June Birthday Girls & Eton Mess

Its Birthday Time Again :-)

This month we have Julie Wilkins and Jenny Akroyd who share the same birthday 29th June, so have a very happy birthday girls :-) x As you can see they both like to get wrecked so looking forward to some good pictures for next years calender lol

Eton Mess!!

Well actually not a mess but a very good turnout of 28 Daggers for the first Elvis race at Eton Manor, a nice easy 5k in 30 degree heat!!

It was a hot day and we lost Sam at 2k, but she wasnt the only one suffering!! Don't think ive ever needed water on a 5k run before but the end could'nt come quick enough, well actually it did'nt as i finished just under 28mns!! Four debut runners had great runs for the club Bernard George, John Power, Tracy Oliver & Kerry Rackham, Well done and welcome to the Mad World that is D88 :-) Everyone in fact done great and was good to see so many happy faces, It was also good to hear other comments from other clubs as to how many we had turn out, the futures bright, the futures orange, oops thats Barking!! I mean red & white :-) Big shout out to Claire Howlett who smashed her last years time by 6 mins, another 6 next year and you will win it :-) lol

Well done to all, this result has set us up nicely against our nearest rivals BRR and H90 and look forward to a great turnout for the next 2 Elvis races, the Midweek 5, D88 5m ish.

Nigel, Roy, Bill, Robbo, Jenny, Sam M, Chris, Claire, Doug, Lee, Kerry, Tracey G, Tracy O, Sharon, John, Julie, Kate, Ian, Caroline, Bernard, Riley, Amanda, Malcolm, Timi, Sam V, Gary, Mick, Me! & Mike for supporting :-)

Here's Gary trying the new art of Planking!! or this that just being a plank? i can never remember :-)

And here's Amanda (the clubs first TiT) falling arse over TiT!! sorry lol :-)

Lastly a message from Ian Cummins

HAPPY JUBILEE :-)

May Babies

Happy Birthday toooooooooooo youuuuuuuuuuuuuu............

Linda Fordham 2nd May

Julie Dalphinis 5th May

Tracy Darling 5th May

Me!!! 19th May

Russell Abrey 21st May

Amy Johnstone 22nd May

Happy Birthdays All, Have a Good One :-)

LONDON MARATHON 2012

WOW is the only word to describe Sunday's London Marathon!!!

Early start for everyone, runners, baggage, supporters, and a great sunny day :-) but not too warm for the runners!!

It was quite nerve racking for us supporters, waiting around in anticipation for our team and friends to come by, hoping nobody suffers any injury's etc... Before we know it the elite runners have sped past us and slowly but gradually the rumble of pitter pattering feet grows closer until its just a blur of bloody runners and your trying to keep look out for everyone lol.

First caught on camera was Nigel lapping up the atmosphere :-)

Next was Caroline T but too bloody quick for the camera :-( and Dan who could'nt hear us shouting coz he had bloody headphones in!!! Grrrrrr , Then up pops Potter coz he spotted Mick P lol Wrong way round there!!!

So that was it on the first 13.1 miles did'nt see another or catch a photo :-( Nigel came past on 22 miles but this time had sod all energy he could hardly wave at us lol, followed by a waving flyer Tuck :-)

Dan came past and this time managed to hear us shout, but by this point everyone was losing their voice a little!!

Next was Gary with Alan, Gary having not such a good run, losing a filling and groin playing up a bit, but hey wish i could still run like that and that fast too lol, It was good to see these guys together and run the last four and a bit miles and cross the line together. This to me was one of the best images of the day, to see these guys mucking about and laughing and shows that sometimes times don't matter, it's just about getting round, but what better way to do it than with a good friend and club mate

Caroline C and Sharon also ran by and we just managed to catch there attention by screaming lol, and was both looking rather chirpy, fresh, smiling and enjoying the day.

And then Karen :-) She is the one wearing black!

She had thought we had all gone home, but no, we wait for everyone lol and so told her to get running because she was on for a great time :-)

Anyway everyone managed to cross the line in great times and all relatively unscathed

Nigel 3:06:36

Caroline T 3:14:35

Dan 4:12:02

Gary 4:21:14

Alan 4:27:05

Caroline C 4:35:36

Bob 4:57:24

Keith 5:15:58

Sharon 5:29:27

Karen 5:43:50

Tony 6:16:34

WELL DONE EVERYONE, YOU ARE ALL HEROES, YOU ALL DONE YOURSELF PROUD AND TEAM 88 EVEN PROUDER :-) XXX

Anyway we have just heard that one of the Union Jacks has gone missing down The Mall, not sure who the culprits are though!!!

And last but not least!!

Jennifer Akroyd joins the Sun's Keep It Real Campaign, no artificial balloons allowed!!

