The 25th running of the race was remarkably smooth and trouble-free, thanks largely to the efficiency of the support team – all of whom I would like to thank very much for their efforts.
We had no injuries, only one early retirement due to an asthma attack and, despite the torrential rain which soaked me through twice in the afternoon as I was marking the course, by the time the race started it was blue skies and white fluffies with a sprinkling of drizzle later on to cool everyone down a bit.
At the front of the 176-strong field there was a liberal sprinkling of previous winners but Lloyd Taggart, the men’s record-holder in the event, took things by the scruff of the neck from the start and led throughout with a fine run to finish with a convincing three-minute-plus margin over Simon Harding in second place, with last year’s winner, James Scott-Buccleugh (who is definitely NOT a Vet50 as I mistakenly categorised him at the Prizegiving !!) in third place. Judging by the speed Lloyd came down the track to the finish his own record would have gone but for a variant route up to the cage at the start which probably cost him the sixteen seconds he needed – next year perhaps ?
Jan Nicholls also had an excellent run to finish as 1st Lady, with Diane McVey and Molly Whittall taking the second and third places – and I simply do not believe that her club, “White Nancy Boys”, actually exists !!
The Prizegiving was its usual cheerful, crowded self and, in addition to the usual presentations there were two special Single Malt ones which deserve mention.
One of them went to the evergreen Rob Taylor, who won the inaugural race in 1987 and who blasted round this year to take the V60 prize – quite impressive.
The other went to Dave Sumner, who competed in the very first race but whose running was immediately curtailed by knee problems and who, instead of competing, marshalled at the Bowstones checkpoint for every one of the succeeding events – quite a record and one for which I am most grateful.
I owe an apology to Trevor Faulkner of Wilmslow for misreading his category on the results board and not crediting him with his first V70 position – this has now been rectified and his “Running Bear” voucher is on its way.
If I can manage another twenty-five years of organising the race I’ll be ninety-four for the fiftieth anniversary – doubt it somehow but I’ve enjoyed it, I hope everyone who ran on Wednesday enjoyed it and I look forward to seeing you next year. Dave Jones