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Q: Compute the rotation degrees from transformation matrix in 3D space Assume I have 3 original points in a 3D object (in 3D space) as A1=<xa,ya,za>, A2=<xa,ya,za>, and A3=<xa,ya,za>. The 3D object is moved and rotated in the 3D space, and the destination points in that object become B1=<xb,yb,zb>, B2=<xb,yb,zb>, and B3=<xb,yb,zb>.
How can I compute the transformation matrix and following that, the degree of rotation in each axis? Basically, I need a matrix that if applied to all points, I get the displaced object.

A: Let us call the transformation matrix $\mathbf{M}$,
$$\mathbf{M} = \left [ \begin{matrix} m_{11} & m_{12} & m_{13} \\
m_{21} & m_{22} & m_{23} \\
m_{32} & m_{32} & m_{33} \end{matrix} \right ]$$
your three original vectors
$$\begin{array}{l} \vec{p}_1 = ( x_1 , y_1 , z_1 ) \\
\vec{p}_2 = ( x_2 , y_2 , z_2 ) \\
\vec{p}_3 = ( x_3 , y_3 , z_3 ) \end{array}$$
and their corresponding transformed vectors
$$\begin{array}{l} \vec{p}_4 = ( x_4 , y_4 , z_4 ) \\
\vec{p}_5 = ( x_5 , y_5 , z_5 ) \\
\vec{p}_6 = ( x_6 , y_6 , z_6 ) \end{array}$$
so that
$$\begin{cases}
\mathbf{M} \vec{p}_1 = \vec{p}_4 \\
\mathbf{M} \vec{p}_2 = \vec{p}_5 \\
\mathbf{M} \vec{p}_3 = \vec{p}_6 \end{cases}$$
Let $d$ be the triple product of the first three vectors,
$$d = \vec{p}_1 \cdot \left ( \vec{p}_2 \times \vec{p}_3 \right ) =
x_1 ( y_2 z_3 - y_3 z_2 ) + x_2 ( y_3 z_1 - y_1 z_3 ) + x_3 ( y_1 z_2 - y_2 z_1 )$$
If $d \ne 0$, there exists a solution:
$$\begin{cases}
m_{11} = \left ( x_4 ( y_2 z_3 - z_2 y_3 ) + x_5 ( z_1 y_3 - y_1 z_3 ) + x_6 ( y_1 z_2 - z_1 y_2 ) \right ) / d \\
m_{12} = \left ( x_4 ( z_2 x_3 - x_2 z_3 ) + x_5 ( x_1 z_3 - z_1 x_3 ) + x_6 ( z_1 x_2 - x_1 z_2 ) \right ) / d \\
m_{13} = \left ( x_4 ( x_2 y_3 - y_2 x_3 ) + x_5 ( y_1 x_3 - x_1 y_3 ) + x_6 ( x_1 y_2 - y_1 x_2 ) \right ) / d \\
m_{21} = \left ( y_4 ( y_2 z_3 - z_2 y_3 ) + y_5 ( z_1 y_3 - y_1 z_3 ) + y_6 ( y_1 z_2 - z_1 y_2 ) \right ) / d \\
m_{22} = \left ( y_4 ( z_2 x_3 - x_2 z_3 ) + y_5 ( x_1 z_3 - z_1 x_3 ) + y_6 ( z_1 x_2 - x_1 z_2 ) \right ) / d \\
m_{23} = \left ( y_4 ( x_2 y_3 - y_2 x_3 ) + y_5 ( y_1 x_3 - x_1 y_3 ) + y_6 ( x_1 y_2 - y_1 x_2 ) \right ) / d \\
m_{31} = \left ( z_4 ( y_2 z_3 - z_2 y_3 ) + z_5 ( z_1 y_3 - y_1 z_3 ) + z_6 ( y_1 z_2 - z_1 y_2 ) \right ) / d \\
m_{32} = \left ( z_4 ( z_2 x_3 - x_2 z_3 ) + z_5 ( x_1 z_3 - z_1 x_3 ) + z_6 ( z_1 x_2 - x_1 z_2 ) \right ) / d \\
m_{33} = \left ( z_4 ( x_2 y_3 - y_2 x_3 ) + z_5 ( y_1 x_3 - x_1 y_3 ) + z_6 ( x_1 y_2 - y_1 x_2 ) \right ) / d
\end{cases}$$
If $\mathbf{M}$ is a pure rotation matrix, it will be orthogonal. If we use $\hat{r}_i = ( m_{i 1} ,\, m_{i 2} ,\, m_{i 3} )$ and $\hat{c}_j = ( m_{1 j} ,\, m_{2 j} ,\, m_{3 j} )$, and $\mathbf{M}$ is orthogonal, then
$$\begin{array}{l|l|l|l}
\hat{r}_1 \cdot \hat{r}_1 = 1 & \hat{c}_1 \cdot \hat{c}_1 = 1 &
\hat{r}_1 \times \hat{r}_1 = 0 & \hat{c}_1 \times \hat{c}_1 = 0 \\
\hat{r}_1 \cdot \hat{r}_2 = 0 & \hat{c}_1 \cdot \hat{c}_2 = 0 &
\hat{r}_1 \times \hat{r}_2 = \hat{r}_3 & \hat{c}_1 \times \hat{c}_2 = \hat{c}_3 \\
\hat{r}_1 \cdot \hat{r}_3 = 0 & \hat{c}_1 \cdot \hat{c}_3 = 0 &
\hat{r}_1 \times \hat{r}_3 = -\hat{r}_2 & \hat{c}_1 \times \hat{c}_3 = -\hat{c}_2 \\
\hline
\hat{r}_2 \cdot \hat{r}_1 = 0 & \hat{c}_2 \cdot \hat{c}_1 = 0 &
\hat{r}_2 \times \hat{r}_1 = -\hat{r}_3 & \hat{c}_2 \times \hat{c}_1 = -\hat{c}_3 \\
\hat{r}_2 \cdot \hat{r}_2 = 1 & \hat{c}_2 \cdot \hat{c}_2 = 1 &
\hat{r}_2 \times \hat{r}_2 = 0 & \hat{c}_2 \times \hat{c}_2 = 0 \\
\hat{r}_2 \cdot \hat{r}_3 = 0 & \hat{c}_2 \cdot \hat{c}_3 = 0 &
\hat{r}_2 \times \hat{r}_3 = \hat{r}_1 & \hat{c}_2 \times \hat{c}_3 = \hat{c}_1 \\
\hline
\hat{r}_3 \cdot \hat{r}_1 = 0 & \hat{c}_3 \cdot \hat{c}_1 = 0 &
\hat{r}_3 \times \hat{r}_1 = \hat{r}_2 & \hat{c}_3 \times \hat{c}_1 = \hat{c}_2 \\
\hat{r}_3 \cdot \hat{r}_2 = 0 & \hat{c}_3 \cdot \hat{c}_2 = 0 &
\hat{r}_3 \times \hat{r}_2 = -\hat{r}_1 & \hat{c}_3 \times \hat{c}_2 = -\hat{c}_1 \\
\hat{r}_3 \cdot \hat{r}_3 = 1 & \hat{c}_3 \cdot \hat{c}_3 = 1 &
\hat{r}_3 \times \hat{r}_3 = 0 & \hat{c}_3 \times \hat{c}_3 = 0
\end{array}$$
When you are satisfied you have an orthogonal matrix, pick the Euler or Tait-Bryan angles you wish to use, you can extract the angles by inspecting the matrix $\mathbf{M}$.
I personally do not use Euler angles or Tait-Bryan angles, because they are confusing (no single definition; you need to specify the rotation axes and their order, as Euler angles or Tait-Bryan angles refer to a set of definitions, not one definition) and problematic (gimbal lock in particular). I personally use versors and rotation matrices, and occasionally the axis-angle representation and Rodrigues' rotation formula.

One practical way to split a transformation back into a translation and rotation is to define the rotation as rotation around one of the vectors. This yields translation before a rotation, a rotation, and a translation after the rotation.
Let's assume we know three vectors before the transformation, $\vec{a}_1$, $\vec{a}_2$, and $\vec{a}_3$, and the three vectors after the transformation, $\vec{b}_1$, $\vec{b}_2$, $\vec{b}_3$, but not the transformation itself -- not the rotation $\mathbf{R}$ nor the translation after rotation $\vec{t}$:
$$\begin{array}{c}
\mathbf{R}\vec{a}_1 + \vec{t} = \vec{b}_1 \\
\mathbf{R}\vec{a}_2 + \vec{t} = \vec{b}_2 \\
\mathbf{R}\vec{a}_3 + \vec{t} = \vec{b}_3 \end{array}$$
Since $\mathbf{R}$ describes a pure rotation, it is an orthogonal matrix.
We can split the above into pre- and post-translation thus:
$$\begin{array}{c}
\mathbf{R}\left(\vec{a}_1 - \vec{t}_1 \right ) + \vec{t}_2 = \vec{b}_1 \\
\mathbf{R}\left(\vec{a}_2 - \vec{t}_1 \right ) + \vec{t}_2 = \vec{b}_2 \\
\mathbf{R}\left(\vec{a}_3 - \vec{t}_1 \right ) + \vec{t}_2 = \vec{b}_3 \end{array}$$
with $\vec{t} = \vec{t}_2 - \mathbf{R} \vec{t}_1$.
Now, if we pick $\vec{t}_1 = \vec{a}_i$ and $\vec{t}_2 = \vec{b}_i$, with $i$ being any of $1$, $2$, or $3$, and solve $\mathbf{R}$ using the other two vector pairs relative to $\vec{a}_i$ and $\vec{b}_i$, we will find a rotation that combined with the specified translation fulfills the requirements. Depending on the vectors and the rotation -- and in practice this is quite sensitive to rounding errors and such --, there may be multiple solutions. However, this should find a valid solution, unless the original vectors are parallel or degenerate.
For simplicity, let's pick $\vec{t}_1 = \vec{a}_1$ and $\vec{t}_2 = \vec{b}_1$. We now have a pure rotation $\mathbf{R}$, such that
$$\begin{array}{c}
\mathbf{R}\left(\vec{a}_2 - \vec{a}_1\right) = \vec{b}_2 - \vec{b}_1 \\
\mathbf{R}\left(\vec{a}_3 - \vec{a}_1\right) = \vec{b}_3 - \vec{b}_1 \end{array}$$
The simplest way to construct $\mathbf{R}$ is to find the matrix $\mathbf{R}_1$ that rotates the coordinate system to match that used by the $a$ vectors, and $\mathbf{R}_2$ that rotates the coordinate system to match that used by the $b$ vectors. Then, we can express $\mathbf{R}$ as the inverse rotation to $\mathbf{R}_1$ followed by rotation $\mathbf{R}_2$.
