Update on the latest road running events including the Helmdon Hurler and Headington 5. Also a little story
helmdon hurler
This race is becoming a must do event on the Harriers road race calender. It is a well organised race starting and finishing at the bell inn with a BBQ afterwards. the race is hilly but very scenic and as it is 4.2 miles there is not too much concern about PB's.
The Harriers results for the race in its 4th year were 16th Phil Coy 29.23: 22nd Pete Grieveson 29.53; 24th Michelle Bartlett 30.03 and 1st female; 27th Neil Frape 30.21; Bruce Hendrie 35th 31.54; 47th Liam Grieveson 33.12; 56th Andy Bartlett 34.16; 63rd Doug Scott 34.21; 68th Lisa Ansell 36.03.
After the race some of us ran up Church Street on a warm down. We decided the church was far enough and were about to go back when 2 tiny terrier puppies appeared. They were very cute and very active running round in circles in the road. They were made a fuss of but they did not know when to stop so started to follow us down the road. Memories of shaggy dogs came into our heads so we promptly turned back.
About where the dogs had appeared was a long drive leading up to a large house. I knew this as the Manor house from when I lived at Helmdon years ago. We walked up the drive with the dogs still running round our feet. There was no one around but Andy spotted an open door in a wall and we assumed this was where the dogs had come from. Before we had the chance to do anything the dogs ran off through some bushes. We just managed to retreat before they had the chance to follow us again.
This should have been the end of the story but last night I had a strange dream. 2 terrier dogs were walking the streets of Helmdon howling into the night, hoping against hope that their puppies had not got into the clutches of the De Vill family who lived at the great hall.
Oops.
Headington 5
Only 3 Harriers traveled to Oxford for the first running of the race on a new course. They had mixed feelings on their homeward trip as two of the three won prizes but due to the lead cyclist going the wrong way the distance was reduced to around 4.4 miles.
Simon Pritchard was first Harrier in 10th place and first V40. Phil Coy was next in 30th position (I was actually leading at half a mile in) and then came Glyn Pritchard in 68th place and 3rd V60.
