Eridge 10, 11 9.11

Bloody Nora, just been for a lunch-time session, if you could call it that? Should be shot at dawn. Now steady, steady lad. Not worthy of the Gold & Black today. Be a brighter day tomorrow……….let’s hope so.

Now then, The Eridge 10 nr.Tunbridge Wells,Kent. Billed as "proper cross country", 10 mls. of muddy mallarkey,steep climbs,did i say steep-double it. This was the Young Neighbour and Semple the Younger, eh No. No,no, no. We were here last year so knew just what to expect. Or did we? Is it like as a Nation we,as they say, never learn from History. So,we never learn from our (please excuse the Royal we) previous endeavours. That is fronting up for a 10 ml. c.c. with no proper training.You’ll be fine,fine. No you won’t. Obviously not consumed enough post-race recovery drinks. Well it was FREE BEER at the Beer Tent. But we’re getting way ahead of the Game here. Anyway, as you know, i don’t drink. Sorry did i leave a word out there? Water- that’s it – don’t drink water.

As usual we had talked our way into this,and nothing could go wrong. For goodness sake it’s only 10 mls. All you Ultras out there hardly be breaking sweat. Well, as we waited for the start (we were early for a change) the sun was starting to shine,as it did last year. In Kent you could say a good 7 degrees warmer than here.So it proved to be a bit of a scorchio for September.No,no complaints.

Before the off "tie your laces tight" those deep bogs will have your shoes off, said Cheeky, Alan Cheek, Race Director from Tunbridge Wells Harriers, and so it proved, Gary lost a shoe, plus i saw one guy squirming around in the mud shouting " Where is my ……… ………… ……….shoe", honestly Doris you never heard such………..Did i tell you about……… And so it went in a haze of sunshine, mud, clay-ey, stickey mud, picking a line to avoid the worst – onto piles of branches, steep climbs that just did you in,steep downs that had to make up time,just flew, then steep up again, oh well just dig in.

So, yes hardly local, but extra points you say, oh well……..But if you fancy this race 9th September next year.It’s very well organised, loads of marshals, cakes, fruit etc. at the finish. Yes etc. means the free beer. All standing around enjoying the post-race exhaustion-eh feeling i should say with a pint in your hand. Marvellous.

1. J Rendell 1.05

1st.F T. Oldershaw 1.15

47. G. Neighbour 1.23 ( 2nd in V50)

112. H.Semple 1.29 (15th in V50)

409 Ran.