Since rotation matrices are orthogonal, their inverse is their transpose, so
$$\mathbf{R} = \mathbf{R}_2 \mathbf{R}_1^T$$
We can construct $\mathbf{R}_1$ and $\mathbf{R}_2$ by orthonormalizing the two vectors we have; the third basis vector is then the cross product of the first two.
Let $$\mathbf{R}_1 = \left [ \begin{matrix} \hat{e}_1 & \hat{e}_2 & \hat{e}_1\times\hat{e}_2 \end{matrix} \right ]$$
and $$\mathbf{R}_2 = \left [ \begin{matrix} \hat{e}_4 & \hat{e}_5 & \hat{e}_4\times\hat{e}_5 \end{matrix} \right ]$$
ie. $\hat{e}_i$ are the column vectors (basis unit vectors) in the rotation matrices.
We can use the first leftover vector to define the $x$ axis unit vector,
$$\hat{e}_1 = \frac{\vec{a}_2 - \vec{a}_1}{\lVert \vec{a}_2 - \vec{a}_1 \rVert} $$
$$\hat{e}_4 = \frac{\vec{b}_2 - \vec{b}_1}{\lVert \vec{b}_2 - \vec{b}_1 \rVert} $$
and orthonormalize the second vector against the first one,
$$\hat{e}_2 = \frac{\vec{a}_3 - \vec{a}_1 - \hat{e}_1 \left ( \hat{e}_1 \cdot (\vec{a}_3 - \vec{a}_1) \right )}{\lVert \vec{a}_3 - \vec{a}_1 - \hat{e}_1 \left ( \hat{e}_1 \cdot (\vec{a}_3 - \vec{a}_1) \right ) \rVert} $$
$$\hat{e}_5 = \frac{\vec{b}_3 - \vec{b}_1 - \hat{e}_4 \left ( \hat{e}_4 \cdot (\vec{b}_3 - \vec{b}_1) \right )}{\lVert \vec{b}_3 - \vec{b}_1 - \hat{e}_4 \left ( \hat{e}_4 \cdot (\vec{b}_3 - \vec{b}_1) \right ) \rVert} $$
As shown in the matrices above, the third basis unit vector is just the cross product of the two others,
$$\hat{e}_3 = \hat{e}_1 \times \hat{e}_2$$
$$\hat{e}_6 = \hat{e}_4 \times \hat{e}_5$$
In practice, you'd construct the unit vectors $\hat{e}_i$ first, copying them to the rotation matrices $\mathbf{R}_1$ and $\mathbf{R}_2$,
then compute the rotation via matrix multiplication, $\mathbf{R} = \mathbf{R}_2 \mathbf{R}_1^T$, and finally calculate the translation after
rotation, $\vec{t} = \vec{b}_1 - \mathbf{R} \vec{a}_1$.

A: For there to be a unique solution, the points on the object must not be colinear. Let's proceed assuming that they are not.
Working in homogeneous coordinates, the transformation matrix will have the block form $$M=\begin{bmatrix}R&\mid&\mathbf t\end{bmatrix}$$ where $R$ is a $3\times3$ rotation matrix and $\mathbf t$ is a vector that represents the translation to be applied after rotation. The rotation matrix $R$ can itself be decomposed as $$R=\begin{bmatrix}\mathbf u&\mathbf v&\mathbf u\times\mathbf v\end{bmatrix}$$ with $\|\mathbf u\|=\|\mathbf v\|=1$ and $\mathbf u\cdot\mathbf v=0$. Thus, you have nine unknowns in $M$: the coordinates of $\mathbf u$, $\mathbf v$ and $\mathbf t$. The correspondences of the "before" and "after" points can be summarized in the matrix equation $$\begin{bmatrix}R&\mid&\mathbf t\end{bmatrix}\begin{bmatrix}A_1&A_2&A_3\\1&1&1\end{bmatrix}=\begin{bmatrix}B_1&B_2&B_3\end{bmatrix}.$$ This expands into a system of nine equations in the nine unknowns which, together with the constraints on $\mathbf u$ and $\mathbf v$, can in principle be solved to give you $M$. In fact, there's a lot of redundancy in $M$: the system is overdetermined since there are only six degrees of freedom (three for the rotation and three for the translation), but the three pairs of points provide nine constraints. In practice, you might need to do a least-squares fit or approximate $M$ some other way because of numerical errors.
However, as Nominal Animal describes in his answer, you don't really need to solve this system of equations directly. $M$ can be found by breaking it down into a composition of simpler rigid motions, each of which is quite simple to compute. That computation doesn't involve any inversions and only requires a couple of matrix multiplications, so even if you're nbot working symbolically, in practice this is likely to give you a pretty good approximation to the true values of the axis and angle.
Once you have this matrix, you can then extract the rotation axis and angle or the Euler angles that correspond to the rotation using well-documented methods. See the Wikipedia articles on rotation matrices and Euler angles for a starting place.


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The Beaten Track
I suppose I've been long overdue a "sh*t happens" themed race report. I'm always the first to tut at race excuses. But after running a grand total of 12.5km at the Barcelona 24 hour track race - one of my A-races for the year - I better explain myself.
The reasoning: Although this a stark contrast to Sonic's 24-hour debut in Tooting, the reason why I signed up for Barcelona 24 was because I was so inspired by the event that I wanted to have a crack at a track race.
I've only ever run a 24-hour with an international vest - One for Scotland and two for Great Britain. And with that comes a whole lot of pressure and expectation. I've always come away from the events with an armful of ideas and tips on how to improve. I don't think I've ever got a 24 hour right and wanted to use Barcelona test some things in an open race. So, for those who didn't understand why I'd want to put myself through when I have already run above the qualifying distance for the Great Britain team (twice), that was my reason.
Plus, I had bit ambitions that I was really confident that I could back up on the day. If I could feel like I did during the Lakeland 100 or the Glencoe Marathon, then I'd be on to a sure thing.
Testing: This was the list of new things to try during training, taper and the race. Most which, of course, remain untested.
1) I gave up caffeine for a month prior to the race. From eight cups of two-spoons coffee per day to nothing. This was probably the most heart-breaking aspect of the DNF. No coffee. For a month. For nothing.
2) Two-runs-per-day. For the last six months, I have used my easy/steady run days to run twice. So, on a Wednesday and Friday I ran to and from work. It's only five miles each way, but I really think it helped build endurance. As well as an effective use of time and saves me battling rush hour traffic.
3) Training with a heart-rate monitor. This was new to me, but after reading Dr Maffetone's book on Endurance Training and Racing. I followed the plan of running below my maximum aerobic heart rate for six weeks (NB, it should be eight weeks) following the Lakeland. Not only did my pace improve within that zone, but I got my resting heart rate down to 37 (from 42) prior to the race.
4) Track training. And I don't mean proper track sessions, I mean just jogging around for hours and hours. It didn't bore or frustrate me and it really helped me get my head into it. Plus, I got through a few audiobooks too. The best thing was that I never count the laps. That's usually the first to break me in looped courses.
5) In the run up to the race, I did more hill training. It was easier on the back of training for the Lakeland 100 and Glencoe Marathon, but I didn't do any long road/flat run. Plus, I ran on the hills and didn't use them as an excuse to walk/skive.
6) Following a five year break, I started Yoga classes. That was a shock to the system as I didn't realise how tight my hamstrings were. I'm not exactly bendy, but a few months later and things are improving. I've even started a Bikram yoga class in the hope that it might stop me unravelling in the heat.
7) My feet problems have been well-documented on this blog. In other 24-hour races I've been too nervous to try anything different, but for Barcelona I was going to use some of my steps with only Drymax socks. It's work during training and stopped the "burning".
8) After reading Andy Milroy's Trainingfor Ultra Running and taking on board some of the traditional techniques used by sport's greatest, I binned expensive foot and chaffing cream in favour of good ol' Lanolin. Yep, a £5 tube of the wonder stuff – marketed to feeding Mothers as a cure for cracked for nipples – is working a treat.
9) My nutritional plan was to take in more protein (but mixed with carbs) in the early stages. And in the latter stages take in more gels, but with water only. No sports drink. Tips I'd picked up from Matt Fitzgerald's New Rules of Marathon and Half Marathon Nutrition to eliminate stomach issues.
So, there you have it. There was method to my madness.
Unfortunately, it was not to be. I started vomiting before I arrived at the airport. The day before the race was a complete write-off. I kept thinking it would pass, but after redecorating the hotel bathroom the night before the race, - with the GM holding my hair like a flashback from our youth - I knew it wasn't going to happen.
I shouldn't have even have got on the plane, let alone start the race. But it's a long way to go, not the cheapest of trips and Sonic had endured an epic journey – via London – to be there on the Saturday morning.
I gave it a shot, but I was hanging over the railings vomiting within the first hour. There was nothing in me. I really had to give it everything to get to 12.5km. And do you know why? Because I all I could think about was how much I've mocked the Crazy German since his 5K bail-out at the CCC in 2010!!
Once I'd mopped up the tears, I tried (probably unsuccessfully) to put the disappointed to one side to help Jen Salter and Karen Salter (1st and 2nd lady) reach the qualification for the GB 24 hour team. They ran 217km and 210km respectively and were by far the best runners on the track.
After the race, Karen collapsed and needed medical attention. After seeing the same thing happen to many ultra-runners we all knew she would be fine, but the medics were adamant she went to hospital. I volunteered to go with her, so at least I got a tour of the city – blue-light style. It was a little concerning that the 12-year-old ambulance driver was using the sat nav on his phone to find the hospital. And then had to circle the car park to find the entrance!
Of course, she was fine with a few hours but the hospital was a riot. It was like a scene from a war movie with bodies lying everywhere. At one point, Karen was dozing off when a nurse came along and snapped an oxygen mask on her face. Then after being shouted at by a doctor came along took it off Karen and put it on the patient next to her. Who was male and about 80!
But the drama hadn't ended. Sonic was then spewing on the way home…Thankfully dispelling the pregnancy questions. And I kindly passed it round the rest of my family.
Not the best end to 2013's races, but as I've heard a thousand times since "better to happen in that race, than in one that matters".
Even though we don't know the date or the venue of the World 24 hour and cannot plan any other races, I know for sure Barcelona 24-hour in 2014 with be on my hit list.
Happy New Year J
Supporting SuperSonic at Tooting Bec 24
After three years of supporting yours truly during 24-hour races, Sonic decided to throw down the gauntlet and go for GB qualification himself. After his phenomenal run on the West Highland Way Race, I bullied him into submitting his entry form for Tooting Bec 24-hour track race. Note: I'm only on the second sentence and already taking credit for it.
Sonic doesn't lack confidence and self-belief, which is something that will take him further than his skinny legs. He had a goal that some people may have quaffed at, way beyond the 235km minimum team standard qualification. But as they say: Fortune favours the brave.
