Christmas 'Do' - or - The Winter Solstice

What! Already? I hear you ask. Yes, book early for Christmas, and to avoid disappointment and all that sort of stuff. Where? Black Horse at Limbrick, or are you getting tired of the Deuchars IPA (is that spelt right Ian?). When? I can do 1st, 8th, 9th (remembering that the 9th is the RMI do), 15th or 16th (all December). Suggestions on a fiver, postcard, email or whatever; the sooner the better. Not suggesting that I'll spit my dummy out if we don't go to Limbrick, but if you want to go elsewhere, you'd better be prepared to set it up.

Ed.

Features for WFDBWGUA...

...should be emailed to edswift@btinternet.com

WFDBWGUA Rewakes!

Having lost the password and generally been occupied with other things, I have neglected our blog for several months now, but with the dark nights looming it's perhaps now time to return indoors and offer up some ramblings on what has been, what might have been and what the future may hold in store. The Tall Grumpy One has BG'd. The Scotsman has BG'd and marathoned and his social secretary has also marathoned - well done Pauline! Staffers has Traversed and now walks up-hill faster than his companions can run, and was a World Record Holder for a short time before a real talent (not some Johnny come lately) got stuck in. Several of us Dozened and one or two nearly Dozened. A good summer, but, apart from for the Tall Grumpy One, the Scotsman and Staffers, not a great summer. It will be interesting to see whether their efforts will prompt further attempts from younger men (and women?) next year. Next event is the Snowdonia Marathon - watch this space.

Bleasedale Circle ~ Saturday 25th Feb 2006

Watters and I did this in 2005 and Watters hasn't raced since, at least not on foot. If you remember he's a cross cyclist now, so it was with great hopes of my first Watters beating that I persuaded him to toe the line. It was a glorious morning, albeit (I like 'albeit', it's a good word) cold and windy. I was at the start on time, with well behaved bowels, and secured a start position just ahead of those I was expecting to beat (Watters, Jan Atkins and the like), but it was not to be. Watters flew past me before we even hit the fell and Jan come past, slightly slower half way up the flank of Fairsnape.
They continued to race away along the ridge, over Parlic and down back to the finish. Pete Gillham was also there, not fit, no ... to train and I thought that he might be for the taking as well, but that wasn' to be either. Dave Tolson was there, also not fit, and also in front of me.

But it wasn't a total disaster

The Amble ~ Saturday 11th Feb 2006

This was the first major meet of the year and as I hadn't allowed enough time to say 'how do' to everyone before the start, it wasn't until I finally arrived back in the hall 5 hours and 40 minutes after the start (5 hours and 35 minutes after my start) that I was able to fully appreciate the line up of talent. No details of who was first home (Ian, any info?) but Trevor Dibben was up there with 3 hours ?, closely followed by the Flying Scotsman in ?? knocking over an hour off last year's time. Then it was the undefatigable Staffers, in a superb time of ??? Then Mark ?..... then Brother John in ?? and Ray Miller in 5 30 (ish). Jan Atkins was up there with 5 02. As you all know, my outing was a more spectacular disaster than usual, due to all manner (and some ambrosia) of bad preparation. Will try harder. The little red-head is in Turkey (bird flu permitting) the day before the OCT so I won't be drinking the day before that race, and now that we know, John, that we have a head to head with Dave Powell-Thompson and Joss Naylor, we're going to have to pull all the stops out (and leave all the stoppers in).

Special note to Staffers: You should now have Jan Atkins' phone number, and as I said, she is looking for a training/reccying partner ~ just a pity that you were the best we could offfer.