Sodbury Slog by Eric = Downey

As=20 the newest member of the Tri-Club I was asked to put a few words = together as a=20 race report for the 'Sodbury Slog' = (10miles=20 x-country).

Sunday=20 11th November came around very quickly and I packed my gear and gulped = down a=20 'mega' sized Snickers and Lucozade (in the = notion that=20 it would help me)! Rich = Jones=20 managed to drag his nephew Lee Francis along as well. We made it to the event with = minutes to=20 spare and on arrival there was a steady stream of greetings from fellow = runners=20 for Rich.

The=20 start was a very special affair with a remembrance prayer, for all those = who=20 died in on September 11th, a 2 minute silence and a lone bugler. The usual mad dash ensued, = Rich pulled=20 me back and offered his advice of "slow down and we will catch them = later!" The course took us down=20 Chipping=20 Sodbury High=20 Street,=20 much to the amazement of those doing some early shopping. Why would 600 people want to = race on a=20 lovely Sunday morning?

By=20 1=BD miles Rich and I were passing very red faced runners. Rich seemed = to know=20 every one of them and after a few words we were on our way. We crossed some muddy fields = avoiding=20 the freshly laid cow pats and leap over large straw bales.

Our=20 first real test was Little Sodbury Hill, not = so little=20 and a very steep muddy single track

with=20 a stile at the top. Then = a fast=20 downhill, through an ancient hill fort, I took my first fall on a sharp=20 right-hander and ended up in some stinging = nettles.

Rich,=20 after =BD hr was flagging and said I should go on. The next few miles were = extreme as they=20 involved muddy bogs and streams. = I=20 was lucky as I only went up to my knees. =20 One poor guy went in up to their hips and used his hand to pull = himself=20 out and slipped and went face down into the mire!

I=20 lost my left shoe in this! While rescuing it, got covered in mud by = others=20 steaming through. This = cost me=20 valuable seconds retrieving it. The stream crossing was not as bad as I = thought=20 and gave a chance to loose some of the mud I had collected on=20 route.

The=20 'slog' took us across a newly planted field, which was very soft and not = easy=20 running. It was here I = came across=20 a mad man running in a suit!

The=20 race picked up on the homeward stretch and the drinks stop was a welcome = sight. Once the last mile = marker=20 was passed the pressure was on to find the last few ounces of energy. = The finish=20 line was a welcome sight to see. = The shower facilities were a fire hydrant to blast the mud off = your shoes=20 and legs! =

All=20 finishers picked up a smart t-shirt, which we will be proud to = wear. The race was finished off with = a hot cup=20 of tea which put the colour pack into our=20 cheeks!

Well=20 done to all who came and I look forward to racing with you=20 again.

The=20 race had 553 finishers with Eric Downey coming 95th in 1:07,=20 Rich James coming just behind him 152nd in 1:10. Rich was beaten by our Mowers = rivals=20 Ross Hale by 5 seconds. = Karl Slater=20 came 338th in 1:23,=20 Lee Francis had a good race finishing 395th in 1:26,=20 Simon Talbot and John Milkins completed the = race 427th=20 and 429th respectively in 1:30.

What=20 happened to last year's entrants, Wayne Osmand, Zee=20 Francis, Stephen Penman, Phillipa Crocker = and Chris=20 Barker??? We could have = done with=20 you to beat Mowers Gym!

For=20 a friendly reminder to those who came see below, to those who did not = come,=20 there is always next year!

Keep=20 Tri-ing!

Written=20 by Eric Downey (eric@worldcrystals.co.uk)

Regards