Thunder Dash, Echoes of the Corridor!
8 juli 2009 - Bussum, Nederland
Het volgende wilde ik jullie toch niet onthouden. Het is de beschrijving van de activiteiten die letterlijk voor mijn deur plaatsvonden. En ik kan je vertellen: Het is echt briljant!!
Het bezoek van mijn lieve vrienden en vriendinnen uit Blackrock in Nederland op 11 juni in het Vondelpark, wat een gevoel van 'being back in Blackrock' met zich meebracht, en de herinneringen die werden opgehaald, hebben geleid tot het volgende; een beschrijving van wat er voor mijn deur in B'rock afspeelde. Met dank aan buurman Dave:
Thunder Dash; Echoes of the Corridor
The announcement of, “HALL SPRINT, HALL SPRINT!!”, reverbs down the 2nd floor corridor, with complete focus the next runner prepares themselves for a mad dash down the corridor. Chief Race Official McKee raises the stopwatch, provided by the official race timing service of NOKIA, and clearly delivers the pre-sprint address.
“CLEAR THE TRACK, CLEAR THE TRACK PLEASE”
Silence blankets the hall…
“On your marks, Git Sit, GO!!”
The runner explodes down the track, bare feet pelting the hard, polished floor, reflecting the round dimly lit lights upon the ceiling, the runner in a frenzy, gathering more and more momentum, getting faster as they fly by the yellowy green walls and aged wooden doors. Heavy breathing kicks in as the sprinter pushes for that extra one hundredth of a second. The sprint concludes with the exhausted runner blasting through the doorway closest to the West Hall entrance and the prompt announcement of the time from the Chief Race Official McKee. Sprint personal bests then recorded on a sheet of paper and attached to the sprinters door.
The flight from dream to reality began on a typical Dublin afternoon, no doubt the weather outside was miserable as the collective intellect of academics Boyd, McKee and Roberts engaged in yet another enthralling conversation, philosophical debates discussing ideas such as eternal reoccurrence, the absurdity of life, the first time McKee used a urinal – at 19, how long could one go without doing laundry, how long could one go without showering, the age of the youngest grandmother etc. This discussion however went down a different path. The exchange was to give birth to a dream, provide the necessary spark that unbeknownst to us at the time would spread like a fever to be embraced globally. The exchange went as follows
McKee : “Boyd good sir, how goes your sprinting ability?”
Boyd: “Ah McKee, no doubt you shall be impressed, for my sprinting ability is impeccable, for I am certain there are none faster in this hall than I!”
McKee: “What do you make of the length of this sacred, convent corridor chaps?”
Boyd: “I’d put it at 70 metres”
Roberts: “75, no more, no less.”
McKee: “We shall settle this once and for all and I shall measure by stride”
McKee paces the corridor: “75 metres”
Collective announcement by all: “HALL SPRINT!”
Thus was the beginning of a legend. The rest is history.
Those partaking in the Blackrock Hall Sprint would risk life and limb in an attempt to push the limits of impossibility. Records were broken, some quite literally shattered. With personal and national pride at stake, the fastest times aroused responses of joyous elation and success whilst efforts that went astray sunk the mood to heartbreak and despair. Luke Boyd’s supremacy in the sport exemplified by three unchallenged world records, his final time of 8.96 seconds would make even Ussain Bolt’s Olympic attempts look pedestrian. Nearly 2 months on from the stay in Blackrock Luke “The Sprint Duke” Boyd is still convinced he could have gone faster, the possibilities are frightening. Yet the determination of Oskar Adenfelt would provide a lasting legacy, days after his run. Oskar would spill blood and try to break through the door with his run of 9.78 seconds, the Swede truly capturing The Sprint spirit.
The Hall Sprints of the 2nd floor West Hall convent brought together people of all different backgrounds, participants unified by the Games like spirit of the precisely measured 75 metre dash. The pre race excitement, the sweat and the tears, the courage, determination, strength of character, the fighting spirit, the echoes of pounding feet through the building, all of which will be felt through the building by residents for years to come. Even those trying to rest or prepare for an exam the next day whilst events took place would not deny their admiration of the athleticism, physical and mental strength, the courage, ability, the bulging quads and hamstrings seemingly about to split the preferred sprinting attire of choice, (Luke’s tight football shorts), as the Blackrock Hall Sprinter pelted and zoomed past their door. The intense and unwavering focus in the desire for greatness, allowed dream to take flight. The event and rituals surrounding it could only be described as sacred.
Hall Sprinting would soon come to develop its own regulations to ensure identical race conditions and strict accuracy of timing. Basic Hall Sprint conduct listed below.
a.) The first sprint of the event must be proceeded by announcement of “Hall Sprint”
b.) Participants must run barefoot.
c.) Participants have the choice to conclude the time trial through an open or closed door (importance of decision must be stressed).
d.) Timing and race proceedings are to be monitored and conducted ONLY by Chief Race Official Elliott McKee.
e.) Times only to be recorded using approved using approved NOKIA STOPWATCH technology and initial result is final.
f.) Participants are encouraged to run in shorts, tight and short shorts being highly recommended, such attire heightens the sports grandeur.
g.) Response to noise complaints should be initially dealt with in a prompt and accommodating manner. The noise complaint is then to be ignored within at least two minutes.
h.) Records are only official and valid once approved by Chief Race Official and written upon the participant’s door.
