Tag: blog

An educational trip to Alton Towers…

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 2 Comments

I can hear the shouts:

“Alton Towers ain't educational!”

“You're having a tin bath!!?”

But yesterday saw around ninety Rutland County College staff and students travel to Alton Towers in Staffordshire for the annual trip. In the past this trip was for Psychology students only, but this year it had been opened up to all college students.

In the preparation for this trip AS Level Psychology students had designed an experiment to test the effects of stress on memory. The idea being that different intensity of rides will have a different effect on participants being able to remember things. We await the results with baited breath.

As for the day as a whole, it went fantastically well with no issues or dramas. Even the responsible adults managed to enjoy themselves…

The park wasn't very busy and queue time was pretty good, the longest wait was about 15min. We managed to get on virtually all the rides we wanted to, even some we didn't.

As is normal for a trip to Alton Towers, there is usually a 'new' ride to go on, and today was no different: Nemesis Sub Terra. After various reviews from students that included 'rubbish', 'really scary' and 'you get squirted with egg', it was decided that four brave souls would risk it. Nemesis Sub Terra is loosely themed on the park's famous Nemesis ride and revolves around the discovery of eggs from this original monster. Anyway, to cut a long story short it means you enter a mock lift to see said egg only for an alarm to sound, people to poke you, shout at you, move you around into mock lift again, chase you down a very dark alley with various scary people/objects inside before exiting into daylight. Dave managed to sum it up in three words: “very unpleasant experience”.

Towards the end of the day we were left with probably the biggest dilemma of the day and one we took an age to decide, do we risk getting wet on the Congo River Rapids….?

After much deliberation it was decided that we would risk it, and despite a surprise squirt attack from the bank by some local yobs, all was well.

Overall, a really good day out, really well organised and impeccable behaviour by all except maybe some inappropriate language on the occasion roller-coaster.

 

Unencountered – Part 2

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 1 Comment

May’s Project continues, please feel free to read Part 1 before reading the next extract……

Unencountered – Part 2

I began having these vivid nightmares. Nightmares that seemed so real that I was having trouble telling the difference between the dreamworld and reality. That is when the notes started. I’d wake in the morning and find these strange notes next to my bed. The first one just read:

‘You‘

I didn’t recognise the handwriting. I lived alone, in fact for the past two weeks I had barely been out of the house. That first note really freaked me out. I had seen plenty of horror films and my imagination was running away with me. I couldn’t understand what was happening. Was I writing in my sleep? Was I possessed? But all the time the notes continued appearing:

‘You did it‘

‘It was you‘

The notes all had the same naive, scrawled script and always accused me of doing something. Then it happened, the moment that would change my life. I woke in the night to find the pen in my hand. I wasn’t just holding it, I was grasping it so tight that as much as I tried to let go, I couldn’t.

I was writing myself notes?

I began refusing sleep. No matter how loud my body was screaming at me, I refused. The sleepless days became waking nightmares. My mind was in turmoil. I didn’t know if it was day or night. And all the time the notes continued to materialise, only they began to take on a more sinister feel:

‘You did it – you killed her – it was you – so much blood‘

[To be continued]

 

A-Z of New Music: A Reflection

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I’m pleased to say that I can tick off March’s Project as complete! I have managed to listen to 26 ‘new’ bands/artists over the past month, and just as impressively I have managed to blog about them each day. Due, in part, to friends suggesting new indie bands there was definitely an indie feel to the music. Although this did make me question what ‘indie’ actually is? Not mainstream? Independent? Do ‘indie’ bands need a sub-genre? Indie-pop, indie-rock, twee-indie? Even now I’m not entirely sure. All I know is that I’ve had the pleasure, and in some cases, the misfortune, to listen to a variety of music:

Only two bands got a cheer: Allo Darlin’ and Urbantramper. Both great finds, both forced me to buy albums off iTunes, and both on the list of bands to see live.

Ten bands got a thumbs up. Of these bands, Boy Mandeville and Louise and the Pins got the closest to a cheer. I’d definitely like to see Boy Mandeville live at some stage.

Six bands left me undecided. Mainly because they were a bit heavy on the rock or they were a bit the same as everything else around at the moment.

Four bands got a thumbs down for various different reasons: too boring, too much 80s funk, don’t mix jazz and hip-hop or just plain Yuck.

Only Four bands left me with head in hands. Probably due, in part, to the genre, but also the fact I may be getting old.

April’s Project requires me to build a 1:130 model of The Cutty Sark, but it least I will now have some new music to listen to whilst I’m painstakingly glueing!

