Double Weekend Whammy. Race reports by Dave Phillips.
Where else could you do a double W at the Week End? Well at Wimbledon and Wolverhampton of course-no brainer really.
Thames Hare and Hounds Alumni 5 mile cross country race on Wimbledon Common. Sat 17.12.16 14:30 hrs.
This was the 64th Alunmi race put on by TH&H the oldest XC club in the world formed in 1868. And no I didn’t run in the inaugural event! The Alumni XC is for school leavers from schools originally chosen by TH&H (Eton, Harrow, Wrekin, Hailybury, Denstone, Westminster,Uppingham etc). Then my school (Warwick), Bablake and Henry V111 (mixed team now) got in on the act.
So it was the train from Warwick Parkway at 1015 to Marylebone, then the underground to Putney Bridge and finally the 85 bus to their HQ at London Cornish Rugby Club’s HQ. Got there at 1315 so not bad so far.
Around 200 lined up for the start and this part of Wimbledon Common (near Kingston) is the most stunning and beautiful place in which to run. Trails, tracks, mostly in woods, muddy paths, plenty of upward slopes, devoid of roads and houses and the only well-wishers were the dog walkers and horse riders.
A really tough course which at times made the Welcome Hills (another W) look easy.
1430 is a late start and it was getting dark when I plodded in to a great reception from all the runners who were enjoying tea, coffee and cakes in the finish area.
The format has changed and anyone can now enter this event but of course the prizes only go to school teams.
So anyone for a W next year.
Massey/Warwick School Alumni time:
Dave Phillips 60 mins 7 seconds (I told my mates I’d be out for an hour!).
Wolverhampton Turkey Trot 5 mile. Sun 18.12.16 10:30 hrs.
About 230 turned up for the annual Christmas trot at the Wolves and Bilston Athletics Club track at Aldersley and what a great place this is. Huge multi sports arena with loads of different activities taking place-soccer, indoor hockey, cycling, fencing and us lot.
The course is all on pavements around the quieter parts of Wolves so no real problems with traffic.
It started and finished on the track and all finishers got a goodie bag with a large turkey breast in it so what more could you want?
Only 1 local runner with me-a Northbrook man so why no others?
Massey time:
Dave Phillips 55.30.
So that’s my target reached of 65 races this year. Next is the Christmas Day Warwick 3.3 miler.