I’ve not been home (Newcastle) since January which, though I’ve not actually worked it out, is probably my longest stretch away. In fact I’ve only been outside of China twice this year once to Thailand and once to Singapore which again, though I’ve not checked, is probably a record amount of time in country for me.

It is fair to say then that I’m particularly longing for a trip back home, to see family and friends, breath Northumbrian air, go out in Newcastle, maybe visit the lake district, shop for CDs and enjoy some of the north east delicacies I miss the most – ‘Got to get to Greggs’.

This longing for home reached a peak in Shanghai last weekend when in the space of one evening out two things really made me think of home. The second was visiting O’Malley’s Irish pub and standing in the beer garden drinking Kilkenny and eating the most fabulous, hot, pork pies and sausage rolls.

The first was a truly a Bigg Market moment. We were stood outside of Malone’s having walked there as we couldn’t get a taxi anywhere on Nanjing Xi Lu. Three girls walked passed, as it happens 1 Caucasian and 3 (apparently) Chinese. Clearly near the end of their night out they had a certain Bigg Market kind of look about them. Looking more than a little worse for wear and doing the girl-after-10-pints walk they staggered by in their ‘straight off the market’ going-out clothes. Girl number four’s little skirt doing a bit of a ‘builder’s bum’ number as they passed us. It managed to make it all the way to here knees before, as it started impeding her walking, she finally noticed and howked it up.

I miss Newcastle

Splat, cackle & bop – onomatopoeia is fun isn’t it? pete blog was what I rather quickly typed in 5 years ago, when having a go at setting up a blog and it’s frankly a rubbish name for blog and that was just as true in 2002.

So for or better or worse we’re now known as splat, cackle and bop. You’ll … er… not be terribly surprised to learn that there isn’t a particularly clever reason for that. I just kinda like it. It’s kinda random which is a close relation of trivial which is ultimately why I’m here.

The question is why are you here? Go and do some work.

Upcoming events in Hangzhou / China…

2007 Vasque Mountain Race, 10 November 2007
This is a 28k run through the hills, I was there last year and it is well organised and well attended and a great fun event. It is however, the day before the Hangzhou Marathon.

Hangzhou Marathon, 11 November 2007
This is an international standard event, as such it is well organised and well attended. The course is very scenic though not particularly quick. Distances you can run are 1.2k, 6.8k, 13.8k, Half Marathon (21k) and Full Marathon (42k).

Shanghai Marathon, 25 November 2007
This is an international standard event, as such it is very well organised and well attended. The course is through Shanghai which is probably better described as impressive rather than scenic. Distances are Health Race (4.5k), Half Marathon (21k) and Full Marathon (42k).

Looking ahead to next year there are a few events you may wish to pencil into calendar / training plan.

Xiamen International Marathon, 29 March 2008
International standard event, lovely course in a lovely city

Hangzhou Mountain Running Series
Last year two events were run in the run-up to the Mountain Marathon to form a running series. The two precursor races were (nominally) about 1/2 marathon distance and tough runs through the hills at that. No details for 2008 yet but rumour has it these events will run again this year, last year was March 10th and April 7th. Informal event.

Hangzhou Mountain Marathon
This has been running for years and is completely insane. 42k through the hills around Hangzhou is as scenic as it is tough. Well attended relatively informal event. No details for next year yet, last year was April 21st.

Great Wall Marathon, 17 May 2008
Full Marathon (42k), Half Marathon (21k), 10 km & 5 km on the Great Wall of China, this is an international standard event so very well organised. Very tough but rewarding apparently.

There is also Dalian International Marathon on the June 15th which I don’t know much about as it is on the same day as the Laguna Phuket International Marathon and I was there.

I’ve started to twitter but it’s ok, I’m seeing the doctor next week.
I’ve started to twitter, well actually I’ve been doing that for years.

What am twittering on about?
Twitter

Which according to them is…
A global community of friends and strangers answering one simple question: What are you doing? 

I guess it’s kind of like mini updates, things that wouldn’t make it to a blog post. Like any new technology I guess even they don’t know yet how it will be used.

For what it’s worth I’ve added this as another stream of my contribution to the triviality. You can see my twitterings (oh dear it’s become it’s own verb already) in the sidebar on the right there. You can see it on my facebook profile (yes I’m on facebook, isn’t everyone?). You could even, if you felt so inclined, sign up to twitter yourself and see my updates there.

(Nike+ is an ipod accessory it tracks your speed and distance while running and syncs your data to your profile on their website)

Someone has set-up a challenge on the Nike+ website: Geordies versus The Rest of the World, which team can run the most kilometres (or miles if you prefer) between now and The Great North Run on September 30.

Obviously I’ve just joined up, anyone else out there wanna join up, preferably of the Geordies?

See the leaderboard in the bottom of my sidebar…