Bits and Bobs

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 1 Comment

Its been a while since a blog post, so here goes……

On the work front it has been a crazy last couple of weeks at school which has meant that I have a fairly long ‘to do’ list over half-term: marking, reading, marking, planning, marking….and….yeah….more marking.

On the running front the weather has meant that it has been a bit touch and go lately. The last two weekends I had planned to run a couple of races:

  • Last Sunday – Bourne Frostbite – cancelled ‘snow and ice’
  • This morning – Stamford St. Valentines 30K – cancelled ‘snow and ice’

Although in both cases, unlike the France/Wales rugby, they made a decision 24hrs before the start. I’m gutted the 30K has been cancelled, with all the miles I ran in janathon I felt like it would be a good way to finish it all. I have managed to do a few runs, although I hate the thought of starting a run in the cold, once I get going I think it’s fantastic. It’s great to fill the cold air in your lungs, very invigarationg! Since janathon came to an end I have had no problem settling back into the old ‘run when I fancy it’ routine. The dog joined me this morning for a gentle 4 mile jog through woods and over fields on the outskirts of town.

We also have some good and bad news on the music front…..firstly bad news….

Frank Turner has released another 150 standing tickets for his Wembley gig in April. Which is bloody typical since the only tickets I could get a couple of months ago were seating. I thought back then to hang-on and wait for some more standing tickets to be released, but began to panic as it was near sold out, so bought seating tickets. Damn! Damn! Damn!

And the good news….

It has been announced that Beans on Toast will be opening at the gig. Which is fantastic news!  So full line-up:

…nice! Also on the music front….I am loving The Vaccines and Bombay Bicycle Club at the moment….

Finally, my February challenge of learning to play the ukulele is not going particularly smoothly…..enough said.

 

#janathon Day 8

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 7 Comments

Janathon Day 8

Firstly, being a teacher I normally plan lessons in my head during long runs, but since the start of janathon I have found that I am planning the daily blog!

No pictures in today’s blog – took the ipod instead. From reading other blogs (which I’m loving) it would seem that the #janathon blogs seem to be expanding all the time, we’ve moved from weather reports to #jokeathon and now we seem to be moving into music choices. Unlike Garry, who had the company of Madness today, I went for Frank Turner. That was until about 3 miles into the run when my headphones started playing up, finally finishing with a very faint noise coming out of the right side only!

Following on from a previous blog post where @runningman856 asked what I was planning to do with janathon. This got me thinking….and last night I signed up to run the Stamford St. Valentines 30k.

It was not until this morning’s run that I really began to think about it. In 2006 I completed the London Marathon so I’m not unaccustomed to doing the training and running long distances. Although, during the first week of janathon I’ve run as many miles as I did training for the marathon, I’ve done lots of 3 and 4 mile runs so far. So I’ve decided to increase mileage on a Sunday, starting today, and after seeing that @lilbee67 completed 10k this morning, I was spurred on….

Took the dog (Billy) and completed just over 6 miles around the fields of Bourne/Toft/Northorpe (2 laps). A nice run, plenty of people/dogs/horses about. The run felt pretty good. After a long run I would normally follow this with a rest day. Although, I am intent on running every day of January, so I’ll be stealing the idea of @AndyRoss75, who stole the idea from someone else, and having a go at a fast one mile.

Runners passed = none

Cyclists passed = 1

Walkers passed = loads

Horses avoided (Billy doesn’t like horses) = 3

Summary
******
Distance: 6.12mi
Time taken: 00:51:03
Average/Max Speed : 7.19/9.00 mph
Average/Min Pace : 00:08:21/00:06:39
Calories: 724

Total Janathon mileage after day 8 = 30.41 miles

Not to forget #jokeathon….

A blonde goes out for a run. She comes to a river and cannot see a bridge anywhere nearby. She spots another blonde on the opposite bank. “Yoohoo!” she shouts, “How can I get to the other side?” The second blonde looks up the river, then down the river then shouts back, “You’re already on the other side!”

#janathon Day 7

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 3 Comments

Janathon Day 7

I make that 1 week done!

Today’s run was a nice steady run round the woods with the dog – nearly 4 miles. I do quite enjoying running on the muddy tracks, although it must be very funny to watch . I did actually nearly stack it today – running down a muddy hill – it was only flaying arms and legs that stopped me landing in a ditch (I’m thinking Phoebe in ‘Friends’).

Long run planned for tomorrow – time will tell….

Summary
******
Distance: 3.89mi
Time taken: 00:33:17
Average/Max Speed : 7.01/11.22 mph
Average/Min Pace : 00:08:34/00:05:20
Calories: 462

Total mileage after day 7 = 24.29 miles

And why not….. #jokeathon….

Q: What do you get if you cross a vegetable with a 26 mile run?

A: A marrowthon.