leyton.org » Diary

2010 Helensburgh 10k

Richard — Fri, 21 May 2010 17:39:33 +0000

I decided a month or two back to take part the Polaroid 10k race series here in Scotland. I’ve heard nothing but good things about the series, and as the 10k has been a distance I’ve sometimes struggled with (compared to 5k and half marathon’s, my times are a bit below where they “should” be [...]

Bring on Proportional Representation

Richard — Fri, 07 May 2010 17:17:22 +0000

I’ve long disliked our voting system. It has given the Labour and Tory parties absolute Westminster power for years. But by their share of the popular vote they’ve been minority governments. That also correlates with a long-term decline in turnout, a decreasing engagement with politics, and many voters finding their votes count for nothing because [...]

Balloch to Clydebank Half Marathon 2010

Richard — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:14:44 +0000

My apologies for the continued lack of posts. When I’m not working, out running, doing Glasgow parkrun related things, or helping out with parkrun HQ techie things, I’m either cooking or trying to spend a bit of time with Frances. I’ve also had a bit of a strain in my left foot the last couple of [...]

Edinburgh parkrun launch, and a new PB

Richard — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:17:56 +0000

I took part in the inaugural Edinburgh parkrun on Saturday, an event that was special in very many ways. The weather was absolutely perfect, the course was beautifully flat, it was exceptionally well organised, there was a huge turnout, I got a new 5k PB, and – best of all – it really felt like [...]

Ben Venue Hill Race

Richard — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:40:50 +0000

When I joined my running club, Bella, I was keen to try different types of running event. Largely that meant different distances, and a spot of cross country and trail running. But hill running just wasn’t something I’d thought I’d find myself including. Hill runners, to me, seemed one stop short of ultra-marathoners, and to [...]

The SNP’s bizarre objections

Richard — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:57:45 +0000

The SNP are currently making lots of noise about the leadership debate, even now threatening (sorry, “not ruling out”), legal action to block the broadcast. It’s bizarre that a party that seeks an independent Scotland should be interested in taking part in a debate between the three possible candidates for the UK prime minister, or feel that [...]

Never Eat Shredded Wheat

Richard — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:12:02 +0000

Or… ‘Naughty Elephants Squirt Water’ I’m sure everybody has childhood mantras mnemonics and rhymes they used (or had used on them) to remember key pieces of information. Others that spring easily to mind as I type are “Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vein” for the colours of the rainbow, and, strangely, BODMAS (Brackets (of) Division, Multiplication, [...]