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.