My brother did his first cyclo-cross of the season on Saunday down in Ivybridge, near Plymouth. Nice piccie of him here. We’re revving up for the 44th annual Three Peaks Cyclo-Cross on Sunday 25th Sept - the thought of which is keeping us both regular. I’ve competed in nine Three Peaks ‘crosses, and completed eight (snapped my saddle off one year and finishing was out of the question!). Best position was last year - 20th out of 256. Hoping to get inside the top 20 this year again but it’s a tall order. I’ve deliberately upped my running this year and lost quite a bit of weight - essentially all for this one race - so a lot rests on what happens on Sunday. It’s impossibly hard for me to relate how one race can preoccupy me so much more than other races, so I always spend this part of September in utter infatuation.. .my mind’s never off it for more than a few minutes - both awake and asleep. Saddo.

There’s just so much darn stuff on RecordBrother: Vinyl Sharityhere here - from a HiFi Mister Magoo experience to some old vinyl recordings of JRR Tolkein (himself) reading Lord of the Rings. Ace! Thanks to Simon for spotting this. You’ve helped me to waste my wholde day.

Hoorah! Katie and I are off to see the Wedding Present in Manchester on 12th November. The full UK tour dates are here if you want to get to your local show. Amazing but worrying fact: The hayday of the Wedding Present (for most fans), was between 1987 to ‘94. That was SooOOooo long ago.

The 2005 Weaver Valley Cycling Club Cyclocross in Northwich kicked off the North West series this year. I arrived late and had time for a shoddy five minute ride round and then suffered after lap one as a result. Lessons learnt. 3rd out of 55 but should have won this, given the opposition. Good course and perfect conditions - very fast racing.

Eye Of The Storm seems one of the more compelling blogs to do with Katrina - some more good piccies.