Manchester run and all that..

Finally back from a great weekend at Manchester for the Great Manchester Run and the City Games.

If you ever get the chance to see the City games up close, go see it! You will then see how fast these people actually run.  They need around 50 metres to slow down and they still crash into the snappers stand at the end. And the pole vault - just incredible!

For my part we had a very good photo on Friday taken on the track as it was getting built! A good bunch of the top runners were there and got into the spirit of the occasion – donning hard hats and ‘spanners’ helping with the build.

On Sunday morning, bright and very early, the sun didn’t come out but the first time in a while the ground was dry and there was no forcast of rain so happy days all round.

With some 20 plus snappers around the start, the place had a nice buzz about it with the likes of Joe Corrigan and Bobby Charlton starting one of the many waves of runners.  They were more than happy to talk to the media and have the snappers set up a ‘start’ shot on the podium.

There was, as usual, a fair smattering of celebs around. Tony Audinshaw (?) – Bob from Emmerdale – was on good form both with his running and his rapport with the crowd and media. Tony is a great guy and a bit quick on his feet when it comes to road races. In his Leukaemia research gang, brought together by Ken Lomas, are some actors from TV and theatre who run at various pace but all have a lot of fun.  It would be wrong of me not to mention Chris Chittel, - Eric Pollard- who is still pounding the streets and is seen as the ‘Daddy’ of soap star runners.

Others around were, in no particular order: Nell MacAndrew, turning into a ‘running friend’ of mine, who was running with her mum who was doing Manchester for the first time.  Peter Hook, he of New Order, was part of a great group running for Christies- local hospital in Manchester.  He looked a bit tired until he mentioned that he had been giging all week but loves the run. 

40,000 runners later we moved onto the City Sprints.  Lots of top class sprinters on a track they all agreed was a great concept and should be in other major cities – especially in the USA!

The ‘HURDLE GATE’ has been well covered but just to say it is the first time I have seen / heard of this happening and I have been  watching and covering athletics since the early 90’s.  But lets not take away from what an excellent event this is and credit should go to Manchester Cuty Cuncil and the organisers Nova who put on a great show.