Run Details

-

#2471 Chez Balinor & Dyke Diver, Swanborough – A scorchio day, the promise of cheap beer, and a DD chilli special for a bargain price rapidly swelled the numbers late on, despite several requests to sign up EARLY! Everybody should be taking their turn at haring, and at some point you will realise the advantages to being able to give our hosts reasonably accurate numbers for catering purposes, whether a pub or, as in this case, the hares kindly opening up their home and garden, so please show some consideration and sign up early if requested.

Right nag out of the way, and on to the r*n. Having earlier said farewell to Rob Jones of Dark Star fame (the beer came first, before the brewery with which he was no longer associated), Angel had to chastise me against the opposite – signing up and then letting the temptations of the Welly get the better of me! So a rush home meant no time to change, which in turn meant I was on the wa*kers route, led admirably by On On Don including snippets on the way such as how lovely the new Swanborough cabins were, and noting their proximity to the sewage farm! Still, we saw plenty of interesting wildlife and death, the former in the birds on the lake including a heron, and the latter a headless rat, which I mused must have been left by the hare given his vocation. Meanwhile the r*nners, eventually joined by Little Swinger who (having missed the parking turn and dumped the car somewhere up the public footpath) came charging down as we ambled along the Drove, had a flattish start through Iford before climbing up through Northease school with the obligatory fishhooks on the way. With Balinor having suffered an injury in setting, he decided to cut out a loop on top to enable the main pack to get stuck into the excellent chilli and beer before the walkers returned.

With everyone settled comfortably around the garden, a wholly conducive atmosphere pervaded the pleasant summers evening, the chilli being followed by strawberries and ice cream. It wasn’t to last though, ruined by the RA ranting about a circle up, which began with a toast to Rob Jones who twice showed the hash round his fledgling brewing operation in the Evening Star basement. With copious amounts of ale to dispose of, even non-drinking hare Dyke Diver wouldn’t be completely off the hook and would have to nominate a beer while drinking a softy. And so Edith found herself drinking with James (who, rather worryingly for a hare, had responded to the Facebook event with ‘Interested’, instead of the more desirable ‘Going’), although Edith’s contribution to the food distribution warranted a downer too, so non-running Kingston athlete Dave found himself also nominated. With that all sorted out, the four of them downed to the ‘Here’s To’ number, before Dave was again invited up to join Rico & Amorie, visiting the Gomi’s from Brisbane, for the virgins questions and ditty. Our race-ist duo of Nasty Nips and Little Swinger were then asked to Get A Life after yet another huge run on Saturday of 55km, but the latter had gone on to complete the London to Brighton bike ride on Sunday! I was disappointed to be stuck with lost property from the Rising Sun after a no-show, so Angel found herself taking a beer instead, my return from the Welly not speeding our departure by much as she’d lost her money belt, eventually found around her waist band AFTER she’d put another over the top of it! And finally, after many appearances, it was time OOD’s good lady received a moniker. Regularly signing in as Scotty Pat, a twist on that had Scatty Pot, Patty Scott, Spotty Cat, and other variations proposed before she ended up as Scotty Totty. And on that note, we hashed the toast to another great night, hic! Bouncer