by Adam Haylock
Highlights:
By Sam Dear
I’d been checking the weather every day before the run, hoping and praying that:
1. The recent strong winds would have disappeared
2. It would be dry
3. It wouldn’t be freezing.
While the winds had almost entirely completely gone, it most certainly was not dry, but
conditions were near perfect for me for the half marathon distance. A little chilly before the gun went off, but the misty drizzle (aka mizzle!) always helps keep you cool whilst not getting you completely soaked through.
I ran this race last year and I remembered that I was stood shivering on the start line whilst they delayed the race to allow people in the toilet queue to join us. Even though the race is chip timed so it doesn’t matter where you start they kept us waiting again for almost 10 minutes before finally letting us get going.
By Andy Inchley
“Oh no! What are mum and dad going to do with their afternoons?” This was the immediate thought that crossed the minds of both Amy and I when we discovered that the crazy golf course at Club La Santa (CLS) was being rebuilt while we were there this year.
Don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely loads to do, but mini golf (as CLS call it) is an absolute staple of our time in Lanzarote and when legs are weary from racing it’s a great way to pass the time and take in the sun while retaining a level of friendly competition. However, this is true of Mr & Mrs Inchley Senior more than anyone else!
Saturday’s Chiltern League fixture took the club out to the wilds of Oxfordshire on the banks of the River Thames. Culham Park was the venue for a breezy Cross Country with some more excellent performances from all those who ran.
The course was mostly firm underfoot apart from the hilly section across the motocross track, but the wind added an extra obstacle as the long drag out half way along each lap was almost directly into the strong gusts making you feel like you were running in treacle, unless you were lucky enough to be able to shelter behind one of the larger runners!
Young Mark Adkins must be somewhat frustrated. Despite taking a healthy chunk off his time from November he still only finished 15! That’s because last night, 12 out of the 25 people who ran The Stag achieved PB’s for the race and unfortunately for him he was the last of those to finish and ended up mid-pack.
In all fairness, Mark is one of an increasing number of people who are relatively new to the club and therefore also setting new personal best times in for the monthly handicap very regularly which is fantastic to see. What it also means is that no-one has had three “good” scores so far, and the competition is wide open.