Words are only ink on paper or the binary of ones and zeros in a digital realm. The Hall Sprint rose above this, with this in mind I present my latest film “Thunder Dash, Echoes of the Corridor” a short work on The Hall Sprint legend.
http://www.facebook.com/v/112469422812
“CLEAR THE TRACK, CLEAR THE TRACK PLEASE”
Silence blankets the hall…
“On your marks, Git Sit, GO!!”
The runner explodes down the track, bare feet pelting the hard, polished floor, reflecting the round dimly lit lights upon the ceiling, the runner in a frenzy, gathering more and more momentum, getting faster as they fly by the yellowy green walls and aged wooden doors. Heavy breathing kicks in as the sprinter pushes for that extra one hundredth of a second. The sprint concludes with the exhausted runner blasting through the doorway closest to the West Hall entrance and the prompt announcement of the time from the Chief Race Official McKee. Sprint personal bests then recorded on a sheet of paper and attached to the sprinters door.
The flight from dream to reality began on a typical Dublin afternoon, no doubt the weather outside was miserable as the collective intellect of academics Boyd, McKee and Roberts engaged in yet another enthralling conversation, philosophical debates discussing ideas such as eternal reoccurrence, the absurdity of life, the first time McKee used a urinal – at 19, how long could one go without doing laundry, how long could one go without showering, the age of the youngest grandmother etc. This discussion however went down a different path. The exchange was to give birth to a dream, provide the necessary spark that unbeknownst to us at the time would spread like a fever to be embraced globally. The exchange went as follows
McKee : “Boyd good sir, how goes your sprinting ability?”
Boyd: “Ah McKee, no doubt you shall be impressed, for my sprinting ability is impeccable, for I am certain there are none faster in this hall than I!”
McKee: “What do you make of the length of this sacred, convent corridor chaps?”
Boyd: “I’d put it at 70 metres”
Roberts: “75, no more, no less.”
McKee: “We shall settle this once and for all and I shall measure by stride”
McKee paces the corridor: “75 metres”
Collective announcement by all: “HALL SPRINT!”
Thus was the beginning of a legend. The rest is history.
Those partaking in the Blackrock Hall Sprint would risk life and limb in an attempt to push the limits of impossibility. Records were broken, some quite literally shattered. With personal and national pride at stake, the fastest times aroused responses of joyous elation and success whilst efforts that went astray sunk the mood to heartbreak and despair. Luke Boyd’s supremacy in the sport exemplified by three unchallenged world records, his final time of 8.96 seconds would make even Ussain Bolt’s Olympic attempts look pedestrian. Nearly 2 months on from the stay in Blackrock Luke “The Sprint Duke” Boyd is still convinced he could have gone faster, the possibilities are frightening. Yet the determination of Oskar Adenfelt would provide a lasting legacy, days after his run. Oskar would spill blood and try to break through the door with his run of 9.78 seconds, the Swede truly capturing The Sprint spirit.
The Hall Sprints of the 2nd floor West Hall convent brought together people of all different backgrounds, participants unified by the Games like spirit of the precisely measured 75 metre dash. The pre race excitement, the sweat and the tears, the courage, determination, strength of character, the fighting spirit, the echoes of pounding feet through the building, all of which will be felt through the building by residents for years to come. Even those trying to rest or prepare for an exam the next day whilst events took place would not deny their admiration of the athleticism, physical and mental strength, the courage, ability, the bulging quads and hamstrings seemingly about to split the preferred sprinting attire of choice, (Luke’s tight football shorts), as the Blackrock Hall Sprinter pelted and zoomed past their door. The intense and unwavering focus in the desire for greatness, allowed dream to take flight. The event and rituals surrounding it could only be described as sacred.
Hall Sprinting would soon come to develop its own regulations to ensure identical race conditions and strict accuracy of timing. Basic Hall Sprint conduct listed below.
a.) The first sprint of the event must be proceeded by announcement of “Hall Sprint”
b.) Participants must run barefoot.
c.) Participants have the choice to conclude the time trial through an open or closed door (importance of decision must be stressed).
d.) Timing and race proceedings are to be monitored and conducted ONLY by Chief Race Official Elliott McKee.
e.) Times only to be recorded using approved using approved NOKIA STOPWATCH technology and initial result is final.
f.) Participants are encouraged to run in shorts, tight and short shorts being highly recommended, such attire heightens the sports grandeur.
g.) Response to noise complaints should be initially dealt with in a prompt and accommodating manner. The noise complaint is then to be ignored within at least two minutes.
h.) Records are only official and valid once approved by Chief Race Official and written upon the participant’s door.
Words are only ink on paper or the binary of ones and zeros in a digital realm. The Hall Sprint rose above this, with this in mind I present my latest film “Thunder Dash, Echoes of the Corridor” a short work on The Hall Sprint legend.
http://www.facebook.com/v/112469422812
