As this will be my first ‘race’ report, I guess it would need to be a special event.

Chris Adams had decided to get down on one knee and ask the long suffering (of Chris) Sarah to marry him. For some reason we haven’t worked out she’d agreed.

He’d arranged a stag doo for some ‘friends’ but we couldn’t let the event pass without a ‘running send off’.

Lots of planning and the event was set 2 October meet in King Billy in Cottingham.

18 lads dressed as 118 guys. Quick couple of pints before heading away and over to Cottingham. Running along the main roads we were greeted by plenty of car beeps (generally aimed at Nige’s poor bike handling) but a few at our outfits and plenty of people filming and taking pics.

Harland way is a bit of a sod really when the front runners were mainly runners rather than drinkers their early eagerness meant we got to half moon at a reasonable pace.

I must confess I was regretting the earlier pre drinks and the last 5 years, concentrating more on the ale than the miles. We reconvened in the beer garden had a natter took a few pics, before drinking up and heading over the hill down to Little Weighton. Myself and a couple of the better drinkers took the next couple of miles more sedately at ‘happy pace’

Once arrived at the black horse, ’11 pints of hand-pull 7 pints of lager’ the girl behind the bar was very bemused with her Saturday afternoon visitors. Even more bemused by talk of ‘Dragons’ from the fresh faced Dr!

‘Sup up’ the call came, and this time the backroads toward risby. This was the best running leg, quiet roads, a spot of car jacking, and a comedy fall from the downtrodden Mckee. Things would start to take a turn for the worse for Tom who was clearly paying for his strict training regime. Following on from the Barrel in Walkington he fell Again! This time into the village pond. Although there is some suspicion that our good captain Matty may have been involved somehow?!

Approaching the traffic lights in Walkington heading towards Beverley they changed to Red. This was too good an opportunity to miss, as the group lined up in track positions at the lights, Amber – get set, green – GO! We all let Chris win of course.

We picked up the beaver trail onto the back of the westwood toward the race-course, for the inaugural handicapped harriers 5 furlong race. It involved cans of lager with some running, however with 10 miles and a fair few pints, predictably it all went a little awry, culminating in the Giant (Tom D) showing nigel why he used to play Rugby (although I’m sure rugby outfits tended to be less prone to ripping!)

Next onto Rose and crown to round off the afternoons entertainment before showering and changing for the evening.

The main aim for the event was of course to give Chris a send off. But the fancy dress was to give other people a good laugh too, which did seem to happen. Hopefully laid down a marker for when the Captain gets married next year!

Rob Snaith