KWP Parkrun 14th September 2019

I was asked to do the Kingsbury Water parkrun race report yesterday. Here it is.

Up at the crack of sparrow fart on a sunny Saturday morning. First chance in the week for a lie in and 425 Parkrunners are bucking convention and lacing up their runners, greasing up the chaff zones and wolfing down their porridge/banana/last nights cold pizza or whatever may be the fuel of choice. 

425 with a common goal to complete 5km of flat, peaceful, lake hugging trails for KWP's 315th outing. 

A course punctuated with wildlife, including path hogging geese, a railway for the steam enthusiasts, a play area, lake views - the glass like calm periodically disturbed by the the roar of a jetski or the silent speed of a Feilun FT011 2.4G 4 Channel Frequency 4WD Function 14.8V 2200mA powered racing boat with 150 metres control distance and auto roll correct feature - and a few Blair Witch structures through the muddy wood. 425 including experienced runners chasing down the next PB (91 achieved today) and first timers (43 to KWP) nervously excited about the unknown. 

Club members (40 represented) sporting their colours with pride. Some aiming for 5km survival, some incorporating Parkrun into their weekend long run training session of 20 miles, some supporting a friend, some justifying their chocolate intake but everyone looking to improve themselves. Whichever camp you fall in and everywhere in between to us Marshals you're a friend worthy of an encouraging shout, whoop, finger wave or sarcy remark. 

The lead runner whizzing by clinging onto her rapidly racing dog gets the same support as the little 'un with teary eyes who's had enough or the leader in the 'broken foot and on crutches' category or the person taking on the tail walkers making sure no one gets left behind. 

If you completed today you're one of 13,795 to have done so since Kingsbury Water parkrun started on 20th July 2013 contributing to a total distance of 516,195km or 589.94 trips from John O'Groats to Lands End! 

Personally, as a currently crocked ill disciplined runner It's always a joy and privilege to support everyone safely round the course as a Marshal. 

Theodore Roosevelt once said "I may not be able to save the free world but damn me if I ain't gonna get my backside down to my local Parkrun each Saturday" - or words to that effect. I don't think such prophetic vision can be ignored. 

Thank you to the 425 for the effort, the smiles, the positivity and for making it so much fun for the volunteers particularly us lot at Michy's Marvels as we had a blast. 

Second lap is always optional. 

Sid. 

Ps the volunteers that make it possible this week included a Magician, a Stone, a Canadian Rocker, a Ken and a Professor no less. Give it up for Michelle DARLASTON • Brian ADAMS • Georgina DANN • Judy PARKES • Paul DANIELS • Brian JONES • Amanda ARNOLD • Andy STRETTON • Emma SMITH • Felicity GRAY • Matthew GREEN • Helen SMYTH • Andy SMYTH • Sharon JACKSON • Sharon WHITEHEAD • Fiona HILL • Susan HANN • Lil SOUTER • Lucie BRADY • Lynzi AGAR • Simon HILL • Averil CATON • Catrina GILL • Helen WILKES • Michelle WINDRIDGE • Helen CAIN • Sarah JENKINS • Margaret JORDAN • Ken JORDAN

The Rise of Skywalker

This was my email to Kermode and Mayo 30th December 2019

Dear So Bad & It's Bad

I'm a long term listener, one time tweeter and first time emergency mailer. I'm all too often emotionally wrecked by films. Some of them by design such as A Star is Born and some of them less obviously so such as Cars (you know the bit where Doc appears on the pit wall to talk to Lightning McQueen). I think my emotional reaction to films is more to do with my emotional frailties than the films themselves however I guess a good film is one that can trigger our emotions wherever they may hide.

I was compelled to break my emergency mail duck following The Rise of Skywalker. I think for people of an age (47ish) it's almost nothing to do with the film itself but more so with the ageing of the franchise that we can relate to. The film is superbly made which really helps but its still just Good v Evil with a touch of jeapordy, risk and loss thrown in. The standard space battle, hovercraft races, bounty hunter avoidance, complex finding of something crucial somewhere and a chunk of overturning the odds. All of that is ace but it's the growth with us that makes it special. The nod back to previous films and characters transporting us all to the big cinema in the centre of Birmingham that's now an Insurance office where mom took us aged 5 or 6 for our first real cinematic experience, back to a loving hand stroking our face giving us the reassurance we crave. 

I think for those of us of an age who have suffered loss its an emotional pounding interspersed with brilliant film making, good jokes, great throw backs and brilliantly acted wonderful characters that we care for. The fact it's the last film (although that's questionable with it being such a goldmine) and another mainstay has passed in Carrie Fisher give it an added sadness within an ultimately uplifting frolic. Emotionally it took me to pieces throughout. I thought it was superb and I had no trouble suspending and escaping reality for the few hours of run time to get the maximum out of a brilliant finale. I should add my apologies to anyone at Tamworth Odeon whose enjoyment was tempered by the sobbing on the 3rd row.

Tickity tonk, down with the Nazis, alright Jason Isaacs and 'thank you' to the pair of you for my weekly 2 hrs of clarity and sanity. 

Cheers all the best

Sid Sidowski

Red Swimming Badge

Cycling Proficiency Test Pass circa 1979