When we arrived in Tooting on Friday afternoon, I told Sonic to rest up and I would go and do all the shopping. Apparently four bananas would not suffice, he needed "at least 12". Eight slices of caramel shortcake wouldn't cut it. At least three packs were required. Yes, 24 slices of caramel shortcake. Along with 20 9-Bars, chicken breasts, a family-sized block of cheese, various snacks and a million litres of drinks. Four trips to Sainsburys – and a broken back – later I was done. And done in.
I decided to go for a little run and check out the track location. Tooting is crazy busy and after an afternoon of negotiating my way through the High Street – with their pound shops, halal meat counters and betting shops aplenty – I was glad to head to the leafy area of Tooting Common.
I was glad to have done the recce run – I do love a good recce – as the taxi driver in the morning would have have taken us to the wrong sports' centre.
It was a bit surreal turning up to a race with only 45 participants and trackside packed with tents and open-boot buffet displays.
We found some spare grass and after asking another runner, Marcus, to move his car over (I know, the cheek of it!) we pitched up next to Fionna Cameron's pit-stop - with the lovely Keziah on duty - and Richie Cunningham's crew of Drew Sheffield and Claire Shelley opposite. The official Team Scotland camp!
Team Scotland. Richard Brown centre
You know you're in a new age of social media friendship swhen you find yourself more and more having introductions that start like Nici's: "You don't know me, but I follow you on Twitter" and Ali's "I read your GUCR report". Supporting Stephen Woodus (aka Woody) they were an absolute riot to hang out with. And thankfully they were around to help erect a brand-new-out-of-the-packet gazebo we had brought down for the occasion. I kind of looked like a Punch and Judy tent, but it did the trick.
Just to put the GB pressure on, my team mates Emily Gelder and Karen Hathaway came along to help me out. A team manager, Richard Brown was there scouting for fresh kill.
I'm not going to write about the race. Mainly because I didn't run the race. And Sonic is threatening to write his own blog post! So, here's the lowdown on Team Scotland.
Scottish Athletics report here
Sonic: 1st place with 248km (154miles)
For the purpose of this report, I will now refer to him as SuperSonic. If you followed the race or happen to be one of his aforementioned "social media friends", you will know he absolutely smashed it. The most impressive bit was he managed to keep a lid on it at the beginning. Even when he was knocked to eighth place because of his scheduled walking breaks. Pushing through he took the lead a few hours in and pushed a bit more to finish with a mere 20-mile lead.
He was overly smug about beating my 100K time and I was overly restrained to tell him that I've only ever run one 100k and it was a piss-poor performance. Then he hit 100 miles at 14:31 and broke through the 235km GB team qualify with an hour and a half to spare.
I'd secretly packed a Union Jack and asked the lap counters to make an announcement so he could do a victory lap. Then whipped the flag off him and sent him on to punch -out another 13 kilometres. A total of 620 laps to clock 154 miles (248km)
That's the best distance by a GB athlete this year. Third on the all-time Scottish list – behind the records and seemingly unbreakable 166m distance set by Don Ritchie and 154 miles by Mick Francis. All in a debut 24-hour race.
Just for the record though, he only ate four bananas and two slices of the caramel shortcake. If you see any flightless birds around Tooting, don't blame me!
Fionna Cameron: 1st lady, 2nd overall with 216km (134 miles) Another sterling debut performance, with 134 miles (216km). There must be something in the water at Aberdeen Asset, as Marco and Fionna work in the same office.
Fionna is lovely, yet very determined. Actually if you were to look up "lovely" in a Thesaurus, Fionna could be the first alternative. The 24-hour did something strange to her character though. There was spitting, snot-rockets and tantrums. Thank god! Don't want her showing up the GM and I at the next GB outing.
Stephen Mason: 5th with 198kms and (123 miles) I ran with Stephen on the Scotland team in my first 24 hour race in 2011. He went round like and train and came through a few – understandable – rough patches. At one point I had to shout at him, as he was running around having nodding off. I kid you not!
Richie Cunningham: 7th with 194 kms (120 miles)
What can I say about Richie? He showed he's a true Scotsman by spending the vast majority of the weekend spewing and slurring his words. I'm not sure when he starting the projectile vomiting, but it pretty much lasted the duration. Heroic or stubborn? Either way, there was no stopping him. Even defying the medics. Like a Weeble: He just wobbled, but he didn't fall down. I'm not sure how he did it but he clocked 120 miles on absolutely no fuel.
The Aftermath.
This was when the fun started. Firstly, Sonic collapsed. Personally, I think he was just enjoying lapping up the attention of the female medics. Then he proceeded to thank EVERYONE within a mile radius for their amazing support and encouragement. Not even a single mutter to me, who had spent 24 hours on a trackside! And, quite frankly, you should never underestimate the difference an experienced support crew can make ;-)
After leaving him in the capable hands of the professionals, I went off (in a huff) to pack up the stuff and get Sonic's after race kit. On return, Richard Brown accused me of "being very nonchalant" about the distress my husband was in. I would have explained, but I'd already chewed my tongue off by that point. Then Sonic collapsed again. When his lap counter appeared to congratulate him, he was practically crying with gratitude. I might look really tired in this picture, but I'm (shamefully!) contemplating whipping my legs out from underneath his head ;-)
All very childish in the cold light of day. I've been there and I know how grateful you are. Let's put it down to sleep deprivation!
The prize-giving was lovely. It was so nice that everyone's efforts were recognised. Especially, Geoff Oliver who at the grand age of 80 had set SEVEN new world records during the race. Then turned up in the prize giving in a shirt and tie and gave a wonderful heartfelt speech. It was an honour and a privilege to watch his amazing performance. Sonic was obviously using his race tactics to take him out during the hours of darkness (see left). I would like to know what Geoff was listening to on his ipod though.
Then we had to get the train from Euston to Glasgow. And we still had to get the Tube to Euston. For both of us, this could officially be the worst experience of our lives. Sonic was broken, sick and emotional and I was carrying three duffel bags through London. It was nothing short of a nightmare. I liken it to trying to negotiate with a bad tempered drunk.
On the tube, Sonic decided he was going to drop down and sleep. At the door! I couldn't even help him, as I was trying to balance all the bags on my body. My head was going to explode with the weight on my shoulders and I'd lost all feeling in my hands.
This picture makes me laugh so much, I have used it as the contact picture on my mobile, so pops up every time Sonic calls me.
There were works on the tube line, so we had to get three trains to Euston. Of course, I did my best support job and accepted that everything was my fault. Of course.
I did have to giggle when I looked back to see him shuffling along, muttering expletives to himself It was less comical though, when he decided he was too warm (also my fault) and stopped dead in the middle of an unforgiving fast-moving hoard of people to roll up his trousers. That really set off the look. Thankfully it was London and therefore no one bats an eyelid at neurotic behaviour. Even when he staggered along the platform with his trousers rolled to his knees – his carrier bags of trophies in each hand – and then stopped to slide down the wall in tears. In hindsight, it's hilarious. Hey, don't judge me. Sonic posted a video on You Tube of me after my first 24-hour race. If had any feeling in my hands, I might have done the same.
Then we finally made it to Euston. Of course our reserved seats on the Virgin train had to be at the opposite side. I swear it took us 15 minutes to walk the length of the train. I've never been so happy to sit down - or for Sonic to pass out - in my life.
Even after all that, whoever says supporting is harder than running is at it. I had a great time.
Some random pictures on Flickr here
Posted by Debs M-C at 13:57 13 comments:
GB ladies' Three Peaks Challenge
Karen Hathaway, Sharon Law, Emily Gelder et moi
Since we first met at the Commonwealth 24 hour race in 2011, where we ran for our respective countries and then went on to qualify for Great Britain, we have become really good friends. Running 24 hours together – three times – certainly fast tracked the bonding process. Despite the inevitable despair that comes with the event, we're a really tight team and have always had really good fun.
After the World Champs in Holland, we decided to have a wee girlie weekend without the pressure of racing. A bit of training, some personal achievement and a few beers thrown in and The National Three Peaks Challenge seemed like the obvious solution.
An achievement, more than a race, the challenge involves climbing the highest mountains in Scotland (Ben Nevis), England (Scafell, Lake District) and Wales (Snowdon, Llanberis) within 24 hours. Which also includes about 10 hours of driving between Fort William and Llanberis.
The ascent up Ben Nevis was amazing. I've been up there about five times and have only ever once got a view. As one of the wettest places in the UK, it's rare for Fort William to be basking in sunshine. Usually on Ben Nevis, you can't see passed your feet because of the mist.
We met the Crazy Germans
It was Baltic freezing at the summit (1344metres) though and the GM's signature hotpants certainly turned a few heads.
Scantily-clad and on a tight schedule, we practically barged onto the Cairn so we could get this picture and start descending quickly.
The Ben gradual gradient means it can be quite time consuming to ascent, but you can make a relatively rapid and safe descend.
Ticked off in 3hrs 20mins.
After wasting too much time faffing about in Fort William – this is when a support driver would come in handy – we were en route to Scafell.
The torrential rain on the motorway and then fog on the minor roads made the journey quite arduous.
On arrival at Wasdale Head we were greeted by a group of men standing in the carpark in their underpants. Obviously another 3PC party, who looked slightly broken and soaked to the skin after completing Scafell (989). I later learned that all decorum would go out of the window for us too.
It was after midnight and even though we weren't overly excited about what lay ahead, we dressed quickly – with an abundance of layers and waterproofs – and headed off up the hill. The GM had been down to recce the route the week before, but I made the stupid mistake of leaving the GPS and the GM's map in the car. We debated going back for it, but decided to press on.
I will skirt over this bit as not to provoke the critics of my navigational complacency. We came off the track on the ascent, so retraced our steps and followed another route to the summit. Longer than anticipated, but done and dusted. We were delighted. That would not last though, as we got spectacularly misplaced (never lost) on the descent and ended up going back to the summit a further two times. All I'm going to say is that it was daylight before we finally made it down. That's all you're getting. Over six and a half hours to do what can hardly be classed as a mountain! It was epic, but we haven't stopped laughing about it since.
We were down, but not out though! With the GM behind the wheel (and her own version of the highway code) we were on our way to Llanberis – on a mission.
At the carpark at the foot of the Snowdon (723 metres), the attendant said he knew we were Three Peak Challengers because of our accents. Or maybe it was because we looked like we'd been up all night. He then said it would take about 5/6 hours if we made good pace. We only had 2 hours 40 to complete the challenge in under 24 hours.
To put it bluntly, we whored up and down that mountain – practically knocking women and children out of the way. I've never been on a hill so busy. I suppose the fact that there's a train to the summit helps! There was a Rat Race going on too and we were going against the grain.
We did it though. In just over two hours – finishing the challenge with 19:38. We could have stopped in café at the top after all.
