| Since I now basically spend most my time up in Hants, I thought it a good idea to try out a local race. This half is based down in Fawley near Southhampton. There's not much going for Fawley: a refinery and access to The New Forest seem to be it. The community centre where the race is held looked pretty good, though the car boot going on at the same time was depressing and devoid of bargains.
A "no entries on the day" event I expected a big turnout but only about 400 runners. It was also time chipped. The organisers seemed cash happy here. The course is flat except for two hills looping through the New forest, down to the coast at Lepe and back to Fawley. Weather was warm and humid though. No breeze coming of the sea either.
Club wise Gosport, Winchester, Portsmouth, Salisbury and the various flavour of Southampton club were all present in numbers. Rivalry was apparent between the Gosport girls and Winchester women, whilst the Male
Fareham Crusaders were sizing up their opposites from Gosport. All amiable folk. The Hayle Tri van was up but didn't see any recognisible folk.
I had a below par race. Being the fat pub artist I am, my training had consisted of walking between the pubs of Whitchurch for a couple of weeks. Nevertheless, I was on for a 1:50 race (helped round by a PZ man
running for Gosport) but the last hill was a gradual ascent over a mile or so which slowed me down amazingly well. I came home in a lacklustre
1:54:15 (195 out of 333) receiving a pig iron medal and a bottle of water for the effort. I actually felt like a massage, but knowing I would get a slap from the Winchester Woman I wanted to ask, I ended up in the
community centre. They were charging a fiver(!) so I changed plan and went up to the bar. No decent beer and lack of atmosphere put pay to that idea.
The actual ceremony was going to be in the main sports hall not the bar. Since a lot of runners disappeared straight after the race (more apparent than in Cornwall) holding the ceremony in the smaller bar area would have been worthwhile. They also had a smaller prize list - Only 1st position for vet categories together with first teams and open positions. Organisers are not cash happy here! It wasn't really
happening now and since I heard a pint calling me back in Whitchurch, I made my excuses and left.
Not really impressed by this race. If I do join a club up here I would run in the county league so would end up doing it. I wouldn't really run it otherwise. "
Phil Bowles
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