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Icy, slippery and cold is the Somerley 10k’s welcome for Dorset’s
hardiest runners. Beautiful scenery surrounds
the Earl of Normanton's 7,000 acre family estate, not normally open to
the general public. Shame
as it would make the perfect venue for a tub thumping music
festival, and bring in some cash for Baron Hard-up
‘crippled by capital gains taxes’ anyway I digress…
It’s a few years since I ran this one and I remember then some
runners groaning about the additional distance and the energy
sapping inclines; in fairness this isn’t the day, the race, or the
place for gripes about excess! On arrival, the frosty queues for
registration and numbers quickly melted away, unlike the frozen
puddles on the sheltered downhill tracks. The race started on time
with the minimum of fuss, km markers and a well intentioned sign
inviting runners to a ‘sprint finish’ (Paolo needed no such
encouragement). I liked it, so did all I spoke to afterwards and the
GPS showed the correct distance too. Combined with the Round the
Lakes and the Broadstone ¼ it completes a festive hat-trick of runs,
not for everyone I suspect, but the race was sufficiently tempting
for the 600 who got a stately start to the New Year. No queues
either at the tea wagon afterwards…B
Run in aid of
The
Wessex Autistic Society - over £7,000
rasied.
Full results:
http://www.twas.org.uk/index.php?pIDref=101-home
Photos:
www.bournemouthphotoclassics.com |