We celebrated that evening with some Indian food and few too many beers. We had a brief chat with a couple at the table next to us who were proudly displaying their well-earned medals from the 20-mile Rat Race that day.
We overheard their conversation about the 20-mile Rat Race being the "obvious step-up from the Three Peaks Challenge". So we've decided if we train really, really hard we might be able to make the step-up next year :-)
Centurion Running Ultramarathon Team
Centurion Running organise a series of ultra-distance events on some of the UK's best national trails. Their first race was held on the North Downs Way in August 2011 and now comprises six 50/100 mile races, a grand slam and the infamous Piece of String Race - The fun run that is billed as "The world's most pointless race". Basically runners don't know the distance of the race. It could be 10k or 100 miles. Or even the route. Only the race directors know. At the start of the race, there are five possible race configurations in envelopes. A runner will pick the envelope and that will be the race. Only two runners finished last year. I know, like me, the more you read into the race, the more you will want to do it?
Robbie sporting the yellow jersey
Of course, there's a very serious side to the organisation and James Elson has certainly earned his strips as a top-notch Race Director. The races are full supported and racing and finishing are encouraged in equal measures. Anyone who read my Thames Path 100 report from March, will know that on any other circumstance that race should/would have been cancelled, but James spent the week planning, consulting with experts and re-routing the course, so the show could go on.
Centurion Running also provide coaching service, an online store and an Ultra Team. I have recently joined the team as the first (and only!) female to wear the yellow jersey. I was secretly hoping that James would ask, so was delighted when he did.
A bit about the team "One of the many great things about our sport is the enormous range of challenges open to each of us. Each member of the team has completely different goals and ambitions, taking different paths to those ultimate aims which sometimes converge at the same or similar events throughout the year. Of course, the over-riding thing about each of these runners is their love of running and that for each of them, it doesn't always require racing to feel fulfilled"
So I join the bevy of boys which includes: Ian Sharman (needs no introduction), Robbie Britton (my GB 24 hour comrade), Craig Holgate (of ridiculously fast on flat stuff), Paul Navesey (one to watch), Neil Bryant (who just casually ran across Europe), James Elson (the main man who seems to have done everything from MdS, Badwater, Western States, UTMB, Leadville 100 and Comrades. Oh and Ironman too) and Drew Sheffield (who knows everybody, has an impressive list of race finishes and is good for gossip)
Looking at the list of their previous races, I was a little nervous about penning my running CV. It seemed a little lame and parochial in comparison.
I'm delighted to be the first female to join the boy band that is the Centurion Ultramarathon Running Team. Based in Glasgow, I have represented Scotland and Great Britain in 100K and 24 hour races I like road, hills, towpath and trails. Actually, I just like running. Except cross-country. I don't do cross-country. The longer the better for me, so don't ask me my 10K time. I'm married to an ultra-runner and fit training around a full-time job and our four-year-old son, Cairn. Juggling is my forte. I also do my own stunts and could fall over fresh air. Skinned knees and bruised limbs is my signature look. I like to do one thing each year that scares me. 2011 was my first 24-hour, 2012 was the GUCR and this year the Lakeland 100. 2014 is still to be decided.
Top five:
Devil o' the Highland 43 mile race: This was my first ultra-distance race back in 2007 and my comeback race after having my Son in 2009. It's a firm favourite, not only because it's special to me, but it takes you magical journey through Glencoe and finishes in Fort William. This views don't get much better than that. I haverun the race five times and finished on the podium every time. Took me to my 5th attempt to win it though.
GUCR 2012: I was the outright winner of the race in 28:01. The first female to ever win the historic event. Although I'm not famed for the performance. I'm known as the numpty who fell in the canal in the middle of the night. Remember what I said about stunts? I also managed to ruin an iPhone, iPod and Garmin en route.
IAU World 24 Hour Race: I have represented Great Britain at the event in 2012 (Katowice, Poland) and 2013 (Steenbergen. Holland). I was a counter in the medal-winning team both times, set a new Scottish 100mile record of 15:48 within the race and personal best of 220km for 24 hours.
West Highland Way Race: The trail starts close to home and is the playground for many training runs. I have run the race three times 2008, 2010 and 2011 with my best time being 19:38.
Lakeland 100 2013: Imagine taking nearly 2.5 hours off the previous women's record, and still coming in second. Well, that's what happened to me. Still, I was happy to finish faster than my goal time. And with a full set of teeth.
Past races and results
100 miles PB - 15:48
200km PB - 20:55
24 hours PB – 220km
West Highland Way Race 2008, 2010 and 2011. Best time 19:38
Devil of the Highlands 1st lady in 2012 in 6:54
Highland Fling 53 miles (2010 and 2011). Silver in the UK trail championship
Anglo Celtic Plate 100K – representing Scotland 9:03
Commonwealth ultra-distance championships North Wales 2011 –representing Scotland in the 24 hour race.
Grand Union Canal: 1st overall. Female record holder.
IAU World 24 hour championships 2012 Katowice, Poland. Set new Scottish records for 100m, 200km and 24 hour. Bronze team for world, silver for Europeans
Thames Path 100 2013: 1st lady and 4th overall
IAU World 24 hour championships 2013 Steenbergen, Holland. PB of 220km. Team European bronze.
Lakeland 100 2013: 28:02. 2nd lady. 13th overall
Labels: centurion running, Craig Holgate, Drew Sheffield, Ian Sharman, James Elson, Neil Bryant, Paul Navesey, Robbie Britton
Lakeland 100 report
Three 100+ miles races in four months was always going to be a big ask, but I never treated the Montane Lakeland 100 as a suck-it-and-see race. Since the 24-hour, two months before, I threw everything I had left at it. I'd recced the course as much as I could. Well, with life and logistics, I recced it as much as I could fit in. I'd pretty much covered the endurance aspect, I just need to get hill fit and knock my quads into shape. I spent evenings and weekends on the hills and trails with circuits on the Kilpatricks, jaunts on the West Highland, loops of Ben Lomond and throwing myself off the Ptarmigan Ridge.
I went into the race fully accepting that is could be my last big race of the year. The recces taught me that the route was nothing short of epic and with a drop-out rate of up to 60 percent, it could quite frankly end me. And I wasn't going into it half-hearted either. I'd set myself some ambitious targets. I suppose now it's safe to say - without the fear of sniggers - that I wanted to take two hours off the (then) women's course record.
Pre-race
The week leading up to the race was met with the usual taperitus symptoms – sniffles, sore throat, fatigue, lead-like legs. Now I realise, if I don't get severe taperitus, I should be more worried.
After dropping Cairn off at nursery on Friday morning – and hugging him like I was going off to war – the GM and I heading down to Coniston, arriving before noon.
The campsite would fill quite quickly, so we set about setting up: A tent for the girls and another for Sonic and Cairn, who were due to arrive on Saturday afternoon. Not only was it wise to bagsy the space, but it would good to keep the audience of the comedy show that was our tent erection to a minimum. Well, it was the GM and I. Need I say more? Although the GM's vocal reference to the fly sheet as "the flyover" did turn a few heads. To be honest, we did a bit of a half-arsed job, because we knew Sonic would sort it all the next day ;-)
We went off to registered and go through the kit check process. We were sent outside to a line of scales. Like most girls with "issues" I don't like the pre-race weigh-in bit. We were comforted with a promise that weights were not announced. Phew! You were just giving a florescent band with your weight written in marker to wear around your wrist for the duration of the race. Subtle.
Picture by JK
I didn't want to get caught up in the pre-race hype, so retired to the Scottish quarters – Richie had joined us by then – to chill in the sunshine. JK, who was down on official duty for the weekend came over for a long chat, while the GM and I set about the foot preparation process. Nice. Then it was time for the pre-race briefing and time for me to repack my drop bag and backpack for the 27th time.
Start to Seathwaite: 7 miles. 659m of ascent. Position 76
Even at 6pm, it was hot. I was secretly hoping it would be raining, to wipe out half my competition in the night. But I was also thankful to have had a month of hot weather training, so was comfortable I wouldn't keel in anything above my optimum race temperature of 14 degrees.
The tension was building as the race theme song Nessun Dorma was played to signal the countdown to the start. 105 miles over 7000m of ascent, circumnavigating the English Lake District.
The first few miles were met with the deafening sounds of silence and fear. Although it was more frightening the speed some people went off.
Picture by Dave Troman
The first ascent was on a single track, so runners' pace was dictated by the person in front. Or even the person 50 in front. This might explain why people went off so fast. C'est la Vie. It soon broke up when we hit the wide track to the car park at roadhead and I lost contact with the GM.
I know I shouldn't have – it was way too early to bother – but I was already counting the female runners ahead of me. I'm not sure if this pushed me, but arrived in Seathwaite ahead of schedule, so much so that I slowed down to a jog on the road to the checkpoint. Not because I felt overworked, but I didn't want anyone to see the live feeds (namely, JK) and wonder what I was playing at.
To explain my schedule: I didn't know the route well enough to write my own race plan. Originally I was aiming for 28 hours (ish). But the better my training went and the more confident I got, I carried Dave Troman's splits for reference. Not because I was gunning to beat Dave's time, but because I trusted his pace and judgement. Dave ran 25:52 in 2012, moving from 99th position to 10 place overall. I've never used anyone's race splits before. Dave might not appreciate this, but this is the highest compliment I could bestow upon a fellow runner J
Seathwaite to Boot: 7 miles. 385m of ascent. Position 60
It was a quick in and out, dib in and bottle fill, as I was way thirstier than I expected so early on. Coming out of the checkpoint and along the road, I wasn't overly concerned about not seeing the GM, as I hoped she was being sensible and sticking to her 1:30 section pace.
Along the trail and up one of many nasty hills, I spoke briefly with Catherine before hitting the narrow muddy swamp track through plantation. Last time I came through here, I was knee deep in shoe-sucking bog, so I was glad the nice weather has made it a little kinder. I was chatting to a chap behind me for some time, but I don't even know what he looked liked, as I couldn't take my eye off my feet through fear of falling. I was so focussed on my feet that I blindly followed the runner in front and we missed the stile to cross. Thankfully, we were shouted back.
First detour. Closely followed by the first fall on the grassy descent. I was quite spectacular, as I did a full roly poly and end up back on my feet and running again. A la Sonic the hedgehog style. Nothing hurt, but my pride as I was witnessed by a small – giggling- audience.
I chatted with Ivan from North Ireland before we reached the Boot checkpoint, which was manned by Petzl and Centurion running. So nice to see the smiling faces of James Elson and Drew Sheffield. Again, just a water top up and I was gone.
Boot to Wasdale Head: 5.4 miles. 297m of ascent. Position 49
Walking up the hill out of Boot, I need to pee so badly, I was in danger of causing myself some internal injuries. I managed to find some bushes where I thought I was out of sight, but I doubt I was being very discreet.
