The B of the Bang

[batman]

A few months ago I ran round 'The B of the Bang', an enormous spikey-looking piece of modern sculpture just outside Manchester city centre. I was staying at a hotel in the city centre and wanted to go for a run but didn't have a clue in which direction to head. I started off running along the canals, assuming that they would be in as good a nick as Birminghams canal network. Forget it! Just don't even think about running along Manchester's canal towpaths. They stop- they re-appear- they disappear again.They take you to some dank places, slippery, rubbish-strewn, festering tunnels where the rats are waiting- and watching- in silence.
No. Don't go there. It ain't nice.
So I headed back to the hotel and asked a receptionist how to get to this crazy new scuplture they call 'The B of the Bang'. Off I set. After only a couple of miles I could see it in the distance. It was only as I got closer that I appreciated how massive it is.
Stunning.
Beautiful.
Spikey.
Unfortunately it was surrounded by railings because they hadn't quite finished the surrounding 'plaza'. I could feel a sort of energy radiating from this fabulous explosion of metal- and I needed some of that energy. Only three months to go before the London Marathon and I really believed the 'B of the Bang' could help me in a sort of spiritual way.
I spotted a small gap in the railings and just about squeezed through. I ran right underneath the spikes and they bore down on me like mutant javelins. I paid homage to the 'B' by running round it three times.
Did it help? Don't even doubt it!

[Seafront Plodder]

Welcome Bman. I had never heard of this new piece of sculpture, so I did a spot of googling.

Inpressive!

[stillwaddler]

There has already been one 10K run named and run from this sculpture this year, another is scheduled for the 26th of June, might have a bash myself.

"At 184 feet tall, B of the Bang is just three feet shorter than Nelson’s column and weighs 165 tonnes. The starburst design features 180 tapered steel spikes which are connected together at a central point, 22 metres above the ground, and the whole structure will be tilted at an angle of 30 degrees, considerably more than the Tower of Pisa in Italy. It symbolises the burst of speed and energy of an athlete launching out of the blocks and the title was inspired by Linford Christie, who famously started his gold medal winning Olympic 100 metres race 'on the B of the Bang'."



Quote from Manchester evening news May 23rd 2005....
"NEW fears were raised today over the safety of the controversial B of the Bang sculpture when a 7ft spike had to be cut off by firefighters after it was spotted blowing precariously in the wind.

Motorists had called police to report that the tip of a spike on the £1.42m, 184ft structure was hanging down. The incident is the latest in a string of problems which have dogged the structure, outside Manchester City's stadium.

The sculpture, which is the tallest in the country standing three times higher than the Angel of the North in Gateshead, was commissioned by the regeneration company New East Manchester to celebrate the Commonwealth Games in 2002.

It was meant to be in place before Manchester City moved into the new stadium in 2003, but there were a string of delays and the cost of the scheme increased from a projected £750,000 to £1.42m.

In January a 7ft piece of the sculpture fell off only days before a glittering launch ceremony was to take place. "

Ooops!!

[batman]

It was January when I nipped through a gap in the railings to run around around the 'B'. Perhaps it would have been safer to carry on running along the canal towpaths. If one of those spikes landed on you it would certainly hurt a bit!
Although I wasnt impressed with Manchester's canals I did enjoy the 2 days I spent in the city centre. The business part of my trip was done and dusted very quickly so I had a day and a half to do the tourist thing. The Museum of Science and Industry was fascinating- saw a good exhibition on the 'Bog People'. Also visited a museum devoted to modern cities (can't remember its name). The trams are great fun- couldn't work out the ticket machines but some friendly Mancunians helped me.
Going down to Bournemouth for the week-end tomorrow. Plan to do a bit of 'sea front plodding' myself.

[Seafront Plodder]

Ah Bournemouth. A town that's virtually impossible to leave.

You'll see what I mean when you try and err....leave.

[batman]

Sea Front Plodder, you've got me worried.
What happens when you try to leave?
Does a big bubble thingy bounce along the beach and plop on you?
I am not a number!
Who is number 1?

[batman]

I don't quite know how but I managed to escape from Bournemouth today. I've worked out a crafty route. You head towards Christchurch and just keep going in a straight line- apart from a couple of wiggles in Boscombe. This is the only way to escape the gravitational pull of all those Bournemouth roundabouts. Once your out of the Bournemouth atmosphere you can think more clearly and it's then easier to navigate your way home.
Unfortunately I came down with a heavy cold on Friday but I did a nice,gentle, easy-on-myself run along the promenade for an hour this morning. Still managed to overtake a cyclist!Saw loads of other runners: probably a well-organised mass escape from Bournemouth.