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What were you doing on Sunday 27th at 9.30am? If you had any sense you were in bed wondering what to have for breakfast and why you drank so much last night. Not wishing to shame anybody but that wasn’t good enough for 4 members of the OLRFC. A few months ago Dave Middleton (Midi), Carl Adams (Carlos) and Stephen Pike (Stish), later joined by Ian Bowie (Clit, sorry Baz), committed themselves to take part in the Stratford ½ Marathon. I use the word committed because this would involve months on training, especially for Stish who boasted he would win the race completing the course in 1 hour 10 minutes. Midi’s training went well although he could only be spotted using time-lapse photography; Ever the optimist he thought a time of 1 hour 50 minutes was in reach. Unfortunately for Carlos a tactical knee injury forced him to withdraw early on. As you can imagine he was gutted but vowed he would still be there for guidance as long as it didn’t involve talking to him about it. Stish on the other hand was taking it seriously; he knew he had a challenge on his hands if he was to win the race. He changed his diet to accommodate one portion on fruit & veg per week and, to get rid of the taste, washed this down with copious amounts of lager. Somehow he was managing some good times on his practice runs but he thought a stag weekend in Budapest the week before may scupper his chances of winning. Do you think!! Baz trained in secret. He’d done this marathon a year ago and was anxious to go under 2 hours and beat the time set by his archenemy Marc Owen. All of you who know Baz will also know that he has a desperate need to prove himself. It was after many years of dedication, practise and thousands of pounds spent that he finally managed to break 100 on the golf course. Many would have given up, or perhaps tried left handed but not Baz, he’s a tryer, Tiger Woods watch out!!. The night before race day it was agreed absolutely no alcohol. Spike cooked an energy based pasta meal ensuring the runners were fully fuelled for the following morning. No alcohol was a neat plan but wine envy kicked in towards the end of the feast an a few glasses of red were consumed, after all it is good for you! Race day, we arrive in Stratford ½ an hour before the start and already the town centre was busy with runners stretching and warming up. Our gallant trio set off through the many 100’s of runners to jostle for a good starting position. Dressed mainly in OL’s training gear they would be easy for the spectators to spot. In the meantime the spectators, Andi Middleton & son Cieran, Ellen Dijkstra (Skinners girlfriend), Spike & Reiner found a decent vantage point to watch the runners pass about ½ mile form the start. It was there they bumped into Andy Spriggs (Sprigga) and wife Sue. Andy was running and hoping for a time around 1 hour 50 minutes so pressure was on Baz & Midi to beat the ever-youthful Sprigga. Even though he only lives minutes away Sprigga was late & would have to start at the back of the field. Baz was not best pleased at the start, he was quizzed by a fellow competitor as to what time he would be running, he replied “about 1 hour 50 mins. Is that any good?” She just smiled at him as though he was retarded and walked away shaking her head. It probably had something to do with him wearing a woolly in 19o C. The race started at 9:30 on the dot. Stish had been told to start off slowly and definitely not to run with any skinny black people. As you’d expect, ½ mile in & there was Stish, happily keeping up with the professionals at the front of the race. He would do the 1st 3-miles in 18 minutes, good enough to win the race or stupid? Shortly afterwards Midi & Baz were running together following their plan nicely, they would stay together for the 1st 5-miles. Then came ex 1st team 2nd row Rob Craig, he was running the full 26-mile marathon and is no stranger to running these days.
Right at the back of the pack was Sprigga, 1 hour 50 minutes did not look likely as he was in the main throng and would need to pass a lot of people. All runners through the ½ mile point the spectators went for a leisurely breakfast, joined by Andy Coleman (Skinners) who’d made his way up from London. The race itself went without any hiccups although parts of the course were “testing”, especially going up a 2-mile long hill near the end and watching the forerunners coming down the other side whilst wondering where the turning point was. It broke a lot of people who decide it was a good time for a spot of walking. Not our intrepid trio though, they ran on. At 10:30 it was time for the spectators to get to the finish line to clap the victorious Mr Pike over the line. 10:42 the winner crossed the line but it wasn’t Stish, we were shocked!! 10:55 and the 1st women came in but still no Stish, what had happened? Then at 11:00 he entered the finishing section, running along side the same woman who quizzed Baz at the start. At 300 metres out he was running smoothly then he heard Spike shout out “you’re not going to be beaten by a women are you?” This prompted a last flurry, much to the disenchantment of the women who he beat by a clear minute with a time of 1 hour 33 minutes and giving him a final position of 94th, not bad out of 1900 runners. According to plan the next to finish would be Midi at 1:45. Spike was at the 300 metre mark with Stish, Ellen & Skinners whilst Andi & Reiner waited at the finish line. 1:45 came & went with no Midi. Then at 1:50 we heard Spike running towards the finish line with his arms flapping shouting “It’s Baz, it’s Baz”! and sure enough there was Baz beating his previous best time by nearly 10 minutes and still wearing that stupid hat. Midi came in 7 minutes after Baz, in true Midi style vowed to do it again and to beat 2 hours. Sprigga followed Midi in in 2 hours 13 minutes and looked as though he could have run another marathon. Rob Craig did the full marathon in a very credible 3 hours 42 minutes. In true Steve Redgrave style immediately after the race all runners said it was too hard and they’d never do it again but in the cold light of day… never say never!! Times and places SP – 94th – 1 hr 33 ans 28 secs IB 599th - 1hr 53 and 6 secs DM 1069th 2 hr 5 mins and 6 secs AS – 2hr 10 mins – not sure of place Rob Craig – full marathon – 207th 3 hrs 42 and 24 secs. |