Saturday, June 11, 2011
Sussex Athletics.
This evening I am looking out on a cloudless sky.
There were clouds during the day - lots of white, billowing clouds which turned dark and menacing at times.
But if they had rain, it was not dropped upon us.
Ashley pointed out that the clouds had chosen Newcastle to drop their rain upon today - not doubt some other places too.
I had such an assortment of clothes with me at the track to cope with all weathers from chilly wind to torrential rain - not needed.
I have just heard from a friend that the Surrey Schools had to stop briefly to allow torrential rain to pass - and the timekeepers once started their watches on a lightning bolt!
The meeting was the Sussex Schools Championships. All over England each county had their Schools Champs today.
Each athlete does their best - but some would have been hoping that their best would have been good enough to give them a qualifying standard for the All England Schools. Yes, there will be Sussex athletes there.
I worked with Stella and we looked through the programme, noting how old some of the Championship Best Performances are. It was just over 40 years ago that Steve Ovett (later to be Olympic gold medallist) set the best time for both 400 metres and 800 metres.
But I know of at least 2 new championship bests today.
The first event on the track is 400 metre hurdles - close to my heart. I missed it one very special year - it would have been 1986 I think. The gold medallist was Jamie Monk - and I was not there. But if I had been there, Jamie would not have got his medal. He had a Saturday job in a second hand book shop - and the owner wouldn't spare him. I was able to do the day in the shop instead.
It has been a happy and relaxed day. I was not chief timekeeper, so there was more time for chatting.
Next weekend I shall be chief once again.
I am not sure how long the cloudless sky will last - but the forecast for the morning is less bad than I thought. The heavy rain returns by nightfall. I shall not go far though - just in case. I will go to Pease Pottage (boot sale) at 7 o'clock.
There were clouds during the day - lots of white, billowing clouds which turned dark and menacing at times.
But if they had rain, it was not dropped upon us.
Ashley pointed out that the clouds had chosen Newcastle to drop their rain upon today - not doubt some other places too.
I had such an assortment of clothes with me at the track to cope with all weathers from chilly wind to torrential rain - not needed.
I have just heard from a friend that the Surrey Schools had to stop briefly to allow torrential rain to pass - and the timekeepers once started their watches on a lightning bolt!
The meeting was the Sussex Schools Championships. All over England each county had their Schools Champs today.
Each athlete does their best - but some would have been hoping that their best would have been good enough to give them a qualifying standard for the All England Schools. Yes, there will be Sussex athletes there.
I worked with Stella and we looked through the programme, noting how old some of the Championship Best Performances are. It was just over 40 years ago that Steve Ovett (later to be Olympic gold medallist) set the best time for both 400 metres and 800 metres.
But I know of at least 2 new championship bests today.
The first event on the track is 400 metre hurdles - close to my heart. I missed it one very special year - it would have been 1986 I think. The gold medallist was Jamie Monk - and I was not there. But if I had been there, Jamie would not have got his medal. He had a Saturday job in a second hand book shop - and the owner wouldn't spare him. I was able to do the day in the shop instead.
It has been a happy and relaxed day. I was not chief timekeeper, so there was more time for chatting.
Next weekend I shall be chief once again.
I am not sure how long the cloudless sky will last - but the forecast for the morning is less bad than I thought. The heavy rain returns by nightfall. I shall not go far though - just in case. I will go to Pease Pottage (boot sale) at 7 o'clock.
