5 brave runners made the short journey to Walesby to take part in the rearranged Dukeries 10mile event. The night before the race the course had to be changed due to localised flooding so the route was more or less an out and back with a 2 mile loop in the middle. The rain was relentless from the moment the alarm clock went off, but being hardened runners it was never going to deter us.
The race started at 9am sharp with the race director keen set the race off on schedule with approx 126 runners crossing that start line. The race started at the Walesby sports village and headed up a farm road before entering a wooded section for a short loop before heading down a single track, crossed the main road then working around the edges of several farmers fields heading towards Bevercoats. The fields was manageable but had plenty of mud and puddles, At 4 miles the first aid station arrived and the 2 mile loop started. A small road section appeared that had plenty of running water off nearby fields and it was alot easier to navigate with alot less mud. After joining a another farm track we was back running through fields before getting back to the aid station which meant 4 miles to the finish the same way we came.
The rain didnt stop for the duration which only made us determined to get to the finsih line. First over the line was Mark Fielding, followed by Colin Shuttleworth 5 minutes later. 3 minutes passed and the first lady crossed the line and it was one of our own, Lauren Crossland, that won the ladys race. Next home was Sarah Hill 4 minutes after Lauren and also 4th female, narrowly missing out on a podium finish herself. Our very own pink bird, aka Dawn Keeligan, rounded off the Retford AC contingent still smiling after she had finished in her usualy fully pink running attire.
After putting on some dryer clothes we headed inside for a well deserved warm drink 0r 2, collected our medals, and throphy if your Lauren and had a good chat and laugh about the race before heading home to wash the mud off our legs. Ironically as we was leaving the rain had since stopped.....of course it had!!
Comments