Christmas Cracker

Tittesworth, Sunday December 20th.

Fortunately Staffordshire had done a better job at gritting the roads than Cheshire. I was anxious about getting over the hill that we'd run up and down, there and back, in the Meerbrook 15k but it was passable and reasonably safe, although probably not the optimum route.

Steve and Amanda had the Wilmslow outfit of blue tights and yellow tutus, it looked good but only Amanda had grace to balance the incongruity of the rest of team Wilmslow. In any case the cold and steady snowfall was more given to huddling in the cafe rather than flaunting. Amanda even had some blue stuff she brushed into her hair, but to our relief this was not compulsory. We were not alone in entering the spirit of the season; there were a healthy scattering of Santas and angels – I was particularly taken with the chimney sweeps and cavemen. It was too cold to stay and find out who had won.

I have never run the Christmas Cracker and a rumour started to circulate that the course was too dangerous and we were actually going to do the Staffordshire Moorlands Tittesworth Reservoir course. I was less than heartbroken at running five miles off-road on one of my favourite courses rather than up a mountain. No sooner had the decision been made and the marshals appropriately sent off, than the snow stopped, the clouds cleared and the sun came out. As we lined-up for the start Andy pointed up to The Roaches, bathed in a perfect blue sky, the likes of which we've never seen in the summer.

10 minutes into the race we ground to a halt, somehow the leaders had got away on the right route and the whole of the middle of the race had gone the wrong way. This added to the carnival atmosphere a kind of handicap with the slower runners at the front and, the leaders excepted, the faster runners at the back – bit like being behind twenty Trevor's in fancy dress. Once it sorted itself out it was a beautiful run. The snow had been compacted but was not, on the whole, icy and the sun filtered through the snow-covered trees and reflected off the path and the lake. Few people seemed interested in racing, most settling for a pleasant Sunday-morning run. Don came passed me after we'd been up our cul de sac but Andy, Steve and Amanda opted to enjoy their day out.

At the front there was some serious running; Malcolm was 2nd. overall and first M45, Tom 6th. and first M50.

The tights were a great success, fears of the crotch ending near my knees proved unfounded, might give them another run on Tuesday. My tutu was admired as I was overtaken, he said he'd never thought of wearing his for races, but he looked more like a rugby player than a runner.

Ian

Photos at Bryan Dale's site, and also Mick Hall's site