I was really glad to be doing the open fell section in daylight, as I was concerned about finding the Tarn and the ascent out. During one our famous recce runs, the GM and I took a detour. We found out way back on track into Wasdale – with a map and GPS – but it was messy and time consuming.
There was a lot of leap frogging with other runners on the section. I mostly chatted with Troy – I know, how cool is that name? – and ended up in a small group of four into the disco checkpoint. I kid you not, there was a 70s themed party going on in there. Again, I just filled up my bottle and went.
Wasdale Head to Buttermere: 6.9 miles. 712m of ascent. Position 40
Leaving Wasdale was the end of daylight for me. I was about a mile in before I felt the need to switch on my headtorch. I was being a bit of a rookie and trying out some new gear: The Lensor Led 7 SEO7R. From the offset I was really impressed with it. Very light and beam was amazing. Previously I've struggled with vision on night runs, so was a little bit in love with new bit of kit.
Nathan passed on the ascent. I was to see a lot of Nathan throughout then race. Then I was joined by Thomas who was powering up the hills with his poles. I chatted with Thomas about the usual running stuff before we started on the breakneck steep descent. Even in daylight I don't have the confidence to descend with any pace, but holy moly Thomas didn't have the same fear. He went down like a dart, as I gingerly tiptoed down like a big Jessie.
Over the marshy ground before the bridge, I practically did a belly flop on the waterlogged grass. Fall number two. Passed the youth hostel and up the next cheeky climb, I could see a red light flashing on my headtorch. Then boom, the lights went out. I was cursing myself for not changing the original batteries! Thankfully I had the sense (First. Time. Ever) to pack a small handheld torch. I changed to the back-up battery pack and off I went. I caught up with Nathan and then Thomas again before heading into Buttermere. I was informed there that I was third lady.
Buttermere to Braithwaite: 6.5 miles. 573m of ascent. Position 32
I had only managed to fit in one recce of this section, but wasn't overly concerned as I thought it was fairly easy to navigate. Yeah, in daylight! HUGE difference in the dark. After following the track next to the river – with the nice 40ft drop to the right if you happen to trip over one of the many tree roots – everything was just dark. Just the faint bobbing of head torches in the distance.
I caught up with Kevin, Martin and Andrew and just stuck with them. They hadn't run this section at all, so were following the road book. Of course, I was giving them dodgy advice. I knew what was coming up, I was just a few points ahead of myself. I'm not sure how it happened (apart from the fact that I was involved), but we managed to take in another hill top, instead of going round it – what's another hill on the grand scale of things? – before descending into Braithwaite. A remember on the recce run seeing another built up area in the distance and just prayed we were heading to Braithwaite - otherwise I could have been strangled with a platypus hose! Thankfully it was just a long way for a short cut and we joined the right track into Braithwaite. I chatted with Andrew – who was to be another companion for the race.
Braithwaite to Blencartha: 8.5 miles. 478m of ascent. Position 24
The checkpoint at Braithwaite was like walking into an Italian Bistro. Tables clothed and packed with an abundance of lovely delights and greeted with a smiling face ready to take your order for food. I suppose for competitors out for the social or just to complete, this would be a welcomed treat. I, on the hand, threw back a cup of coke and was out the door.
Nathan caught up with me and pushed on as we were leaving the village. He had earphones in so I interrupted that as he wasn't up for my sparkling chat, so I just tailed him all the way passed Keswick. I was glad he didn't see me face plank on the pavement though. Third fall of the day.
I really like the climb over Keswick, although I'm never quite sure how to tackle it. It's runnable, but there's a fine line between gaining time and wasting precious energy. I jogged up with Nathan, who was a little more chatty at that point. Once through the carpark, Nathan pushed on as I needed to go to the little girls' room.
Then drama struck with the familiar sight of the flashing red light on my headtorch. It wasn't even 3am and I was out of light. I'm sure my screams of "f**********k" must have bounced off all the hills. My last minute decision to pack the handheld was my last straw. Otherwise it was game over.
I just had to box it and move on. Although my thorough research of lightweight handheld torches certainly paid. I'd purchased a G3 Cree Q5 from Amazon at the nifty price of £2.90. It quite literally came on the slow boat from China, but it was certainly worth the wait.
Heading up to the unmanned dibber, which was placed shortly before the disguised right turn, I had to shout Nathan back as he was heading straight on. Heading down the track to Blencartha, I was willing it to get light, but I knew there was at least another hour. And I knew the next section along the old railway track was going to be dark and impossible without a light source. I don't like running with anything in my hands, I'm convinced it knocks my form. And I was convinced the light was getting dimmer, so by the time I reached the checkpoint I was in mild panic mode. I'm ashamed to say, I would have rather pulled-out than have to sit out the darkness.
I knew it was a longshot, but I asked the marshalls if they had any batteries, but not joy. Then the little voice from the corner came: "you can have my headtorch". A sad looking runner who had retired was giving me his. I could have hugged him. OK, I did hug him. I later found out my saviour was Chris Perry. I think I thanked him a million times after the race, but one more time – thank you, Chris! I liken it to taking the shoes off a dead man, but I was out of there like a shot. Only to return as I forget to fill my water bottles. I sure the marshalls were probably a little shell-shocked by my whirlwind visit, but I bet they were glad to see the back of me!
Blencartha Centre to Dockray: 7.7 miles. 417m of ascent. Position 22
I was happy as Larry and practically skipped over the next few miles. I was slightly concerned about negotiating the boggy bit at Newsham and finding the indistinct path in the dark, but I could switch off the headtorch soon after reaching it.
I really enjoyed the old coach road all the way to Dockray. The guys at the checkpoint there were Über cheerful and ringing in the new day with a cow bell. On approach I was half expecting Lucy Colquhoun to be the person behind the cowbell – it's her signature race support aid after all. It was only then that I found out I was second lady. Lizzie Wraith was an hour in front by then, but I really had no idea what happened to Nicky (or the "tanned lady" as she had been referred to previously. Did I pass her in the dark? Had she pulled out? Or got lost? Looking at the checkpoint stats now, it looks like the latter.
Dockray to Dalemain: 10.1 miles. 370m of ascent. Position 20
I really love this section. The views over Ullswater were absolutely spectacular and such a wonderful way to start day two, but all I could think about was getting to Dalemain and getting my drop bag. On through the woods, it was only after 6am, so I was quite surprised to see a smiling couple at the wooden stile cheering me on. The lady was on the phone and stopped to ask me my name, to which she replied "Fergie's on the phone and says hi". That made me laugh. Fergie is everywhere!
I passed through the mucky field with the "bull". Is it a bull? It's got horns and therefore in my head it's a bull. And hit the road to Dalemain, quite literally counting the minutes until I arrived at Dalemain for my one and only drop bag.
Dalemain to Howtown: 7.1 miles. 294m of ascent. Position 20
The checkpoint tent, located in front of the historic Dalemain House, is a sanctuary in the midst mayhem. A bit of timeout to restock, fill up, pick up and fix anything that requires fixing. As the only drop bag location, it was the one and only chance to do so.
On arrival I quickly guided by a lovely lady and plonked down on a chair. Heaven. My memory's not the best during races, so I'd typed out and laminated a sheet of everything I needed to do. I've lost count of the amount of times in races when I've got into a support point thinking I need xyz only to forget and curse it when I'm back going again. This time, I had a step-by-step guide 1) put on suncream 2) drink coffee 3) change socks 4) pick up sunglasses etc.
Duncan and Andrew arrived shortly after me. In the still of the morning I could hear the voices of constant chatter behind me for few miles. It was so rapid, I thought it was the GM closing in on me. Nathan appeared soon, looking a little, erm, tired. The lovely marshalls were flapping around attending to their every need, telling them just to drop anything that's to be repacked or disposed of. I joked with the ladies: "like men need to be told to leave everything at their arse" J
I always make a point during races to be in and out of a support point as fast as possible, but this is the first time I'd done an unsupported race. 15 minutes passed like a blink of an eye.
As I was about to leave I saw Nicky using poles to walk along the flat tarmac surface. It didn't look good. And when the GM still hadn't appeared, I knew something was wrong there too.
Then I was out, embarking on the second half of the journey. I've run this section twice in training and never got the first mile through the fields right. And it wasn't to be third time lucky. Andrew shouted me back and I followed them in the right direction. I joined Andrew and Duncan for most of the journey to Howtown. It was really nice to have some company.
Howtown to Mardale Head: 9.4 miles. 765m of ascent. Position 21
I'd previously joked about rural ladies sporting moustaches, but at the Howtown Bobbin Mill they really did. Thankfully they were of the stick-on joke variety. They were really excited to see another girl coming through, so that gave me a little boost. I didn't need anything – because I'd picked up enough to feed an army at Dalemain – so just dibbed in and heading straight out.
I'd picked up my running poles at Dalemain – after only using them for 10 minutes on a previous training run – with the hope that they'd help with the ascent to High Kop (the highest point in the race). I think they just helped hold me up. The morning was starting to really heat up, I'd run out of fluid and hit a really bad patch. It was a long, hard slog on the relentless grassy hill. I think this hill could break you on even fresh legs, but it was getting the better of me at that point.
Nathan caught me and passed me at the top. As I ran along – what I thought was the correct route – Nathan started to descend though the ferns and I could see Duncan and Andrew behind me going down into the valley. I was torn. I could see the bridge at Fordingdale bottom that we were all heading too, so I knew I wasn't lost. We were just coming at it from different angles. I just went with what I knew and followed the path down. When I got to the bridge and looked up, Nathan had barely made a dent in descent through overgrown flora. Sorry, Nathan, I did feel quite smug as I knew there was no way you were going to trust my navigation.
I picked up some much needed water from the stream and Duncan and Andrew appeared behind me after taking the "racing line". You can't beat local knowledge and I cursing myself for not sticking with them. Along the undulating tracks we went in single file. Then I ended up flat on my back after headbutted a tree. Doh!
I was so dehydrated that I hit a real low. I couldn't believe how much I had been drinking during the race – about a litre an hour - and was filling up my bottle at every stream I could find. Given the fine weather, they were few and far between. Even running down the hills was a task. I was quite literally stumbling along the trail when I arrived at Mardale Head checkpoint.
Mardale Head to Kentmere: 6.5 miles. 511m of ascent. Position 16
My spirit was still good, so I knew I just needed something to fix me physically. Thankful the kind chaps filled me with the equivalent of a pint of coke, some gels and filled my bottle and off I went on the next climb. Better, but not great. I started to come round by the time I'd (eventually) hit the top. And once I got going on the descent the pain in my glutes dispersed. I knew it was a case of just grin and bear it for a few minutes, but my lord my ass hurt. As I came out the other side of the bad patch, I passed a few wounded soldiers and started to pick it back up again. I moved up from 21 to 16 in the space of about five miles. How's that for recovery?