Party Pix Later :-)

88's Rock Brighton & Newham

Boom what a weekend of action!

Lets start with 6 Angels, not Charlie's!!! but my 88 Angels taking Brighton by storm! Brighton probably didn't know what hit em and will probably be a picture in their local rag blaming young yobbo's on wrecking a kids playground lol

Not sure about them Pitsea coloured nickers!!

Anyway the culprits, oops sorry angels (Timi, Jackie, Mel, Karen C) were joined the next day for the Brighton Marathon by Tracey G and Kaz H. They had all been in training for this and had done really well leading up to the race. For once it seems Karen C was on time at the start or maybe she slept on the start line lol.

First home was Mel and probably for once not wearing that damn soggy hoodie!! She finished in 4:11:35

Next up was Ultra nutter Kaz only doing one marathon for a change, so must have just been like a 5k for her, 4:21:58

Jackie was the next 88 home creeping in under the 5hr mark with a 4:59:22 :-) bet she is happy there?

Timi was close on her heels with another great run by the little pocket rocket in 5:04:59 again bet she is happy she squeezed in under 5hrs 5mins :-)

Tracey G rolled home in 5:19:06 again squeezing under the 5hr 20min mark :-)

and Karen C in a 6:08:58 squeezing under the 6hr 10min mark :-)

Some great inspiring runs from our 88 ladies :-) Well done all you did us proud but more importantly you did yourselves proud, but please leave the park antics till after next time!! Don't risk injury!!!

Hopefully we will get some medal pix from the girls once they've sobered up!!

Next up 8 88's take Newham by storm too!!

The team of runners, supporters and a Pitsea boy!!

On a sunny but chilly April morning a team of 88's gathered to take on the Newham 10k. After getting a little warm up by Tessa we all gathered in any wave number lol and got ready for the start gun. We was soon off and doing our best for club and country and got to see each other a few times along the greenway which was nice as we got to shout encouragement and slap high fives etc...

First home was Robbo 42:17, next up was monkey feet Malcolm in 45:23, followed by lanky legs Howlett 47:52, Mick was next and for a change no ambulance was in sight as he was too fast in 50:23, Lady Howlett was on his heals in a 52:01, followed by me in 55:39. Anne was just over the hour mark in 1:00:19 and Julie finishing off in 1:10:56.

Out of the 8 runners, 6 i know of recorded personal best times with 4 smashing previous times and 2 setting their first 10k times, So big well done to Malc, Chris, Mick, Claire, Me and Julie. Anne was so close to her pb time being just over, but still a good run. I don't know Robbo's best time for a 10k. It was good to see a lot of the newbies claiming some club champ points :-)

Here's Claire meaning business at the finish!!

And me trying to avoid the tree running out in front of me!!

And Chris showing us he only run on one leg, or is he flexing it to kick Mick up the arse?

Lastly here's Tessa singing!?

Digger Dagger Digger Dagger Eighty Eight

And thanks to my dad's glamorous assistant Nadine for looking after the old boy and not losing him xx

Till next time folks

Well done all, be safe, be careful......Have fun and enjoy........

London Next :-)

Parkrun Fun

Saturday's Parkrun saw 10 D88's taking on the 5k course.

Gary Cardnell equalled his PB!! 20:31 from the previous week!! Unlucky Gaz must try harder on your school PE report!! or maybe have a haircut. Serious for a bit, well done mate, you are looking in great shape for London next week :-) Less serious bit, not that sort of shape you dirty ol bugger.....

Jennifer Akroyd recorded a new PB 22:24 after taking it easy on her first lap!!! but running faster than the speed of light and the camera the second lap!!

Laura Peskett D88 hottie tottie lol, was next up with her first parkrun setting an impressive time of 25:47 and getting me all hot, sweaty and bothered celebrating at the end :-) I look forward to her running faster in future parkrun's lol , next time also cut across after the tree and not at end of path, you can knock a few seconds off your time :-) and stop chasing little boys lol

Sandy Goodson paced by hubby David set a new PB 29:17 , David you need to let Sandy off the leash now, she's a big girl and can run on her own and to be honest your hogging all the damn picture :-)

 

Well done also to Anne Duggan, Sam Veerasamy, David Goodson, Caroline Cummins, Ian Cummins, Inga Runner, a Very good 88 turn out :-)


Anyway to put an end to the rumours, here's me with my latest lady, i used to prefer brunettes, but i've gone for a nice blonde, someone even said she looked a bit ruff for me :-(

Sadie is her name lol

Till next time folks 

xxxxx

Bloody Hills and PB's

Well Easters here and it was the Crown 2 Crown 5k on Good Friday.

