Race report by David Phillips.
This race has been held for c60 years now (with many of the regular local faces appearing year after year-me included). The HQ is always in a pub but many of them have closed, converted into houses etc., over the years but for the 4th successive year it was in the Roebuck Inn, Smith Street about a 5 minute walk to the start in St. Nicholas Park where the race is a 4 lapper.
It used to be a single loop along the Myton Road to Leamington then back along the Emscote Road but this required a license and all the other regulations. Now it’s called “an unofficial fun training run” with no entry fee or anything and it’s not on any roads.
Yet the annual shields and cups for the winners still get handed out afterwards in the pub.
So at 1030 hrs about 50 runners lined up for their “training run” and we were off along the side of the Avon, round past the leisure centre (where I do circuits twice a week-for 15 years now!) and then onto lap 2.
The good thing about this friendly event is that you can see most of the course all the way round wherever you are so the finish never seems too far away!
Many of us were soon lapped by the winner but we all finished and headed back to the pub for drinks (bar open) plus coffee and mince pies for a charity donation.
So another 25/12 morning well spent on my 51st race of the year then off home for the usual family festivities.
Kenilworth and Leamington Runners are the joint organisers of this so well done to them and there were plenty of their runners around but this year only 1 red and white vest. Where were the other regulars?
Massey time:
Dave Phillips 39.54.