Friday 23 March 2012

Sport Relief Mile

This is what happens when a lunatic middle aged runner takes an office charity Sport Relief run too far and challenges the youngest fittest club runner on his floor to a race.......

RACE REPORT

Amongst the joggers and those running with eggs & spoons - only two people had stop watches and were taking a full sprinters position at the start. Brian looked subtle, Craig looked ridiculous in pro-trainers, tiny shorts and tightest top.....all in every neon colour you can imagine. The pressure was on after opening a book on the winner and winning time (for charity of course).

This was not a course for personal bests with lots of tight turns, stairs, lose wood chips, stoney areas and groups of walkers blocking the path. So all thoughts of sub 05:30 times were out of the window immediately.

BANG.... and they are off, immediately clocking a 04:50 per mile pace. Screams of shocking and awe from the crowds around.

Craig, although heavily choked with the cold, was encouraged to hear the younger runner breathing heavily beside him from the start. Using his race experience, the older / wiser runner put the hammer down and opened up a gap - realising the opportunity to burnout the legs of the less experienced Brian as they lept over the stairs. The second half of the course was through the woods and trail paths, crowded by casual walkers. Now very much the fore-runner, Craig bellowed and knocked the pedestrains out of the way - only clearing the path and providing an advantage for the chasing Brian. The course became very twisty and it was now impossible to see how close the race was. Runners that start out minutes before were being passed, encouraging the two galloping fools to sprint for the finish.....

.....on the finishing straight the sprint was in full motion, stop watch was slammed - 05:53 was the finishing time (not bad for that course). Turning round expecting to see his challenger, CRAIG was very surprised to see no one!!! Then over the horizon came young Brian (10 years younger it should be pointed out), a valiant effort but not quite good enough on the day as he finished in 06:09. The early tactis to go out hard and burn out the youngester worked - brain over brawn on this occasion.

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