Yet Another Nathan Croucher...

I finished the Wigan 10K in 00:43:34, a few minutes short of my target time but a great day nonetheless.

My home-town should be proud of organising such a fantastic event, the atmosphere was electric.

I will look to build and develop as a runner over the next few months and will take part in several more races.

Sunday 7th September will see the the 2014 edition of the Wigan 10k and after last years inaugural event it promises to be an bigger and better event this time round. 

This is a fantastic event and Wiganers sure know how to come together for a good cause. I'll be taking part in the race to raise money for Joining Jack.

After unfortunately being unable to enter last years race I'm very much looking forward to running the Wigan 10k(6.2 Miles) alongside more than 3000 other runners in my home town across a route I know very well.  

My race number and timing chip has arrived in the post.

I have been an avid runner for several years but it was only two years ago when I moved back to Wigan after graduating from university that I started to run from my house in Shevington to town, beyond and back on a regular basis. I just love the freedom and escapism you can get from running and what is brilliant about Wigan is that no matter which direction you turn, there is always enough space to run, one great example is the Leeds- Liverpool Canal in which you an get from the more rural areas of the area to the town centre via Wigan Pier and the stadium in no time. 

This will be my second charity run of the year with my previous one being the 11.2 Mile route of the Rainbow Ramble which took place in April in the rural Lancashire countryside and included  locations such as Croston, Heskin, Mawdesley and Wrightington.

After running the 11.2 mile Rainbow Ramble in April.

 I managed to run the Rainbow Ramble in around 1 hour and 20 minutes(3rd out of the 11.2 mile group) , this isn't too bad seeing my aim was just to complete the 11.2 mile course, however despite the Wigan 10k being a shorter route there are areas I have been trying to improve and build on in the months since my last race, I have had decent practice times in recent weeks however it is important to consider that the Wigan 10k will be busy which may add a few minutes to everybodies finishing times, the upside to this though is that I cannot think of any better feeling than running through my home town with thousands of other people, starting off from Market Street heading onto Parsons Walk and then around the DW Stadium and up through the Mesnes Park and then crossing the finishing line back on Market Street, it is going to be a wonderful feeling and the atmosphere is going to be electric in Wigan on Sunday, I may even treat myself to a pie and a pint after the run.

Joining Jack's aim is to raise money to fund research to find an effective set of treatments to combat the condition Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). To donate simply click on the link below.

JustGiving sends your donation straight to JOINING JACK and automatically reclaims Gift Aid if you are a UK taxpayer, so your donation is worth even more. Thank you for your support!

Earlier this week I went down to London to see both Stewart Lee and Tony Law with an old friend of mine. They are both two of Britain's finest stand-ups and neither are conventional comedians who stick to the same formulas, rules and structures, something makes them a real pleasure to watch whilst also being a massive influence.

Soho Theatre was the venue for Canadian comedian Tony Law's Nonsense Overdrive on Sunday evening and the intimate venue was well suited to Tony's surrealist tales. He has a fresh, energetic and experimental approach to comedy and it's fantastic to see him finally getting some recognition for his work.

The following evening it was time to see Stewart Lee perform at the Leicester Square Theatre, I had seen him before at the Sheffield Lyceum nearly two years ago, a show that actually used for his DVD 'Carpet Remnant World' however this time I would be seeing Britain's most forward thinking, important and influential comedian in more intimate surroundings. His current show Much A-Stew About Nothing is actually a work-in progress show for the new series of Comedy Vehicle but this two hour long set is full of some of some fantastic new material by Stewart Lee.

I don’t tend to write as much as I used to but every year without fail there will always be a vital list that people the world over look forward to, yes it’s the 2013 edition of Crouchers Top Fives. This edition is a list of some of my favorite albums of 2013, it has been a fantastic year for music which has made narrowing everything down to just five albums very challenging. These are all in no particular and are all my opinion although it will be interesting to see who agrees and disagrees.

Albums

1.Jon Hopkins:Immunity

This year has been a splendid year for albums and it has been hard to choose a top five list but Immunity by Jon Hopkins has easily made it in, his fourth solo release is a bold statement and is proof that electronic musicians can still spring a few surprises. Despite having many beautiful layers it is pulsating and still retains a minimalist feel, Immunity has a unique energy and groove which makes for an immersing hour long trip.

2.Foals:Holy Fire:

Oxford based band Foals have developed their sound over the past few years and have gradually improved to become one of the most interesting bands in the UK. Third album Holy Fire see's them building that sound even more and the outcome is one of the years most energetic and catchy albums which is fantastic guitar music to dance to.

3.Bill-Ryder Jones:A Bad Wind Blows in My Heart

Despite releases this year from several of his ex-bandmates, it’s former guitarist of The Coral, Bill Ryder-Jones who has one of the finest records of the year. The songwriting on A Bad Wind Blows in My Heart  is far more conventional than his first album but that doesn't make it any less interesting. It is full of beautifully arranged tracks which feature plenty of pianos, guitars and his quiet but effective vocals.

4. The National:Trouble Will Find Me

Not the sort of album I would normally choose but the sixth album by the American five piece has a warm sound which has kept me listening since it’s release earlier in the year.

5. Mount Kimbie:Cold Spring Fault Less Youth

Warp Records are still one of the most interesting labels in the country and it seems as if their roster of forward thinking electronic musicians are given freedom constantly experiment with their sound. It was difficult trying to choose out of Mount Kimbie and their label mates Boards of Canada but I have decided to go for the former. Cold Spring Fault Less Youth is very immersive record with pulsating and rather odd beats. There are also vocal appearances from King Krule. What makes this record stand out is that it’s a more intimate affair than it’s predecessor.

So there it is, my top five albums for 2013, as expected there are plenty of notable albums which have not been included. Feel free to share your opinions on my list and keep an eye out for my next post which I will release next week which is my top five feature films of 2013

As a Wiganer, it’s a terrible shame to see Wigan Athletic get relegated from  the Premier League after eight years of hanging on, it’s been an exciting ride for the club and they have done the town proud. The FA Cup win will live on forever in the minds of everybody that saw it and in the history books, there are bigger clubs with a silverware drought who will be quite jealous of such an achievement.

They have gone down for now but the style of football Wigan play, I’m sure they will make a swift return, everything should be in place to do so, if most of the squad and the manager stay and the same system is in place how exciting would it be if Latics won The Championship? The fact that Wigan are also in Europe and The Community Shield will also make for an interesting season.