Boar’s Head – race 10

Wednesday June 4th.

June offers better weather, fewer tourists and lower prices than the summer, so, if you've not got family commitments, it is the ideal month to travel. As a consequence, I have never run Boar's Head. The reports were not good, this was clearly going to be a testing evening. A popular race, midweek, close to home and having already done my 7, it was also difficult to believe I would add any points to my Series totals. The forecast was rain.

I sometimes don't like to probe my motivation too deeply, but I was, nevertheless, looking forward to the race. Perhaps because , Huma apart, I have, on my day, beaten  everyone else in League 4 and they, on theirs, have beaten me. It makes for fascinating racing.

The heavy rain ceased before the start and whilst the top was shrouded in thick mist, it was quite warm and weather conditions were good for running. Less so the ground conditions. Carolyn has cast doubt on my grasp of anatomy when I suggested that the mud at 3-Peaks was up to the ankle, pointing at her thighs. This was more of the same and some a funny colour. I think most people feel this is a really enjoyable course and race, I don't wholly concur, probably because, unlike 3-Peaks, which favours the good descenders, Boars Head favours the good climbers.

Damian was 2nd., Series Leader, Mike ,14th.,Allan 19th and Jeremy 29th.

Diane was our first lady, followed by Sharon, Louisa, Huma and Diane Bygrave.

Phil took the 60 points in League 2, followed by Adam, Jarrod, Jon, Paul and Sharon.

One second behind Sharon was League 3 winner Richard followed by Gareth,  Andy,  Chris and Steve.

Huma exerted her now customary dominance over League 4. John continues to accumulate good points and Angela, if I have her position correct, put in her best performance of the Series. The big battle was Gail, Carolyn and Sharon who were never more than a few yards apart from start to finish. This was Carolyn back to where she should be against Gail and Sharon, who have now fully thrown-off the after-effects of their marathons.

I spent some time exchanging positions with Soraya and whilst I pulled-away on the final downhill she took the League 5 60-points. An excellent run by Julie on home territory and Sarah, who excels out in the hills.  Next Rachel and Sue, who  performed strongly on the 6k to the top but was done by the descent, Amy, Bernard and Nina.  Don was then followed Trevor, whose ability uphill was too much for Roy.

The next month, for me, is mainly cycling in France and holidaying in Corsica. It would be good if others could write something on Warrington, Shuttlingsloe, Rhyl and Bollington Nostalgia. Even when I'm here, my reports are, by necessity, biased towards the slower end of the field. I'm running better this year but it would be optimistic to think that, anytime soon, I'll be in a position to comment on what's happening at the front, or even in the middle, of the race, so even when I'm running, having others  also reporting, would give a more balanced perspective on the race.

Ian