Tour dans Keighley

The Photographic Quiz:

Photo no 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213 :

Question:- Was this the crowd in Keighley we didn’t see? Was this Ingrow Bridge which the cyclists crossed but we didn’t see? Was this Halifax Road which the cyclist went up but we didn’t see? Was this part of Ingrow and Woodhouse we didn’t see? Was this my junior school le Tour passed but we didn’t see? Yes Blog, there are lots of yeses for you!!!

Dear Blog,

                The Tour de France has come to Yorkshire and now gone to France. I have to confess that I am not particularly interested in sport, including athletics. I would not bother to attend any sports meeting unless my family was involved. I do not watch sport, including athletics, on the television. BUT…. As the TOUR was passing within 50 yards (45 metres to you Blog) of where I spent the first dozen years of my life and passed directly in front of my primary school and passed directly in front of my grammar school, and passed the front of the pub where Ingrow Harriers were founded, and passed in front of the pub where Keighley Harriers were founded, and passed directly in the shadow of the block of flats where my parents lived and went along very many of the roads I used to train along including those in Skipton and Haworth, I thought it would be interesting to tune into the television channel to watch the riders pass along all the familiar roads and streets. SO I DID. Very many mentions were made by the commentators about the huge crowds in Keighley. The sprint stage in Keighley was mentioned repeatedly. Keighley was almost THE word used in the first hour or so of coverage, it was the town of choice ….. But …. Coming over the climb from Addingham down into Silsden, I should have picked up the portents; I should have felt the dark vibes …. The commentators were getting local facts wrong, they were misidentifying where the cyclists were, they were mispronouncing local names (How can you get Haworth wrong for goodness sake … but the ITV managed it successfully). As the peloton approach Keighley I phoned my sister, then I phoned my nephew and family to find out if they were going down town to watch the race live or staying in front of the box to watch the race live. The breakaway group of seven riders were getting closer to the outskirts of the town on the bypass where the sprint section was. The crowds were mega. Keighley was getting many mentions and the commentators talked of the decorations in the town and the effort the town had made, and the size of the crowd in the centre of the town … I was on the edge of my seat in front of the television. The riders turned off the by-pass at the roundabout, going uphill for a hundred yards (97 metres to you Blog) and took a left at the next roundabout in front of Cliffe Castle to ride along Skipton Road into the centre of the town. It then happened. A COMMERCIAL BREAK. A BLEEDING COMMERCIAL which included a competition the viewers could enter for some crappy bike or other …. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… And when the live coverage came back on the screen, the race was going up New Road Side on the outer skirts of Ingrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not a single micro shot of Keighley. If I was spitting blood and yelling at the box, the Keighley Town Worthies must have been apoplectic with rage. After all the time, money, effort spent on preparing to greet le TOUR, to receive not a single nano second of view time was unbelievable with a capital ‘U’. The town had been passed by.

And within a minute or two, the commentators were obviously lost as to where the riders were, inventing some village I had never heard of!!! 25 years in the town and some village built God knows where that the riders were not passing through, gets more coverage than Keighley.

Today I got the broken television screen repaired and sent the bill to ITV.

                                       Colin

The Colworth Marathon Challange 2014 - result

The Photographic Quiz:

Photo no 207:

Question:- What was so noteworthy about this event? Why would it have implications for Coventry Godiva when the club would not be formed for another five years?

Dear Blog,

         Friday June 20^th. Free camping for camper van, large tent:-

‘5’ mile cross country race, about 400 finishers including both my daughters. Race results, awards  and memento in marquee, pig roast next to the changing-rooms ..which were open all weekend for showers / wash / pots cleaning / toilets any time!!

          Saturday June 21^st. Beautiful weather, paddling pool for the kids which the adults commandeered for an ice bath after the run!!

‘8.1’ mile trail run with the hard core of about 230 runners who had entered the whole challenge. Race results and luminous technical t-shirts plus race awards .. wall to wall world cup t.v. for those so inclined in  the bar cum lounge .. which was open all weekend. Plenty and variety of sandwiches.