Picture by James Elson
Then I saw the distinctive sight of the yellow T-shirts in the distance and new the Centurion chaps were out. I shouted a big "woohoo" to hear Drew reply "Debs?" I could have cried with happiness to see friendly faces. And then I saw the GM. It was the first time I knew she had pulled out. Regardless, she was hyper and so excited about how things were going for me. Saying all the right things – probably lies – but I was lapping it up. It meant so much to see everyone and it really put a spring in my step. So much so that I passed Duncan and Andrew for the last time and practically skipped into Kentmere. The spring was assisted by me singing away to Taylor Swift on my iPod. Don't judge me!
Kentmere to Ambleside: 7.3 miles. 491m of ascent. Position 14
As with all the checkpoints, the marshalls at Kentmere were fantastic. I guess it's more accessible by car too, as there was a little crowd cheering. I was offered a fruit smoothie, but regrettably declined. I hadn't eaten any proper food since Dalemain. I was fuelled on coke and gels. Actually I hadn't taken any food from the checkpoints at all. I ate only the food I carried from the start.
I felt good, so I didn't faff about – or delay the inevitable – and started on the last climb before descending into Ambleside. I saw another runner was half way up the hill when I approached. At that stage and on such a twisty route, I was pretty sure that if I was closing in on another competitor that I was going to pass them. Up the hill and on way down to Troutbeck, I pass Chris who was having problems with his feet on the terrain. I asked if I could help, but short of giving him a new pair of shoes, I was pretty useless.
I pushed on, taking full advantage of an energy surge, to be greeted with JK snapping away with his camera.
Picture by Mike Raffan
It was so lovely to see him full of enthusiasm and praise and providing me updates on runners' form and their positions.
Going into Ambleside was amazing. I wish I could relive that moment. What a welcoming. The pubs were packed with cheering crowds and I lapped it up while trying to negotiate a safe road crossing – unsuccessfully. I'm not sure if it was my slow reaction times or my focus on getting to the checkpoint, but I pretty much made the traffic stop for me. I guess that wouldn't make me popular in one of the Lake's busiest towns on a sunny Saturday afternoon.
Mike Raffan and his wife were on duty at Ambleside and they helped sort out my scatty head. I decided to offload the (non-emergency) food I'd been carrying - and had no intentions of eating – for the last 22 hours! The cheese portions were by then little sacks of hot oily goo. Nice! And then they booted me out to door.
Ambleside to Chapelstile: 5.6miles. 234m of ascent. Position 13
I was a little emotional at that point. Although there were three sections to go, I always thought of leaving Ambleside as embarking the final straight. I really wanted to see Sonic and Cairn. I was tempted to phone Sonic, but decided I needed the thought to drive me forwards.
The sun was beating down in full force now and I was getting hotter. My rucksack had been rubbing on my sweat-soaked back for the duration of the race and it was starting to take its toll. I didn't have any lubricant, only a cheery lip balm. I know what kind of airhead swaps a Vaseline pot in favour of lip balm? Anyway, I smeared that on my back and nearly crumbled. The sting was unbelievable. There was a group of young lads who practically blushed at the language I used.
Heading on towards Skelwith Bridge Hotel a few miles in. I took a wrong turn. I put it down to tiredness, as I've done this section twice before I never had any problem. I knew I had gone wrong and tried to backtrack, but got myself into more of a muddle. I saw a carpark that I didn't remember and went back and forth until I realised it was just cars parked at the side of the road. Eventually I got back on track and even then I couldn't believe how dim I had been.
There were lots of families and dog walkers out enjoying the afternoon sun. I must have looked wasted running along the riverside and into Elterwater and through the Baysbrown campside, as people were staring at me in disbelief.
Into the checkpoint at Chapelstile was very surreal. There were nice comfy sofas in a marquee in the middle of the field. The marshalls were really cheery and gave me lots of juice. Still couldn't get enough fluid in me. I left before I found myself bedding in. I later found out Richie fell asleep there.
Chapelstile to Tiberthwaite: 6.5 miles. 387m of ascent. Position 13
Leaving here I had a full on fairy invasion going on. I was running with my hands behind my back holding my rucksack away as the sting was unbelievable. I stumbled a few times on the grass, so happy I didn't lose my teeth.
On the track around Blea Tarn, Ben Abdelnoor winner of the Lakeland 50 (which started in Dalemain at 11:30am) went flying passed me. And I mean flying! We exchanged mutual praise and he was gone. I expected there to be flurry of 50m runners, but it was quiet for a long time. I was looking forward to seeing Marcus Scotney and Paul Navesey, as even seeing Ben gave me a real boost. I read in his race report…
"As I skirted Blea Tarn I overtook a female 100-mile competitor, the first runner in either event I'd seen for well over an hour. A little while later I looked back to see the same lady making her way along the path, closely followed by a runner dressed in black, and shifting very quickly. It was unlikely a 100-mile competitor would have suddenly picked up such pace, so it could only be a 50-mile competitor running a well-paced race with a strong second half. I couldn't believe it. How could this happen? Suddenly my vision of a glorious run into Coniston was turned on its head. I was going to have to run for my life thinking I was being chased".
I'm not sure what/who Ben saw but there was no one around at all. I never saw another sole in front or behind until well after Tiberthwaite.
Over the hill into Tiberthwaite, I was mentally working out my estimated finishing time. I knew I would be close to 26 hours, but I thought it would be about 26:10
Tiberthwaite to Coniston: 5.5 miles. 283m of ascent. Position 13
I wasted too much time chatting with the marshalls there. I think I was just lonely out on the trail and really craved human interaction. I was still feeling quite chipper and enjoyed joking with them. And eating their Doritos – which was the first thing I'd eaten in 12 hours. I don't even like Doritos! But the salt was fantastic.
They practically pushed me out of the checkpoint and were still shouting out me as I made my way onto the final ascent. And one of the cheekiest climbs on the course. Off I went, again, thinking 6:10. I couldn't see anyone, so I wasn't worried about losing position. I knew other 50m runners would appear though. I was right at the top when I saw another runner approaching - frantically looking behind. Thought I might have been Marcus. Then the close he got, I recognised him as Richard Ashton. I told him to stop wasting time looking behind as no one was there. I also said that Ben was almost an hour in front to which he told me everyone has said that all day. Oops. Oh well, I had heard something quite similar all day too. We congratulated ourselves on our second place position and he pushed on.
The descent was tricky. Not because of my legs hurt, but my brain was tired. Once it got a bit flatter, I started to move swiftly. Again, checking my time. Sub 26 looked unlikely, so I stopped for a pee. Mainly because I didn't want to have a bloated belly in the finishing pictures. Seriously. Then I met Tracy Dean who was heading up the hill for a run, so I chatted to her for a bit.
Picture by Paul Navesey
Heading down I used the time to reflect on the day. Weirdly enough, I didn't have the burning urge for it to be over. I actually enjoyed this bit. On arrival in Coniston, I was greeted by a large cheering crowd around the local pubs. The first person I saw was Terry standing at the bottom of the road and out the corner of my eye I saw the Chris the headtorch saviour sitting outside the Black Bull Inn. The response was overwhelming. I felt no pain or discomforted, just utter happiness. I passed through the village and turned the bend to the school. I could hear Sonic and the GM. Cairn was playing in the park, but I waited to take his hand to cross the finishing line. 26:02:00. Do you think I'm kicking myself for those two minutes of blatant faffing around? You bet your ass I am.
Imagine taking nearly 2.5 hours off the course record and still coming in second! A similar situation to Sonic's blinding West Highland Way run, so it could be the Consani curse. Still I'm delighted to achieve what I set out to do. Lizzie Wraith blew it out of the water and set a new course record of 24:15. I'll happily sit second to that. Actually, the top three ladies all broke the previous record.
On the grand scheme of things, I was really pleased with my run. Apart from the colossal meltdown between Howtown and Mardale, I felt really good. Legs were ok. Glutes took a hit, but my quads were brand new. The Ben Lomond reps worked a treat. However, I did experience the worse chaffing ever. I'll spare you the graphics, but here's a snippet of my back. The worst bit was when I woke up on Sunday and my T-shirt had stuck to my back. I swear you would be forgiven for thinking a pig was being sacrificed in my tent.
It was an amazing experience. The whole event is head and shoulders above anything I've ever participated in before. Truly world-class. Thank you to Marc, Terry, Clare and rest of the organisers and to the marshalls for putting on a great show. The checkpoints really were a show.
Congratulations to everyone who took part, especially those who made it back to Coniston. I take my hat off to the competitors who had to go through a second night though, as the conditions really turned. I can't even imagine where they found the strength to go through a full night, then a day of hot weather and humidity and then into another night with torrential rain and storms.
Picture by Nick Ham
Marc Laithwaite certainly got a laugh when he opened Sunday's awards presentation with: "And that's why we ask you to carry the mandatory kit".
Men's Race
1st Stuart Mills 22:17
2nd Charlie Sharpe 23:02
3rd Ed Batty 23:07
Ladies' Race
1st (8th overall) Lizzie Wraith 24:15
2nd (13th overall) Debbie Martin-Consani 26:02
3rd (26th overall) Julie Gardner 28:16
Full results here. I was so pleased to see the Kevin and Martin won the team prize (28:20) Phew! And Andrew and Duncan finished in a great time of 27:04

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
How to Manage a Dual Career Family
Best Work-From-Home Companies 2020
An Overview of the Top 4 Project Management Techniques
Skillcrush
No, Women Shouldn't Have to Wear Makeup to Work
A version of this article previously appeared on Skillcrush, an online education program for creatives, thinkers, and makers that gives total tech newbies the tools to make major career changes.
Julia Sonenshein, Skillcrush
When celebrities left and right started announcing they're off the makeup train in favor of more natural (read: less obvious but still made up) looks, I rolled my eyes. I simply couldn't muster any feelings about the performative unburdening of it all—cloaked as it was in superficial empowerment. (Celebrities: I know you are still wearing makeup. You aren't helping anyone).
My personal relationship to makeup can only be described as "whatever": I typically don't leave the house without some undereye concealer and a bit of mascara, even if I'm just going to get coffee or go for a walk, but a usual day is pretty limited to exactly that. Some would call that low maintenance, others would say that's ludicrous. Whatever.
But things change if I'm in a work environment. No matter how laid back the office—open floor plan, nap pods, coworkers who bring their puppies—I'm in full makeup. Not the fun, creative kind of makeup, but boring, workhorse makeup: concealer covering the shadows under my eyes, some powder toning down the redness of my nose, and cheek tint so I don't look quite so pasty. If anything, I'm going for that look all the celebrities are pretending is so noble: I just woke up this way, perfectly unblemished, vibrant, and inoffensive.
