The Christmas Handicap came within a whisker of being cancelled this year. A few days before the deadline, I had only 6 entrants and quite a few apologies from people who would normally take part but were doing other races or Christmassy things. But then there was a flurry of last-minute entries and on the … Continue reading Christmas Handicap 2018
Category Archives: Pam Kirkup
The Great North Run – And The Benefit of Hindsight Hindsight is a wonderful thing don’t you think? And it was with the benefit of hindsight – I realised quite quickly, yesterday actually – that thinking of running the GNR was extreme folly! Let’s look at the facts – I hadn’t done a serious race … Continue reading Great North Run 2018
Swaledale Marathon – A Soaked Supporter’s View 2017
Swaledale, North Yorkshire, Saturday, June 10, 2017
23 miles
Pam Kirkup
8.00am on the morning of the race Paul F & I pitched up to registration, in my case, to hand in my number for anyone who hoped to get an entry on the day. It was drizzling nicely. An hour later at the start, this year’s cohort of runners seemed somewhat diminished from previous years. … Continue reading Swaledale Marathon – A Soaked Supporter’s View 2017
This was the first ‘real’ race that I have done for 18 months – however the word ‘race’ was hardly applicable to me in the circumstances. So I decided to consider it a leisurely, weekend long run in the sunshine. No pressure then! Leisurely? You must be joking! I arrived at the start area and … Continue reading The Coniston 14 2017
Christmas Handicap 2016 – Heroes Just For One Day!
Houghall Woods, Sunday, December 18, 2016
~8km
Pam Kirkup
December 18th, the Sunday before Christmas and some 36 Striders turned up at Maiden Castle for our annual romp around Houghall Woods in ridiculous outfits to work up an appetite for Sunday Lunch at the Court Inn. And possibly to go home with a bottle of wine, some chocolates or a lunch voucher. Only a … Continue reading Christmas Handicap 2016 – Heroes Just For One Day!
Stand and Deliver! … otherwise known as the 2nd Beer Belly Run from the Grey Horse pub in Consett raising funds for Motor Neurone Disease. This has to be said is a ridiculous concept, one that we have inherited from America. The idea is that runners do 5 x 1K laps around a pub, after … Continue reading The Beer Belly Fun Run 2016
Do they know it’s Christmas? To bring to an end our 30th anniversary year of celebration focusing on 1985 seemed entirely appropriate. A few of us would remember fondly (or otherwise!) New Romantics, David Bowie, the end of the Punk era … Margaret Thatcher. Others would be toddlers or in nappies! However, scope for fancy … Continue reading Christmas Handicap 2015
An Eyeful of Purple Pam Kirkup … This was to be my first real race for two years and I must admit I was filled with trepidation. I’ve done the GNR many times before but that seemed to make no difference, I was a bag of nerves. “Just treat it as a normal Sunday run” … Continue reading Great North Run 2015
At first I thought this a ridiculous concept – run 5 x 1K laps around a pub, drink a half of beer after each lap plus a disgusting “snack” or canapé – I’m a Celebrity style – and then down a pint after the final lap. Apparently, such events occur all over the country – … Continue reading The Beer Belly Fun Run 2015
OH NO IT ISN’T! What a fantastic turnout we had today – and the sun was shining on a perfect day for running! Six weeks ago I thought it wasn’t going to happen. Too many GP races and other events were crowding in so the entry for my original date was pitiful – a whole … Continue reading Not the Christmas Handicap