What a difference it made to have a sunny day for our mob match after the first 19 days in January were dark with heavy clouds. In fact it was very pleasant, but for the mud which I thought was even more prevalent than the previous two meetings, especially the “muddy field”.
On the way to the start we were very helpful to about six THH runners, who seemed to be determined to follow the Brighton Road towards Merstham, who we guided in the right direction……
I used the Pirie bench near the start to change my shoes; an example which was followed by quite a few others. On that bench one soon can “dream” about things and so I was “transported away” to a land where the “king and queen of the runners” were just giving a banquet for the races they had won including all the mob matches…. I am not sure how Francis Upcott’s time 52:23 suddenly flashed into this dream…. Then I was jolted back into the real world and was told they were not there…..
Whether this affected my performance I would not like to say but I think that in reality I got stuck in the muddy field.
I am very pleased to say that our winner Stuart did not get stuck and he was cleverly involved in a cat and mouse game with Jason. This resulted in no less than a 2:11 faster run than the last time against Ranelagh. Jason please come every time, it makes it so much more interesting.
I don’t think the better performance of our top two runners had anything to do with the pack of Hares which was following them, they were merely chased by the “Bantam Expressways”.
Some sort of calamity occurred last Tuesday which ensured that rail language has permeated permanently into club language… I think I would prefer the fast sprinter service operated by Mars Bar Burtwell, but am sure anyone of you would produce a better train service than we have at present as “you” would run trains for the people instead of profit.
Anyway the “Bantam Expressways” and the rest of the pack ensured there were many more of “ours” before “theirs” and so we won. Even though I said some time ago that the “Bantam Expressways” did not make an impact on performance; it does. Even compared with the last mob match. But if you were to look at the Orion Mob match last season you see the real difference……just the extra bit is now required and the men should just like the ladies get that third place in the League… or am I dreaming again……
As for me I made the mistake to tell Pam that this race was also the “Vets handicap” and that hers was 23 minutes. “I am under pressure now” she said. So although I reached the church 2 minutes earlier than the last mob match, she was already half a field ahead of me and finished almost two minutes ahead of me. When I finally got to the finish she was flat on the floor and said “it was just this vision of your usual spurt past me from nowhere that kept me going”. May be some kind person could give me a lesson in tactics!...
If there any others of you who operate only under pressure just let me know and I’ll see what I can arrange.
Anyway Jo won the cub, with Pippa after another very good run – for which we all have the greatest respect – came second and Pam third.The other cup went deservedly to our “Bantam Expressways”
It was lovely to see so much support along the course again, including lots of family members, husbands, wives, and children – some of these were actually members of our ladies team…. I am sure they knew that we would win the mob match and their input was not required…. after all most of their time was spent on training – running intervals…
It is delightful to see some of the people you normally only see as a name on an email, like Dave and Behjat’s, Harry, and Emma Simpson and many more. At the club house after the race it was almost like a family event – great to see the children.
I am totally confused after the discussion about scoring in a mob match now. But it appears that whatever way you look at it we won – I therefore prefer Peter’s result as it is much bigger ….
I presume that technically we also won from Herne Hill as they did not turn up. But how do you score from minus three runners??
Some the brave runners presented themselves at the club house again the following Sunday morning – allegedly some marathon training – that the warm up together is already out of the window, is not surprising if it was lead by the fast sprinter service operated by Mars Bar. The service was even too fast for Rob Crozier (with a “Z”), “the handsome one” and Clare who we met running towards us about 4m out. Where are “they”; have you seen them?….
After everybody had switched off all the lights they arrived back at the clubhouse…
So for those not going to Exeter next week, you have an additional weekend training or rest to make sure that we get that third place in the men’s and ladies!
Running clogs