Surprisingly just Jacquie and I representing Striders for this very low key event. It took next to no time to get there being just off the A194 Leam Lane roundabout and so we had plenty time for me to have a coffee and for Jacquie to talk Masters track and field athletics with the evergreen George Routledge.
We even had time for a recce/warm up – the course had changed slightly from last year and now started and finished at roughly the same place.
It’s a mainly flat course heading out on an old railway line (Waggon Way?) before a cheeky little hill takes you to the highest point of the course just before 2k. (Great views though). There’s a small stile to hop over and that’s what I blame for my time being slightly slower than expected over 5k, although quicker than last year.
After the stile there’s a pleasant diversion around the fishing lake, up a country lane, along a very quiet road, a very short piece of grass and back to the railway line for a nice fast finish.
No medals, tees or goody bag here but no-one robbed either at only £7. Jacquie was just outside 25 mins and her times are once again heading in the right direction off the back of marathon training so we celebrated with a slap up meal in the eponymous pub where we didn’t trouble the results presentations.