It's not the look I might try on the weekends when I put on some winged eyeliner or red lipstick. This makeup is to appear ostensibly "professional," or in reality, to pretend not to be a human person with flaws. This routine hasn't felt like a choice.
One day on the way to work, it was so humid and gross out that my makeup fully melted off of my face, and I wiped it off before I got to the office. Three people asked me if I was feeling ill or if I needed to go home. They looked uncomfortable when I deadpanned, "This is just what my face looks like."
At another job, a cut on my eyelid prevented me from wearing makeup for a few days and my boss told me to go home because I looked unprofessional. Never mind that a male colleague a few seats over had obvious undereye shadows and unkempt hair. The message was clear: In the office, men are fine as they are, imperfections and all. Women, on the other hand, must be improved.
I hadn't given this much thought—radical feminist as I am—because it was simply so deeply ingrained in my consciousness. But everything came into sharp focus when I started working at Skillcrush, where we're all remote and working from home offices on multiple continents. We have video meetings all the time—and when I joined the team, I would wake up, do my hair and makeup, and walk ten feet to my computer. Then I rolled my eyes at how ridiculous it all was to wipe off my makeup at the end of the day after not even leaving the house.
About two weeks in, I realized that I was squarely in the minority of employees putting on the ritz to sit in their own house—if not the only one. My coworkers looked happy and comfortable in their work environments, while I was squirming in my "professional" bra.
I couldn't figure out why everyone felt so comfortable being themselves, and I envied it until it finally dawned on me. Our CEO—everyone's boss—doesn't wear makeup most of the time when she meets with us from her home office, and culture starts at the top. It seems small, but it means that we don't have to, either. She offered us flexible jobs we could do from home and then demonstrated what it actually looks like to fit in your job around your life.
It's not enough to have an employee handbook full of platitudes about how cool your company is—if your boss doesn't take vacations, you won't, either. If your boss encourages risks but won't take them herself, you can't be expected do the same.
When culture starts at the top, it's a way for companies to walk the walk, and in our case, it instills gender parity when it comes to how we define "professionalism." And for a company that allows us to work from home on our schedule, it makes clear that we don't just have to trade the commute—we can also ditch gendered expectations about how we should present.
The idea of choosing whether or not to wear makeup to work might seem trivial, but I'd argue that the way women are expected to look at work is one of the many ways in which all women are held to a double standard in the workplace (not to mention the discriminatory, racist ways in which Black women are held to BS definitions of "professionalism" that don't include natural hair). It's not as simple as picking up the lipstick or not—it's about how women are perceived as professional or not based on something as silly as how they look.
Makeup is fun and anyone can and should wear it whenever they want. Even in my liberated new working world of undereye circles and air-dried hair, I sometimes dab on some lipstick for an afternoon pick-me-up. But exactly zero of my coworkers have ever asked if I'm tired, sick, or questioned my ability to do my job, especially while high-fiving a bro in a hoodie at the next desk. About damn time.
Want your own remote job where you're not expected to wear makeup every day? Check out the Ultimate Guide to Getting a Remote Job You Love for all the insider info on how to land your remote dream job.
company culture workplace culture work life work culture work work environment
Slack Technologies Inc
Diversity at Slack
An update on our data, April 2018
Below is an article originally written by PowerToFly Partner Slack, and published via Medium in April, 2018. Go to Slack's page on PowerToFly to see their open positions and learn more.
In February, we celebrated Slack's fourth birthday. Today we are more than 1,000 employees strong and fortunate to serve millions of customers around the world. While we've more than quadrupled in size since our very first report, our commitment to inclusion and diversity through rapid growth has never wavered. Success is impossible without our people, and both inclusion and diversity have been core to our values since day one.
As we grow and mature as a company, we strive to bring more rigor and discipline to our reporting. 2017 marked the first year we standardized on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC) reporting format. We've followed the same format again this year, which provides a meaningful comparison that helps us see progress as well as opportunities for continuous improvement¹.
Additionally, this year we publicly released our Employer Information Report, or EEO1, which we intend to integrate into our diversity reporting going forward for greater transparency. For additional information, you can download our EEO1 report here.
Where we stand today²
Globally, 44.7% of our workforce is comprised of women, up from 43.5% (+1.2 pts) from our last report in April 2017.
34.3% of people in technical roles are women, up from 29.8% (+4.5 pts) last year.
48.0% of our managers (employees with direct reports) are women, down from 48.1% (-0.1 pts) last year.
30.6% of our leadership (director level and above) are women, up from 28.3% (+2.3 pts) last year.
In the U.S., 12.6% of our workforce is comprised of people from one or more underrepresented racial and/or ethnic backgrounds³, up from 11.5% (+1.1 pts) last year.
14.0% of our U.S. managers are from underrepresented racial and/or ethnic backgrounds, up from 10.7% (+3.3 pts) last year.
6% of our U.S. leadership team are from underrepresented racial and/or ethnic backgrounds, up from 5.9% (+0.1 pts) last year.
12.8% of our U.S. technical organization is comprised of people from underrepresented racial and/or ethnic backgrounds, up from 11.4% (+1.4 pts) last year.
In the U.S., we also look at LGBTQ, disability⁴, and veteran status among employees.
8.3% of our U.S. workforce identify as LGBTQ, up from 7.8% (+0.5 pts) last year.
8.7% of our U.S. managers identify as LGBTQ, up from 7.6% (+1.1 pts) last year.
1.4% of our U.S. workforce identify as having a disability, down from 1.7% (-0.3 pts) last year.
.85% of our U.S. workforce identify as veterans; this is the first time we are reporting on this, so we do not have a comparison to last year. Our Veterans' ERG is actively involved in raising the visibility of opportunities within the veteran community, and we intend to include this number (and see it grow!) in the years ahead.
Women at Slack
We continue our commitment to pay and promotion equity among people of all genders⁵, and have confirmed equal pay and promotion rates for three years running. Pay and promotion parity is foundational to elevating representation at all levels within our business, and we're pleased to maintain parity while adding a higher percentage of women to the company overall.
We believe part of that growth can be attributed to the work of our Women's Employee Resource Group (ERG), which has significantly grown in size and reach over the past year. Through recruiting and networking events, guest speakers, internal mentoring relationships, workshops and more, the ERG has created new opportunities for women to advance their skills, elevate their profiles and bring more talented women into our organization. We are grateful to the leaders of the Women's ERG — their time and dedication is essential to the success and health of this organization.
Representation and inclusion at Slack
To better serve our increasingly global and diverse customer base, we must recruit, hire and retain a workforce that looks like them. That's not just about compiling numbers, but ensuring we have an environment that's open and inclusive and promotes equality of opportunity — because we want to support the growth of underrepresented people at every stage of their careers in technology. That's not a switch you flip; it's an ongoing, continuous effort that requires input from across backgrounds, teams, functions and levels.
One way we work to address this is high engagement with our employee resource groups. In addition to the Women's and Veterans' ERGs mentioned above, we have active ERGs centered on people of color ("Earthtones"), people of different abilities ("Abilities"), and people who are LGBTQ ("Out"). These groups are actively involved in influencing diversity and inclusion at Slack and their leaders regularly meet to share best practices and feedback, and take action where needed.
This commitment is also reflected in how we're engaging in our communities. A few examples:
In addition to bringing in (and hiring) Year Up interns, we donated $10,000 to the organization last year as part of our commitment via the Slack Shop, where we rotate benefiting charities every six months. We'll make a similar donation to Code.org this year.
We're excited to announce a new partnership with Code2040 to support Black and Latinx computer science majors and recent grads as they take on their first software engineering jobs. Slack will partner with Code2040 on curriculum development, mentoring, program delivery, and event hosting. This is a brand new and highly experimental program, and we are eager to learn from the experience and iterate for subsequent future programming.
We've also partnered with the Transgender Law Center to provide the initial funding for the creation of a comprehensive ally skills curriculum designed to improve companies' ability to recruit, hire, include, and retain transgender and gender nonconforming employees. The curriculum that is created will also be made available across the entire tech sector.
These are all key steps — but by no means the only ones — that can help us learn new and expanded ways to identify, recruit and elevate talent across underrepresented demographics.
As Slack continues to expand, our commitment to transparency, inclusion and diversity will remain a priority. We strongly believe that to move the needle, we must focus on recruiting and retaining the best talent in the world. We must get more underrepresented people in the door and put them in a position to excel at our company. We must focus on building and sustaining an environment where everyone can thrive.
In addition to reflecting diversity within our ranks, we must also continue to expand the inclusiveness and accessibility of our product as well. Last year, we localized Slack into four new languages — Spanish, French, German and Japanese — with more to come in 2018. In addition to localizing, we made accessibility improvements, including a re-crafted zoom experience to better help people with visual impairments use Slack, and we released a new keyboard navigation model for people who cannot use a mouse, or simply prefer to use Slack by keyboard.
Our mission is to make people's working lives simpler, more pleasant and more productive: We want this for our customers and we want this for all our employees as well. Growth is not an excuse to compromise our commitment to diversity and inclusion.
We want Slack to always be a place where people of different backgrounds can succeed and do the best work of their lives. Our goal from the beginning has been to avoid becoming a place where underrepresented groups exit the technology industry; instead, we hope to foster the next generation of tech leaders and entrepreneurs. We don't want to be a place where people give up on their ambition, but rather a place where people can accelerate their career experience and thrive.
Our work is far from complete, but we're committed to learning, improving, partnering and investing in the effort to keep moving this forward.
¹ Other than gender, we have limited our demographic reporting to United States-based employees in order to adhere to local laws in the other countries in which we operate.
² Slack Diversity Data as of December 31, 2017
³ "URM" includes Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaska Native.
⁴ The vast majority of employees do not choose to disclose whether or not they identify as having a disability or as veterans; the data we share here is based on the small number who do disclose this information.
⁵We report today on women specifically as a reflection of our current data, but we know and support the fact that gender is not binary, and collect self-reported information on gender identity.
slack diversity diversity and inclusion inclusion workplace culture work life work culture diversity at slack


There were 650 press releases posted in the last 24 hours and 153,315 in the last 365 days.
How much does product photography cost? This article points to the fees charged by photographers. If you're a photographer, you could be charging these also!
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, March 6, 2019 /EINPresswire.com/ -- How much does product photography cost? More than ever, people are opening online stores and they need product photography. This article explores all of the cost to produce your product photographs.
Prices can range from $10 to $50 per image and more, but there are no solid rules that govern product photography rates. Prices depend on the offering made by the photographer. Most charge by the piece or hour. In addition, some add royalty fees, studio costs and other line items.
Photography is a craft and it takes time, skill, equipment, and a working space to do it. With every photo shoot, the photographer must set up the studio, photograph the subject and edit the images. If there is an on-site assignment, they must also pack the equipment, set it up and return it afterward. All of these tasks can add to the final production cost.
