PSA Boxing Day fun run report 2004

Boxing Day dawned wet, windy and horrible. Jerry, Dil and Keith arrived at the recreation ground to set up the markers for the course, the finish funnel, gazebo and reception – convinced that nobody would be silly enough to actually turn up and run. With three-quarters of an hour to go to the start, it seemed as if they were going to be right. And then the first few cars with athletes from North Herts Road Running club arrived and in no time at all we had 30 runners and a proper race.

At 1030 everyone lined up at the start. And then we all turned round to face the right way. Dil Wetherill set the pace for the first lap of the recreation ground – to show everyone the route – and then out on to the Icknield Way. It’s normally Gregor Lloyd-Smith’s job to lead the pack, but running shoes with no studs held him back.

As the main group ran round the recreation ground, other runners appeared from the shadows and set off after the early starters.

Andy Chatterton settled in to second place, obviously revising his pre-race strategy of “just having a jog”. The 20 second gap that Dil had established during his pathfinder role was just too far for Andy to get back in contention and remained pretty constant as the runners turned back towards home along Hambridge Way.

Stewart Bryant – with a foot in both village and NHRR camps – had a 15 second gap to close on Andy, but again, this seemed to stay pretty constant all the way back to the recreation ground.

Dil, Andy and Stewart finished 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd, closely followed in 11 th position by the joint first ladies Heather Abbiss and Helen Ferguson. Theo Dye ran a super race to be first junior home and 28 th overall.

Cromwell Way and Bunyan Close are now unmasked as hot bed of athletic prowess, providing 25% of the total entries.

The real competition of the day “most witty and original pre-race excuse” was hotly contested. Many pundits went for mince pie/ alcohol / age related excuses – but few had the simple honesty of Simon’s entry “OLD/FAT/KNACKERED”. Aleks’ attempt “I was abducted by aliens and they took my energy particles”, stretched credibility just a little too far. A leading group set the real pace, with Rachel’s “It was my 2003 rd birthday yesterday – I am Jesus & can’t run in sandals” and John (name not changed to protect the guilty) “My Mother-in-law is round today & I’m in no rush to get back” set the early pace. But storming through came the erudite (even though Portuguese) entry from Alison “I won’t do very well today because of the perilous conditions and my love affair of Portuguese wine”. As a result, Alison has the opportunity to fly back especially to enjoy a meal for two, most generously donated by the Motte & Bailey.

The late arrivals had swelled the numbers to a total of 43 runners and the entry fees (together with some impromptu donations from non-runners-but-cyclists-instead) raised a total of £114 that the PSA can pass on to Pirton School.