SDW100

This has to be the first time that the winner of a race has beaten me by 11 1/2 hours! Jason Harrison, Dave Jones and myself got it into our heads to run the South Downs Way 100. Jason had run a hundred before but for Dave and I it was our first time at the event, our only aim was to finish before the 30 hour cut-off point. To that aim we were successful though it is quite funny to look at the race data and see that we were recording 17 minute miles! (and some a lot slower!)


The race starts in a village on the edge of Winchester and follows the Long Distance Trail, the South Downs Way most of the way to Eastbourne, some parts of the route modified for safety reasons (Should 200 seriously knackered runners be encouraged to run along the Seven Sisters clifftops, for instance)

It has a similar feel to the Cotswold Way and, because of the numerous checkpoint/feeding stations, it is broken into similar length stages. Of course if you run CWR you only get to run about 10 or 12 miles. Running the whole 100 miles is really only for those who are fed up with Saturday night telly. That's the other difference, a large proportion of the race is held in the hours of darkness. I find it hard to run on rough tracks in the dark. I was in good company as most of the slower runners walk the majority of the night stages, jogging at best. We had a night which was well lit by the moon but it is still very hard not to fall on loose stones and tree roots.

 

We got very wet right at the start and then had a fairly long dry period before some very nasty rain squalls at dawn. I was running in full length Goretex waterproofs by then but other runners were suffering awfully in the cold.

Informal alliances occur between complete strangers as they team up to share the difficulties of travelling in a strange part of the country without mishap. Also Dave Jones and I found we were very well matched and ran almost the whole way together.

I was getting pains in my leg muscles, pains from ever growing blisters on both feet and pains in my ankles and knees. The pain in my feet was fairly welcome as it masked the pain in my knees. Oddly I didn't get hungry or thirsty. I was carrying food and the feed stages were more than adequate.

When I got to the finish, Jason had been in for five hours and had been able to snatch some sleep and was off for a walk...

1st Ryan Brown 17 : 04 : 26

22nd Jason Harrison 22 : 47 : 43

107th Dave Jones 28 : 36 : 30

109th Ian Trussler 28 : 42 : 42

Jo and Rob got married

4th April 2012 - Red letter day for Robert Duncumb and his new wife Jo. They got married in the Temple of Apollo at Stourhead with 30 of us crammed into a tiny, circular and somewhat chilly room lit only from a circular opening in the dome and what little light could make it through the doorway. I was chosen to be Rob's best man, quite a privilege in my opinion as Rob is certainly not short of friends.
This gave me a front row seat in the proceedings, which meant that I could hear all that was said by bride and groom and the registrar and assistant. Everyone gets a bit tongue tied in these situations, even the registrar, but I was happy to witness that I had seen a wonderful event, the joining of two people who are so in love.


The photos (as usual) seemed to take a long time and we were all getting somewhat chilly by the time we set off on a 'round the lake' walk, calling in at all the grottos and stopping for a photo call on the bridge (normally closed to visitors and out of bounds)

There was some hilarity as many of us had been issued with those bubble-making devices though I had little luck with mine. A little light rain was starting to fall but it was such a nice occasion that no-one minded at all.
After the walk we all arrived in the function room of the Spread Eagle Inn in Stourton village which is a lovely pub, carefully kept up to feel old while staying in the modern era to cater for a massive clientele which visit during the course of a year.
The food was superb and Robert, Jo and I got up and made short speeches. I am not a confident public speaker but I felt as if I had done my bit quite well. Then we chatted to old friends until quite late in the evening. Many of the guests were staying in the Spread Eagle and surrounding cottages but we drove back to Chippenham. I was quite glad that Lynne had volunteered to drive as I was quite exhausted but elated by having had such a great day with my favourite people.