12 years of Park Runs

In total contrast to the Ramsey Fireman's runs, which I didn't go near for about 20 years until I went there three years ago, I have been to all but a handful of the Ramsey Park Runs and probably taken part in more than half of them.

I always feel a bit sad when on a few occasions I have been last away on the handicap and in the company of other 50 somethings. Thankfully, young Olly Lockley has been fastest in most this year and what a talent he is.

But even Olly had to play second fiddle of Kevin Loundes on Friday as he blasted around in a time I think was close to 19.20. The fastest time shown on the Northern AC website is by Andy Cannell but this list is only the from events in the last few years - I think as long as the Northern AC website has been live.

I thought that Tony Okell had run a sub 20 minute time but the fastest I can find is from 2000 (the very first event) when the report said that he was setting the standard for others to follow! He took  20.06 and so Kevin's performance may be a record after all.

If so - congratulations Kevin. I had to wait for him to pick himself  up from the ground on Friday, such was the effort he put it, before I could congratulate him on beating me.

And he inadvertently ensured that I put every effort in too. When Margaret Lockley told me that "Kevin is 20 yards behind me" I thought it was Kevin Vondy who started 20 seconds in arrears. I was determined to stay ahead of him, which I did, and ran a minute faster than in the last race. But the other Kevin stormed past.

I shall have to stop doing things from memory. I told Chris Quine that it was my fastest since 2008 whereas all three that I ran last year were faster. And I thought that my fastest ever was 21.34 but, although I can find a few sub 22, I can't find that one! So maybe I haven't run in half of them after all - but I'm not going to start counting now.

If you have notice how erratic (son) Robbie has been in his four races this year (two first and two last) there are a number of reasons such as the fact that last time (when he took more than twice the 26.48 he ran on Friday, or so he tells me) he had trained three times earlier in the day!

If only Stan Hall's photo of Kevin Loundes beating me was not after reversing a 3 minute 20 seconds handicap, my finishing position would be something to be proud of!