The 88's had a team of Me, Bob and 5 (Timi, Anne, Wendy, Julie C & Jenny ) 88's Angels running, Some bloke from the crystal maze was watching (Gary) and my dad had a new glamorous assistant (Sian). There was even a photo with old 88 and now Pitsea boy Steve Ray, He may have a Pitsea vest but looks like he has no Pitsea friends as he spent most of the time chatting with us and in the pub after :-)

Here's us all before, Hang on where's Bob? ok not all before!!

It was a great sunny day again!! a nice course with a few hurdles with Jenny surely breaking the clubs steeplechase record? It was great going down but what goes down comes back up right :-(

Bloody long drag up the hill and mountain climb at the finish lol, ok it wasnt that bad when you finished and everyone had a great run as you can see in the after picture :-)

Us all after :-) with Steve Ray, and Carol too! wearing Indian Headband!!

Hang on something ain't right with that picture, here's a close up of Steve Ray

Arghhh, he's turned to the darkside!!

Next up on Saturday was parkrun :-) time for some fast 5k PB action. Jenny was RD so we had to look good while she was in charge :-)

First 88 home was Gary in 20:46 and a new PB :-), very well deserved as he has been putting in some serious training for the London Marathon, next up was Ian who was 30min pacer, followed by new PB's for both Joanne Barker in 31:39 and Julie Wilkins 31:48 being paced by me, or is that dragged round kicking and screaming lol, well done Angels x, we did lose one though Sian, but she was dragged round by Timi in a time of 34:23, Sian i will stay with you all the way next week and you will smash your PB too mate, remember sometimes it just don't happen, remember 2 weeks ago when i thought i'd done it to be 37 seconds out!! it happens to us all. Next week is your week :-)

Also running was Sam V in 32:52 and Jo (Savitri Bouffe) recording her third new parkrun pb in 3 weeks with a 38:12 being paced by Caroline C.

I must say it was great helping others to a PB as Gary had done to me a week earlier, and to see Julies face light up when i told her the time was great, its funny because yes your hurting and you want to give up but that's how you get a PB, its not easy to beat a previous time but when it goes right like it did today, after the finish you somehow have energy again, so much that Julie run to the car and back lol

I'm so proud of my team because they all encourage and help each other. Well done all :-)

Sport Relief / Braintree 5 / Parkrun

Well it's been a busy couple of weeks for the 88's and i can't keep up with everything!!

Sunday 25th March saw the 88's hosting the Sport Relief Mile. A choice to run 1, 3 or 6 miles. A great turn out by the club saw loads of volunteers, marshal, support and cheer the runners/walkers around the course :-) , so a very big well done to everyone making this a great day, which continued in the clubhouse and further a field for some, in fact some took their celebrations to the dog house!!

Loads of 88's were looking great in their Sport Relief gear and some dressed up a bit more :-)

Here's our own Lady 88 GaGa or is that Rod Hull and Emu? or an Ostrich, Chicken... Oh i give up lol

And little miss photo-JEN-ic :-) Taaaa Daaaaaa is this a new improved Steve Ray pose?

Ian dressed up again! then again he always dresses like that so really he hasn't dressed up!

Finally a picture of the great 88's and Rory!!!

Sunday 1st April saw the 2nd club championship race, the Braintree 5. A strong team out on what was a chilly, but sunny day. Seems somebody has nicked Lee's legs which might explain why he was unusually slow :-)

Both the Men's and Women's teams came second, super effort but left Nigel still waiting to hear the 88's name called out!

Super efforts from Nigel, Chris D, Sam R and Caroline T, Sam M, Jenny.

Jenny's Gremlin's are improving too with some great runs, new PB's and everyone completing the 5 miles under the hour mark :-)

So well done to Sian, Julie W, Julie C, Mick, Nadine oops mean Chris H, Me!! and soon to be new 88 Sandy (David G's Missus)

Also great runs by the older generation, and support for us Gremlins coming into the finish :-)

Gary, Dan, Bill, Doug, David, Lee

I just want to say the support and spirit within the club since i joined last June is awesome, and love going to races with this club :-) and of course the pub after helps too :-)

Anyway our current on form Champ picked up another trophy!! Well done Caroline Tuck FV45 Champion,   god knows where she puts all these trophies??

Lastly after hearing the results, a gutted Nigel took his anger out on the cake!! so if it's good enough for him......

One last note i want to say a BIG thank you to Gary Cardnell for pacing me on the record breaking Valentines parkrun on Saturday. Over the 100 runners mark for the first time and with Gary's help (he done such a good job) i beat my previous PB by 56secs!! Cheers mate :-)

Anyway it's Easter this weekend, so stay away from those damn chocolate eggs people!!

There's a race this Friday, called Crown to Crown 5k at Basildon, 11am start only £1 to enter and pub after, and of course the free parkrun 5k at Valentines on Saturday 9am

Till then, be safe xxxx