Its very nice to do something together as a group; our group consisted of prehaps over a thousand and we were all running; ten kilometres to be precise.

Brian May, John Culhane, David and Des May in their hats!

The gun fired and everyone took off; a few at a gallop, most too fast, some too slow, which results in a rearranging of the field for the first few kilometres or so as particpatants pass each others both ways.

Its great to get in with someone going your pace or there abouts as a bit of healty competition can bring out the best in you.

 I had found just the guy and we see sawed back and over for kilometres. His head would dip and I would think he is struggling; gradually I would move ahead and hearing nothing of him assume he was gone only to turn to my other shoulder and there he was again! Amterilising as if out of thin air, like a Phantom!!!
 
I have done some running in the past (sporadically) and my physical build resembles that of a albino Kenyan runner (which helps) but having not ran for sometime I was still suprised to how well I was performing.

I got all I could out of the crest of the wave by kilometre seven which turned into a real battle of attrition. The guy I was playing Cat and Mouse with had found a higher gear and no matter how much I flicked through my ipod no song had enough power to lift me out of the funk setting in.
It was also at this point that I seemed to get isolated from everyone; no one to break the constant 0.2 mph oncoming wind any longer, and with those pesky thoughts starting to get more and more air time it was crucial that I be making progress, for morale’s sake I better see eight soon.

On and on and on I went, my eyes starving to see that sideways infinity symbol but alas it was not forthcoming. Is this purgatory? did I die somewhere back in kilometre six
 
And then there it was, number nine. What a glorious sight, I must have missed eight, I somehow did’nt see it.
Let me tell you, this experience is akin to facing a day of school without your homework done only to wake up and find that it had snowed during the night. WOOHOO
 
With my passing-out people days behind me I dropped down a few paces and took it home gently, quickening my pace just before the final bend, to give the impression to all my adoring female fans that I have been tipping along at a near sprint the whole way.
 
All in all the day was a success. The (free) hat, the course, the weather, the companions, the tea, the biscuits, the parking, the runners, the woman who welcomed everyone over the line by name (hats off to you, that takes stamina of another kind) and there even was toilet paper in the portable toilets which is rare treat indeed