It takes about as much time to make one muffin as it does a dozen. In the same logic, it takes about as much time to produce ten product shots as it does one. For this reason, many photographers charge a minimum order for smaller projects.
Many photographers do not have a studio; others rent them. If your photographer has a studio or needs to rent one, they may charge a studio fee. If your particular photo shoot was very messy, the photographer may charge you to clean up the mess or dispose of the garbage.
If your photographer needs to bring equipment to a location, this is a substantial amount of work. Your photographer needs to prepare, pack, deliver and assemble the onsite studio. After the photo shoot, they will also have to take it down and bring it back. This is a big deal and the photographer may charge you for that cost.
Photographers are often hired to develop ideas. As consultants are paid for their knowledge so are photographers.
Photographers are often asked to find locations or people for lifestyle product photography projects. These are very popular for Amazon product photos or eCommerce images. They may charge a fee to find or use these assets for the assignment. If the client has very specific requirements – such as a baby, that can add dramatically to the total production cost.
Many Photographers never release the copyrights for the images they produce. In turn, they require the customer to pay a royalty every time the image is used.
Merchandise sometimes requires cleaning, steaming, ironing, assembly, or some kind of preparation. It is not uncommon for the photographer to charge for these product preparation services.
Many photographers offer 360 product photography, bulk product photos, and a variety of other custom services. Pricing can vary for each studio.
The modern photographer is a content creator and often offers graphic design services. Graphic work costs are relative to the assignment. Simple jobs cost less than do complex ones. Always ask for an estimate of the final price before assigning an artist to do a creative project.
Sometimes you may need the photographer to coordinate the pickup of your merchandise. Pickup fees are relative to the project scope.
Photographers are not limited to the above fees. It is entirely up to them which services and fees they offer and charge. Sometimes the photographer just wants to get the job and may offer a special deal to get the project. Be cautious not to push too hard for a because sometimes it's just bad business etiquette.


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Парламентские выборы в Тринидаде и Тобаго прошли 4 декабря 1961 года. Количество членов Палаты представителей 1-го парламента Тринидада и Тобаго, заменившего колониальный Законодательный совет было увеличено с 24 до 30. В результате чрезвычайно напряжённой политической борьбы Народное национальное движение вновь получило большинство в 20 из 30 мест парламента, а Эрик Уильямс стал премьер-министром Тринидада и Тобаго. Явка составила 88,1 %. Остальные 10 мест получила Демократическая лейбористская партия, сформированная в 1957 году из Народно-демократической партии, Тринидадской лейбористской партии и Партии политических групп прогресса. Она стала партией Оппозиции.

Результаты

Примечания

Декабрь 1961 года
Тринидад и Тобаго
Выборы в Тринидаде и Тобаго
1961 год в Тринидаде и Тобаго

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


An impossibly stressful commute, sideways looks from colleagues for leaving 'on time', not to mention being the last mum to arrive at nursery, again. For Julie Dunn, 40, a marketing account director from Edinburgh, this was everyday office life.
Julie is far from alone in experiencing these issues - new research from Digital Mums, an organisation that trains mums in digital skills to help them create flexible careers, has found that six in ten working mums still don't have access to flexible working. And that's despite it now being a legal right to request it.
Furthermore, according to the Digital Mums' #WorkThatWorks report, there are currently 2.6 million mums not working in the UK. Of these, 68 percent say they would work if flexible working was an option.
The economic benefits of more flexibility could be huge too; the report found if more mums were able to work it could give a £62.5 billion boost to the economy annually.
With this in mind, Digital Mums has launched the #WorkThatWorks movement, calling for businesses to offer better flexible working for the good of everyone.
Thankfully, many other high profile organisations, including Not On The High Street, TBSeen.com, the NCT and Channel Mum, are catching on to the benefits of flexible working, too. But if it's not yet a reality in your role, how can you ask for it?


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Greece's leading Business Hotel
Hilton Athens hotel, for the fourth consecutive year, has been awarded Greece's Leading Business Hotel at the prestigious 25th World Travel Awards (WTA) 2018.
The WTA every year recognises and rewards best practices across all sectors of the tourism industry in every continent around the world. The WTA Europe Gala ceremony was recently held at the Zappeion Megaron Hall in Athens.
"It is an honor for Hilton Athens to be awarded at WTA for the fourth consecutive year. This award recognizes, not only the exceptional level of the hotel's services, but also the staff's devotion in offering high-end hospitality to our visitors," Hilton Athens General Manager Bart van de Winkel said while receiving the award.
Located in the heart of the Greek capital, Hilton Athens currently offers 506 spacious rooms including 34 suites; 23 fully equipped halls for conferences and events, as well as multiple other venues, which make it the ideal choice for visitors who wish to combine business and leisure.
These include an Executive Lounge with an impressive view to the Acropolis; a Business Center; bars and restaurants; a fully equipped gym and spa; an indoor and an outdoor pool, as well as a number of services to facilitate its guests, including express check-out and high-speed wifi.
*Source: Greek City Times
Ετικέτες tourism


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Rice Farming in Nigeria — Come Rain or Shine.
Maimuna Abdullahi was accustomed to cultivating rice only during the wet season, when frequent rains and low temperatures create an ideal climate for the crop. Like most Nigerian rice farmers, this mother and rice farmer of seven years thought that tending her paddies in the dry season, under the rainless harmattan (a dry, dusty air mass that originates in the Sahara desert and blankets Nigeria from October to March), would be too difficult and expensive to be profitable for her family.
Maimuna changed her mind in January 2013, after participating in one of several dry-season rice farming demonstrations led by USAID and Chemonics in rural areas of Kano, Kebbi, and Jigawa under the MARKETS II project.
At the demonstration, she learned about the factors that can make dry-season farming lucrative despite its higher production costs, such as greater water control, sufficient sunlight, and low humidity, which minimizes pest infestation. She also learned current agronomic techniques, including when to transplant seedlings from the nursery to the field, deep placement (i.e., applying fertilizer at a depth of 7-10 centimeters to prevent it from washing away), and surface flooding irrigation.
"The training I received gave me the confidence to go into dry-season rice farming. I will definitely cultivate more hectares next year, God willing. The dry-season rice production has increased my income tremendously, and everybody in my family is happy because our standard of living has improved."
Maimuna Abdullahi, rice farmer
When Maimuna returned to her rice paddy, she decided to put her training to the test and cultivate during the dry season. She planted at the right time, placed seeds closer together, and maintained optimal water levels. The results were encouraging. During the June 2013 harvest, she reaped more than 6 metric tons per hectare from her farm, a 43 percent increase from her wet-season yield of 4.2 metric tons.
Excluding production costs, she will earn $1,690 per hectare from her paddy, providing additional income for her family at a crucial time when most farmers need funds to buy inputs such as high-quality seeds and fertilizers for wet-season production. In a country where 78 percent of the population lives on less than $2 a day, this is a significant achievement.
percent increase in yields for farmer Maimuna Abdullahi after participating in a dry-season rice farming demonstration
per hectare; the additional income farmer Maimuna Abdullahi will make through dry-season rice farming
rice farmers trained on dry-season production as of November 2013
Maimuna is thankful for the training she received under the MARKETS II project and is excited about her family's future.
"The training I received gave me the confidence to go into dry-season rice farming," she said. "I will definitely cultivate more hectares next year, God willing. The dry-season rice production has increased my income tremendously, and everybody in my family is happy because our standard of living has improved."
As of November 2013, the MARKETS II project had trained 3,000 rice farmers on dry-season production. In addition to boosting the quality of life for rural families, the increased annual output of farmers like Maimuna improves food security in Nigeria — where rice has become a staple food — and reduces the country's reliance on expensive rice imports from countries like China and Thailand.
Accelerating Agricultural Growth in Pakistan
In the most populated region in Pakistan, new policy and investment is giving a boost to agribusinesses and creating economic growth.
Creating Economic Growth in Haiti
Investing in Haiti's agriculture sector helped to modernize agriculture, reduce flooding threats, and create strong linkages between farmer organizations and private enterprises.
Supporting Responsible Gold Mining in Colombia
Colombia's profitable gold sector is fraught with illegal mining, threatening the country's efforts to establish peace after decades of conflict.
Strengthening Education for Youth in Syria
The Syrian conflict has raised an unparalleled need for access to education so that young Syrians have a chance to learn and thrive.
Ensuring Quality Education in Afghanistan
To fulfill the goals in Afghanistan's National Education Strategic Plan, the Ministry of Education is improving its services, procedures, and systems.
Strengthening Interethnic Cooperation in Kosovo
Kosovo Serbs and other minority populations must be further integrated into the country's institutions and society to help the country become more stable.
Improving Literacy in Zambia
Improving literacy among Zambia's children is necessary to improve their financial futures and the country's achievements.
Harmonizing Aid in Zambia
Donor collaboration is increasingly important. In the education sector in Zambia, beneficiaries are learning to strategically engage donors, companies, and NGOs, helping to harmonize aid.
A New Approach to Improving Learner Performance in Zambia
Evidence-based systems and rigorous teacher training have shown measurable success in increasing reading performance for Zambia's children.
News: Chemonics Invests in Young Innovators' Promising Development Solutions
The company's investment of cash and in-kind services recognizes scalable solutions to global development challenges created at recent UNLEASH global innovation lab.
Development Works Here with Robert Anyang
News: Chemonics International Is the Official Lead Scale Partner for UNLEASH
Chemonics partners with UNLEASH to empower young leaders to solve complex global challenges.
News: Chemonics Welcomes New Education and Youth Practice Director
Audrey Spencer will lead Chemonics' efforts worldwide to advance high-quality education, strengthen education systems and policies, and prepare youth for the workforce.
Creating Space for Youth to Thrive: A Philosophy on Youth Development
As Chemonics celebrates International Youth Day, we commit to providing youth with quality services and opportunities — helping them to further contribute their unique aspirations, energy, and ideas.
3 Questions with Jennifer Swift-Morgan on Supporting Cameroonian Scholars
Jennifer Swift-Morgan discusses her upcoming stint as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar in Yaoundé, Cameroon and her desire to help prepare the country's young academics, policymakers, program managers and social entrepreneurs to lead Cameroon's sustainable development.
Building the Tech Workforce through Private Sector Engagement
In Moldova, the "golden triangle" of collaboration among industry, government, and academia is transforming the technology sector. Here's the recipe for success from the Moldova Competitiveness Project.
News: Chemonics Tackles High-Priority Global Education Issues at CIES 2019
This week, Chemonics presents at the 2019 Annual Conference of the Comparative & International Education Society (CIES) on sustainable education in conflict zones, early grade reading, book supply chain, and data- and technology-driven approaches to education.