Thames Hare & Hounds 64th Alumni Race, Wimbledon Common Sat 12/12/15 1430 hs.
This annual event on Wimbledon Common lived up to its reputation as a really tough 5 mile cross country event.
So the train from Warwick Parkway at 1015 to Marylebone, underground to Putney Bridge (start of the Boat Race), then bus 85 to the TH&H clubhouse next to London Cornish rugby club near Kingston on Thames. Well that took 3 hours out of the day so then just a “5 mile jog on the Common” then repeat the journey home. Better than Christmas shopping any day.
The race is for old boys teams from schools over the UK, Henry V111 Coventry had about 6, my old school Warwick had 10, Eton and Harrow about 8 each but with all the other old boys teams there I guess around 150 runners made up the total.
If you think the Wimbledon Common sounds a boring, flat and uninteresting place then how wrong can you be. In this part it’s mainly woods, hills, severe mud all the time, trails and tracks, fallen trees, plus a golf course that we ran near. Plus of course it has many gravel paths for the numerous dog walkers, cyclists and other runners who have more sense than to run where we did. Very easy to go off course and get lost as it was getting dark towards the end -for me anyway- and you had to follow the trails that had small white markers to guide you.
Eventually the end was in sight and a final flurry around the rugby pitch to the finish. Then a shower and a repeat of the journey home so job well done. Roll on next year. Great fun on my 61st race of 2015. Just 4 to go.
Massey time:
Dave Phillips: 55mins 54 secs.