The manxathletics.com forum

Welcome to the manxathletics.com forum. Please share information and your views on the sport in the Isle of Man with others.

The forum has been operating in its present form since April 2004 and I particularly welcome comments from new contributors, whether you live on or off the Isle of Man, if you have an interest in Manx athletics.

Many people have used the forum to give thanks to the officials or their own supporters when they have enjoyed an event. Contrustive criticism is always welcome as an additional means of communication, although it is not intended to replace formal communication between clubs and other bodies and their members.

If you are unable to find information about an event on any of the Manx websites, then the forum is the best place to ask for help from other people. Whilst you can email me at murray@manxathletics.com and I will do my best to point you in the right direction, the people who have the answer to your question are likely to visit the forum so it is better that you ask it here. manxathletics.com is an independent site and I do not hold office within any of the five Manx clubs.

There are a few rules. Firstly, you should always use your real name as, apart from making people accountable for what they say, one of the objectives of the website is to make the sport friendly and appealing so please do not hide behind a nickname (anonymous entries will be deleted). Secondly, (it should go without saying) you must not insult or offend anyone. Thirdly, pesistent abuse of rules 1 and 2 will result in the forum being withdrawn.

Thanks for being sensible and I hope you continue to enjoy the forum and the sport.

Murray Lambden

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Subject:		Re: BRIAN GOLDSMITH (24.02.1950 – 22.03.2008)
Name:		David Griffiths
Date Posted:		Mar 26, 08 - 11:36 PM
IP Address:		87.254.94.113
Email:		griffmuss@manx.net
Message:		It's almost impossible to follow the tributes paid by Ian, Robbie and Mike who all knew Brian better than I did, but I will try. I first met Brian in about 1986 or 1987 when we were both working for the DHSS at Markwell House. We immediately had a common interest as we were both regular competitors in running races, especially the Douglas Fireman's Run. In those days the race used to go from the Douglas Fire Station on Peel Road, out to Summerland and back. As I remember we were fairly evenly matched in those days, both running 10k in around 36 or 37 minutes, and we had some close battles. Inevitably the day after each event Brian would seek me out at work for a chat - and how Brian could chat! - about the latest race. I dropped out of the athletics scene for about 10 years soon after that, and the next time I encountered Brian in an athletics capacity was when we both took up race walking in the late 1990s - me in 1997, Brian a year or two later. As Ian has rightly said, Brian was not a fan of race walking in his running days, but his attitude completely changed once he tried it! He was no mean competitor, although it was definitely the social side of the sport that he most loved. He much preferred long steady training walks to speed work - not because he was afraid of hard work but because it was harder to have a chat whilst flogging yourself doing reps! Every long training session with the group would be preceded by the weekly argument over the route - and, Brian being Brian, he usually managed to pursuade the rest of the group to go along the Prom or Marine Drive so he could be close to his beloved sea! (Incidentally, how did someone who loved being next to the sea so much come to live in Glen Vine?) However, just occasionally, Brian would lose the vote, and he would be chuntering away unhappily about the boring scenery as we made our way out to Strang and through the Baldwin valleys. He was of course a great family man and was fiercly proud of them all. His son Robert played football as a junior and also briefly as a senior for Braddan, the club of which I was Secretary for many years. Brian would always be on the touchline shouting support, and questioning whether the team manager was playing Robert in the right position! Like so many other people, I spoke to Brian briefly at Port Erin on Friday night as he made his way to his marshalling post, and he seemed to be in great form as always. I am sure it will be some comfort to his family and friends to know that he spent part of his final evening in the company of so many of his athletics friends. The Manx athletics community is something very special to be part of, and it is largely because of the wonderful people and characters in it. Brian was one of the very best and he will be sorely missed by so many people. I would like to offer my heartfelt sympathy to Sandie, Robert, Kate, and all Brian's extended family and countless friends. His life was too short - but what a happy and fulfilled life it was. Thanks for the memories Brian - all of them are good. David Griffiths
Replies:
Re: BRIAN GOLDSMITH (24.02.1950 – 22.03.2008) by Adrian Cowin · Mar 27, 08 - 3:04 PM Re: Re: BRIAN GOLDSMITH (24.02.1950 – 22.03.2008) by Steve Cain · Mar 27, 08 - 3:46 PM Re: Re: BRIAN GOLDSMITH (24.02.1950 – 22.03.2008) by Maureen Cox · Mar 28, 08 - 12:26 AM

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