The version according to Mick Fairs
This is a long tale but I’ll try to keep it short.
After being picked up from home by Peter C and Steve D at 5.15 we turned into
where a long queue had formed due to an accident. This set back was the first of many we were to encounter that evening. To avoid the queue we headed into Wilmslow and up to the M60 where, as we all now know, the traffic was solid and barely moving but with plenty of time to spare we weren’t too concerned.
This changed as time passed by and having made little progress by 6.45 we turned off to Stockport
Manchester
shown as a quaint village. We humoured him with grunts of approval and slipped it back into the glove compartment.
We pressed on looking for
, where the ECH clubhouse was until, with time running out, wily Pete decided a short cut would help us. Despite the blaring horns which he acknowledged in the usual way, Pete hung a left up a one-way street (unfortunately the wrong way for us) and battled on muttering something about sharing the cost of the fine.
We eventually arrived at the clubhouse with 25 minutes to spare feeling that things hadn’t worked out too badly. After registration Pete and I paid a quick call to the Gents but despite my speedy visit there was no sign of Pete emerging. I waited 2, then 3 minutes thinking Pete must be more nervous about the race than I had realised. We couldn’t wait any longer so I called his name – no response, then knocked – still no response.
Assuming he had actually been quicker than me I dashed outside fearing everyone would have gone and that I would struggle to find the way to the start.
But Lo! Salvation was at hand as I spotted Steve, the great orienteer, whose navigational skills are second only to Magellan, studying the maps on the clubhouse wall in great detail. Pete appeared from nowhere and with 15 minutes left we set off at a brisk pace but confident of reaching the start with a time to spare.
Steve led us like a man with a mission, leaving no doubt that all we had to do was follow the road in a straight line. We followed unquestioningly (and naively!).
After 7 minutes there was still no sign of any other runner and I was becoming a little concerned. Steve had become ominously quiet and as we approached the outskirts of Oldham
We headed back at race pace and after enquiring several times, eventually reached Daisy Nook over 6 minutes after everybody else had started.
No doubt others will describe the race itself, suffice it to say the first marshall
All in all a good fun evening with lots of stories and an enjoyable hotpot supper laid on by ECH. Also excellent results for Wilmslow runners who between them cleared almost all the prizes.
Mick Fairs