The Squirrel / Hit & Miss, Penn Street (Run 11)

Run report by Jerome


Jules, Amanda, Susie, Selwyn, Steve, Duds, Julie, John, myself and a newcomer Neil, who is a fitness trainer who gives a bit to the Radnage crowd on a weekly basis. I imagine he was looking to see if he could pick up any new training techniques from us, no really!!!
Rodders also arrived as driver but without any running gear due to the epic voyage he is participating in this weekend. This made the decision to run from the Squirrel all the more galling as this was chosen as a flat run because Rodders didn’t want to over exert himself. Well the only thing over exerting itself was my car driving 45 minutes to get there. Anyway enough of my sarcasm and general vitriol.
We set off at a steaming pace for 200 yards before Chris shouted at us that the venue had changed to The Hit & Miss due to overcrowding in the Squirrel. That was a welcome rest for me and Selwyn but we soon resumed. It was then that John realised that myself and Selwyn were about to overtake him. Not realising that they had achieved super levels of fitness in the preceding week he feigned a calf injury and withdrew to go on a bike ride. Nothing too adventurous happened in the first half as the run is basically very flat and straighter than a Roman Road although Julie did manage to slip and I believe implant her derrière in the mud………fantastic. Up the bum, no harm done as they say and the rest of the run continued without incident. Fortunately John who had waited towards the end of the run to welcome home the runners realised that the Fatties had missed out the last part otherwise he would still be waiting.
Baz welcomed us in the Hit and Miss fresh from his excursions up and around Snowdon. He looked like he had recovered quite well so all the more respect to him for doing the Ridgeway this weekend. The landlord brought out 4 bowls of very nice chips and then returned with a cheesy one for the girls (chips that is).
To me at least most of the evening was taken up by Chris and Baz preparing, lest you didn’t know, for their 87 mile walk of the Ridgeway starting this Friday. I believe they have now got a support person on each of the stops although with Rodders marking the wrong car park for my stop it is highly questionable whether the walkers and the support people will actually meet up anytime during the walk. I understand that Selwyn is now joining them for a leg, is there anything this man won’t try?
As usual I could not be privy to every conversation taking place but I assume that Duds, who was gunning the Stowford Press, must have sunk to some fairly base levels of discussion in which case they should be shared. What was Neil’s drinking like Susie and does he deserve to be invited back for another run and has he paid his joining fee?
For all those not aware a plug for the intrepid Ridgeway boys. Have you sponsored them yet? For Brett a big bog off big boy for YET AGAIN not turning up with the kitty. Lost interest and potential earnings from that have increased to the extent that a round for next weeks runners will be a suitable fine. For Rachel who turned up last week after months off with a severe injury caused by her first run…….has it happened again? For Kate a come back, all is forgiven but “he’s obviously still hitting your G spot”. For Michael the baker where are you and bring some bread rolls soon.
Next weeks run will be from Ivinghoe Beacon where we will be scouring the hillside for Presso.
Fooled you there!! Actually not surprisingly it will be from the Stag & Huntsman in Hambleden. An appropriate route will be prepared and we look forward to more banter and a great deal of beer.

Jerome