The Grouse and Ale, Lane End. 16th September 2009 (25th)

Run report by Brett

Last nights venue was The Grouse & Ale preceeded by a surprisingly pleasant Jules Hucks designed run. Participants were: Spellbound, Presso, JB, Jules, Jewels, Amanda, Rodders, Duds and myself who in arriving last was given the reporting duty but thankfully not the ever contentious choice of next weeks end of school outing.

All of you who have attended a run this season are invited, infact actively encouraged, to come along next week when the plan is to run from the car park of Bourne End railway station and then adjourn to The Bounty for drinks before moving onto The Last Viceroy in Bourne End for Indian food. I will need numbers of those who intend eating so that I can book a table for around 8.30/9pm. If you could let me know asap I would be most grateful.

Meanwhile, back in Lane End at 6.50pm we set off from the pub, through ASBO central where we copped a few choice comments from a group of LEVI's, before entering woodland, scarpering over delightful countryside and then returning via Booker via the less scenic route of a field adjacent to the hard shoulder of the M40 on one side and Booker Air Park on the other. As we approached the village after 4.75 miles and 55 minutes, gun shots could plainly be heared and the sky was burning fire red. Another riot on the Simmons Way Estate???... not not at all just some jolly clay pigeon shooting and a fabulous sunset for all to enjoy.......

So with that picture in mind, I will leave you with the news that Susie made it to the pub after her governors meeting, the chips were more skinny than chunky, Simon Shaw is signing his autobiography at the Eden Centre this afternoon, Michael Hunt doesnt exist other than in the film Porkys and all of its sequels, Jules is 50 next year, Carverys arent worth attending unless you are first in the queue, the service at the Cheerful Sole is inadequate and I plainly heard JB shout the words 'where is my fxxking drink?'

See you next week.

Brett

The Flower Pot, Aston nr Henley. 9th September 2009 (24)

Quickie report by Jules - (please add comments)

We met (Jules ran there), we waited for Selwyn. We mused as to his demise as he was last seen with a puncture. Steve went to the rescue. We set off. We ran about 5 miles on a lovely evening with great views and a calming final 2 miles on the Thames path.

Steve met us back at the Pub having cycled home and back. Selwyn had called home and been rescued by his wife but didn't see Steve. Selwyn ran the last part of the run with Duds.

Pub chat was as convivial as usual, surrounded by a lot of stuffed fish and many other animals whilst England beat the Croatians 5-1 in the other bar. Chios not bad, service very average.

The Chequers, Wheeler End Common, 2nd September 2009

Run Report by Duds

The expression "as wet as an Otter's pocket" springs to mind when I cast my mind back to last Wednesday evening.

The nine madmen and madladies (plus David A who cycled to the pub for a drink from Marlow) endured what must be the wettest Wednesday night run in the history of Wednesday night runs and probably one of the most memorable for another reason which I shall allude to a little later on. It was a horrible evening. Cold too. We could have set up our own glass-cutting factory with all the erect nipples on show that evening....

Susie and I were a little tardy in arriving at the pub (which is why I'm writing this report having lost the toss with Susie) and joined Jules S, Jules H, John B, Selwyn, Steve, Neil and Presso who were huddled under a small hut roof away from the deluge. The latter took some persuading but we eventually left (already soaked within yards) at high speed in the usual direction.

Even in the woods we were no better off and so we all just got on with it like the tough citizens we are and ran the usual route (minus the tour of Adams Park) with a minimum of fuss. In fact, the "fatties" especially seemed to really appreciate the extra oxygen availability in the air created by the rain (that one's for Fred). We probably all shaved at least one second off our best ever run times.....

Anyway, nearing the end and through my steamed up night vision goggles, when turning the corner to the Chequers, I could easily make out the blue flashing lights of three fire engines parked in our path. Those warming thoughts of a nice pint of bitter, a pack of pork scratchings and maybe a bowl of hot chips promptly disappeared as we all realised that our pub was on fire ! Then, to add to our woeful evening, Neil, who I noticed had been running with Jules S and Susie pretty much all evening, told us that he had lost his car key fob whilst whipping out his hankie from his pocket to wipe something [though he wouldn't say exactly what it was he was trying to clean up].

A change of pub was required and the Peacock it was. A few cheap beers, terribly expensive wines J and averagely expensive bowls of chips later and we were all just about starting to dry off (even in our dry clothes). I have no idea what was being discussed at other tables so I won't comment but it was thoroughly nice to be out of the rain for a while. Amanda H and Chris R joined us by car with David, as wet as the rest of us, by bike.
Jules H (not Jules S) and Neil bravely ventured back to the woods for a spot of off-roading in order to try and find Neil's car key fob. Did they ever return I wonder ?

Next week's run is to be at the slightly earlier time of 6:45 pm from the Flowerpot at Remenham (you know, the one with the never-ending finish along the Thames ?) but I'm not sure if that is because of the shortening daylight hours or because the run is apparently a 7-miler ? A short-cut for the fatties is required me thinks (Jules H/Chris R - can you organise this please ? - unless you want to see a very small turn-out from the non-professional-athletes that is).

See you all next week when hopefully the weather will be a little more friendly.
Duds.

Prince Albert, Frieth - 26th August 2009 (run 22)

Run report by Presso.

It was a typical evening for early October. Dark, damp and with a substantial breeze blowing around that feted village in the back end of hells-arse.
Jules "exorcist" Hucks and Chris "Saint-of-travellers" Preston waited for back up for as long as possible, thankfully, because Baz " hound-from-hell" Hawkins arrived and we felt better about venturing out into the storm.
As is customary in these parts, a small tornado the circumference of Frieth, was blowing ensuring we ran into the wind the whole way round. The exorcist howled for the riddance of the devil but I insisted we continued on the given route, and, with the hound-from-hell as back-up I had my way. The cold gnawed at my bones and the rain seeped in through every pore but we still resisted the extra loop the "exorcist" would have us do, knowing that that would be our undoing....???....!!!!....

We arrived back at the hostlery after facing the demons for a full 40 minutes and thankfully there was a welcome on that hill-side. Brakspears.
Never let it be said that the devils brew comes in a blue and red tin with a bee on it.

At the pub Amanda was the first to arrive, avec serpent handbag, which did put the wind up the hound-from-hell but was quickly tamed by the patron Saint-of-travellers and the conversation quickly turned to double-barrelled surnames. Obviously, the hound-from-hell and the patron Saint-of-travellers, being tripled-barreled were excluded but there was a general disquiet at the double-barreled fraternity.

Kate "Winslet-"Newberry arrived for her birthday drink, but a tad late to share it with anyone else. With the night already drawn in at 2100hrs and the devils worshippers sated we departed whence we had come, in the full knowledge that salvation will be forthcoming at The Cheques at Wheeler End Common on Wednesday next.


Hope a few more of you can make it next week.
Presso