         Sunday June 22^nd. And the weather was even hotter

‘Half marathon’ over trail, road and playing fields, two laps which allowed several viewing points on the Unilever Research Station playing fields on which the whole weekend was based. Luminous hat, race results and series results and awards which included individual runners entered just for this race. Plenty of refreshments, including Lipton’s Ice Tea and free ice creams (all weekend) although a contribution for charity was welcomed. Both daughters finished, one being 3^rd overall …. On the day she became a vet!! (Master to you Blog)

And what more could you ask for a £20 entry fee????                                My daughter’s birthday!!!!

Same time. Same place next year Blog …  a well organised first class event Blog. And yes, Godiva club member Damian Carr was the 2014 Coleworth Marathon Challenge overall champion again …AGAIN.

                                               Colin

Drug Cheats

Photo no 206:

Question:- Godiva Harriers has a walking section formed in 1937 but de facto in existence for several years prior to the foundation date. So what is so special about this 1937 medal for the annual Sutton to Birmingham Walk?? Not quite what you might expect!!!

Dear Blog,

                Well now …….. Sometimes I am right, and sometimes I am wrong. And very rarely am I wrong. BUT.  Am I a big enough man who can admit when I am wrong and an error of judgement has been made? I am wrong Blog. WRONG!!!!! I used to say that those athletes who used chemical assistance were cheats and cowards. I was wrong. Not totally but partially. I still believe that they are cheats but I am not too sure about the coward bit!!?? As my day time activities now revolves around and focuses totally on my next self-administered fix, the thought of self-injection with that sharp needle is no fun Bloggie Boy, no fun at all. So to all those drug loaded athletic cheats, past, present and future who stuck a needle into themselves to run, jump or throw better, I unreservedly apologies. The term coward might be wrong. What you did was unforgiveable but to self-administer a bloody sharp needle takes courage, with a capital ‘C’ and is no fun, no way, not at all ……. Or perhaps I am a coward as well as you????? So I might have been correct; yes you are a cheat and a coward. Got to go now Blog for a quick jab ………………………….

                          Colin

The National Health Service

Photo no 205:

Question:- Godiva had a cycling section until the early 1950s. Why did it cease to exist? And what is the significance of this bike …… and is it a spoof?????

Dear Blog,

                   What a surprise …. the man with the delivery van for Argos hasn’t been round to the Mansion to see me yet. I wait with baited breath for the compensation package to arrive. And what a surprise …. I have not heard from any ‘Watchdog’ programme from the media saying they interested in following up the story of how Argos turned a one third reduction into an 11% rise. C’est la vie?

I think I told you about my little tumble in December when I hurt my thumb joint, my neck and my right leg caused I suspect, by some of my varicose veins seizing up when I was out plodding. There I was trudging along minding everyone else’s business expecting my right leg to come through again to enable me to continue my forward trudge ….. when suddenly there was no leg there!! It was still behind me, seized up solid. Well Blog, as you know, it takes two legs to tango and if one is missing you enter a state of unstable equilibrium. (I learnt all about that at the Pink Panther University) So there I was in this state of unstable equilibrium, and mother nature preferring a steady state to exist, allowed me to go a**e over t*t, hurting  my thumb joint, my neck and my right leg. I have to say that it was one of the worst trips I have ever been on. My right leg is the size of an elephant leg – a big elephant. I have had to buy a pair of flairs from the 60s because my leg is so like a tree trunk. My new shoes are two sizes bigger to accommodate my swollen foot. You can just see my toes peeking out at the end of my leg swelling if you look very closely!! So six months on and much pain later, I decided the time was ripe to visit the Ju Ju man. So Tuesday was the big day out. What a waste of time that was. Half an hour consultation, reference to another member of the practice, give us a sample, that’s OK, your kidneys are still functioning, give us some blood, its black pudding night tonight …. So Blog, you mustn’t worry too much about me. I shall see the Ju Ju man again for further advice about my puffy leg when he has had time to read up in his big books about possible causes and cures. Heart transplant, no problem. Can you pop in tomorrow for a refit? Bionic arm, no problem. Just used 3-in-1 so it doesn’t rust up. New set of lungs, no problem. Just hold your breath for a minute or two while a new pair are slipped in. But a puffy leg. No way baby. Come back next week, please. Don’t you worry matey boy, I’ll be there with my compensation claim for the purchase of a new pair of flairs and a pair of large shoes. And then we can start on the thumb joint and the neck so I can have a pain free night’s sleep for a change!!!!!

                             Luv ya Blog.

                                                                 Colin