The race was due to be a 10 lap race around a local park but unfortunately some people of the travelling community opted to move in to the park for a little while. True to their word they did leave the day before but the fact they left more rubbish strewn across the park than would fill a landfill site the organisers had to work very hard to get the race on at another venue.
The venue chosen was a school with some playing fields a bit of woods a couple of paths but meant the race would now be a 20 lap marathon of the painful variety.
The running club are and were a really friendly bunch and gave great encouragement throughout the day. The race was organised in to 3 different running varieties, there was teams whom all ran a minimum of 5 laps in any order, Pairs who ran the distance between the two of them and then the solo marathon runners. I opted for the solo marathon running but this might be an event that the striders might like to get a team together for in the future being as it’s a great cause. There was plenty of teams and pairs running but only 35 marathon runners involved which of course would allow me my highest place finish ever if I could just actually finish!!!.
It started in fine drizzle for lap 1 before the sun would appear and cook all runners at 23 degrees and full sun for the next 19 laps. In only lap 2 I sustained a blister and had to switch to my barefoot shoes for the next 10 laps to try and recover. I then switched to yet another pair of trainers after 12 laps to get to the end.
Most of the runners were in fancy dress and many were in 100 club shirts. I chatted to a great deal of them and they seemed really friendly little group and of course there were some other junkies I knew on the circuit.
So that’s basically all I have to say about that, the time was awful the race was great and the people fantastic.
Till next time.
For more information visit The Wild One website.
Paul N.