Now I can feel my legs and got my breath back, I can tell you all about the little
race I did this morning along with Fiona, Duncan, Bob, Adrian, Richard, Tim, Jim,
Nick & Daniel. I was picked up by Bob in the bubble about 0830! (bit early for
me on a Sunday) lovely little job! plenty of leg room especially after a long hard
race and not as scary as riding with Tessa!! We arrived at the race HQ nice and
early and much to my surprise got parked right next to the HQ, (it must be the car
Bob brilliant!)
Then it was off to find the toilets, which there were plenty of and no queues,
then it was down to the serious stuff dishing out the Cowpat & Half Marathon
leaflets everywhere. After a chat to Duncan, Adrian and a few others that I new,
it was time to get prepared for the race. On goes my cross country shoes, I'm
getting used to these now, glad I didn’t manage to sell them last year!
(mind you I might not be saying that tomorrow.)
After a quick brief in the chilly wind we were of, jogging to the start, were I
hoped to see Marion who was going to do mandatory photo's, but nowhere in sight,
so I grabbed the nearest person and then took the camera with me for some live
shots on the run. A nice slow start chatting away to Fiona, (good tactic Fiona,
as you nearly caught me at the end.) I didn’t see much of anyone else during the
race, except Richard! passing him early on in the mud and hilly bit, but very
soon he was on my tale and pulled away on the flat. About halfway I had a bad
patch, but managed to get through after conquering a few more hills and the
slippery slope down to the river, which you can imagine was pretty high and
was wading time for everyone, except one or two who decided to take an early bath.
After struggling on to the sting in the tale, (300m shear climb,) about ½ mile
from the finish, I looked back and saw Fiona, that made me get a move on, however
she nearly got me at the end, as I had to stop and help a damsel in distress who
was rolling around in agony with cramp, luckily some other good Samaritans come
along so I could get on and just pip Fiona. At the finish was Adrian, Richard
and Bob cheering us in, however Bob looked like he had been mud wrestling, but
he said he fancied an early bath and when overtaking (what's that) someone he
slipped and ended up in a heap! not long after the start, cutting his knee open
in the process, but he will live to tell the tale. Adrian said he had a good race
very pleased with his time, achieved by following a young lady in see through
tights, (I promise I won't tell Tracey) all the way round.
Everyone seemed to enjoy the race especially Daniel with a fantastic result,
third overall in 55:43 out of 250-300 starters, the rest of the club runners
results are in the results section. By the way Daniel, I thought Nick was going
to take it easy, we didn't see him for dust after the start.
Well done to everyone who took part! a great race, hard but enjoyable.
"KEEP ON RUNNING, CHRIS"
