I seem to be addressing each week as a busy week these days but this week was a proper busy week!
I had agreed to do an adidas event at Sweatshop Manchester on Tuesday evening which was great
fun. It was an adidas promotion day and there were some good offers to be had. I arrived at the
store at 5pm and spent time chatting to some customers who were in there shopping. Several of
those I spoke to were running the London Marathon in 2012 but had never competed in a marathon
before. So just like how I started out in running, they had seem thousands of others run a marathon
and thought they would have a bit of that. I think one or two might have been doubting why they
entered but hopefully I was able to reassure them a little. As the evening went on the shop was
holding its Tuesday evening running group. I was expecting a few runners to turn up and all go out
for a run. It turned out the running club is massive and from 6.20 people started to arrive until the
shop was packed out. That many turn up now they spilt the runs up into three groups. One group,
well this week it turned out to be two runners, headed off for a 10 mile run. The other groups did a
five mile run and a five k run. We had a quick question and answer session before the runs started.
I headed out with the 5 mile group and got chatting to a few runners while out. The start was rather
mad with some of the Manchester knob heads who were out shopping trying to join in. I add they
didn't last very long!

The Sweatshop Running Club, Manchester Arndale seems to be very successful and I hope it
continues in this way.

The week continued to a busy one as we had a Royal Visitor coming to school on Thursday. We had
set up an event to try and get some of our students work placements or apprenticeships for when
they leave school in the construction trades. We also needed our new ICT building opening and
seeing as the Duke of Gloucester is the patron of the Youth Construction Project who better to ask
to the event. Plus he was in the town that day doing Royal visits and openings. So it fitted in nicely.
This event took some careful planning and many many e-mails from various people mainly about
security and protocols. Hopefully now it is all over I can get back to my teaching job!
Someone asked me this week would I run better if I was a full time athlete. Well I'm not sure was
my answer. I like my job or else I would look for another one, but maybe a little easier and less
hours would help. Then we ended our discussion and he got back to his teaching and I went on
about mine!

I have been meaning to mention for a few weeks now about this new calendar for 2012. David
Greenwood, who's son runs for Sale Harriers, is a keen photographer and is often seen at local
race meetings and northern and national races pointing his camera. He's put together a great
calendar with a range of pictures in from the moths. It also contains many of the key dates of the
events in 2012 which is also very useful. It can be viewed here http://www.darkstarphotos.com/
photo13450875.html and is available direct from David or from Sweatshop Hyde and Blackpool.

Some good weeks of training planned now for me. Hope everyone is running well and making good
progress to hitting them PBs.