Training Day – Sunday October 26th.

Tony's Training Day's tend to be a bit of a magical mystery tour. A couple of years ago it was only as the coach sped to North Wales that we found that we were expected to run up Snowdon (down proved harder than up). This time we went up Shuttlingsloe, this was a fairly restricted 'we' and brought the response from the 6 other teams of 'Why?'. 'Because it's there' tried Jan, which she thought sounded better than discussing the quality of our map reading. If next year Tony is thinking of the Himalayas, I want out.

I thought I was just going for a run but it transpired it was a treasure hunt and we were split into teams by ability. The start was the usual shambles; those who were supposed to be there but had dropped-out, those who had not told Nicky they were coming but turned-up and those who felt they ought to be in the a different team, Tony had to abandon the handicap system he had devised. Blaze Farm is normally used for children's parties and seemed an appropriate venue

Our team was keen to get going but everyone but Patrick declined to take any responsibility for map reading. Initially this was not a problem as there were only really two ways from the start so you just followed the crowd. We found a couple of early clues quickly and then headed-up to the top of Shuttlingsloe. This was less a matter of making wrong decisions, more a failure of making any decisions. Even from the top, none of the other groups were in sight. Patrick was dissuaded from leading us off in the direction from which we had just come, and we followed the down section of the Shuttlingloe race and then picked-up Trevor's Summer Handicap route before turning left down to the visitor's centre. Everyone was keen to pick-up the points for finding as many as practical of the 20 staging posts and answering the clues, my focus was getting back in time for the food. We had been allowed 1 hour 45 minutes and there were harsh penalties for lateness. The quickest route back allowed us to take-in three more staging posts. 37 minutes left said Gail. Sue said we'd only been out for 40 minutes but her Garmin seemed to be running on summer time. Our map reading was now accurate and we found the best route back, albeit it took us 46 not 37 minutes. Halfway we met the Watts/Norris/ Rahman/Saunders group and knew they'd comfortably beat us back, but after our Shuttlingsloe detour we had forsaken any ambitions and had accepted that we would coming last. The final third of a mile was up a steep hill, we thought though we had the benefit of a good handicap so we sent our sherpas, Bernard and Ang, ahead with our answer sheet. I actually think it was the last runner home that counted, but as Bernard and Ang went the wrong way it was all academic.

On these type of exercises, people are always drawn into trying to pick-up too many of the points on offer round the circuit but then lose more than they gain through time penalties. We were 9 minutes late but 4 of the 7 teams were still out on the course. The fast tortoise team of Nina/Don/Belinda/Sarah/Julie were home in 1:46, but the hares, Downs/Wilson/McCormick/Archbold had, as one knew they would, gone for completing all 20 stages . The other 'Apollo' team Diane/Janine/Louisa /Jarrod/Richard also found that their ambition had exceeded their ability and were 37 minutes late.  Nicky/Sharon/Jon/Gavin followed us in and Tim/Geoff/Christian/Paul G  brought up the rear.

The weather was kind, Tony had done a lot of work and the exercise worked well and has the bonus that your brain is distracted from the aching in your legs from running up yet another hill. Our group was great fun and found the right mix between competitiveness and having a laugh, we were even singing as we ran in the last half hour. The food was good and Tony had baked a club 25 year anniversary cake which we attacked with gusto.

              Don (click on images for larger)

Huma/Jane/Paul N/Andy W                                 160 points minus 30 lateness penalties = 130

Patrick/Gail/Sue/Jan/Bernard/Angie/Ian             160 -  45 = 115

Don/Sarah/Julie/Nina/Belinda                             105 -    5 = 100

Nicky/Sharon/Jon/Gavin                                      163 –   65 =  98

Louisa/Diane/Janine/Richard/Jarrod                    233 – 185 =  48

Rob D/Rob W/Barry/Allan                                    148 – 130 =  18

Geoff/Paul G/Christian/Tim                                 180 – 180 =   0

Ian