Well after the last race at Dulwich Park, I should be writing and telling you about two more races, but I fell(in more ways than one) foul of injury( a new one at least) and to much alcohol.
After the 5k race I was training really well, I gave the Forest session a miss the day after the race, but managed to get up there on the Saturday and completed a reasonable session. Apparently on the Thursday night the group had grown to over 16 people including a well known local sporting celebrity. The Sunday after the race I did my usual long run, and then we decided we were going on a road trip to Sunny Southend.
Its been a few years since I had ventured down to the Essex Riviera and on the way I explained to Meredith the rules of pub cricket and she went on to make an impressive 42 all out. Its funny I spent years vi sting southend as a kid, but as soon as I had to drive there myself I could not remember the way, I told Meredith to sit in the front and just look for the big grey wavey stuff just below the sky and using this foolproof method we eventually found our way to the sea front. Then its time for that other great game find a parking spot, we managed to drive past a couple of Car Parks which were full, but we did finally find somewhere towards the West cliff end of town. Then we were robbed by the Parking meter, I'd really like to know where all this money goes to, cant be for the up keep on the Parking bays.
We walked down to look at the Pier and we did consider the walk to the end of the Pier to watch the turds migrating out to see, but decided that we would leave this pleasure until Meredith's mum arrives next month. The next place of high excitement that we came to was Peter Pan land and we strolled through there admiring the Essex Chavs in their finest Burberry and West Ham shirts, and that was just the kids. The next objective was to find somewhere to eat and I thought we might find a pleasant pub have something along the sea front, but the pubs were just dreadful everyone had a bunch of blokes sitting outside with tattoos and a pint of Fosters or Magners in each hand,we did not dare go into them, a bit like the guys who stopped playing darts in the American Werewolf in London film. The further we walked along the more scary they got, I think one of the pubs actually guys with UN light blue berets on the door, and when I spoke to them they said this was a worse tour than Iraq.
Eventually we did find a pub with a hotel bit attached(good luck if you ever stayed there) it did food but on a very limited scale, IE they could do a cheese omelet, but not a cheese and mushroom one. I had the worst pint of fosters in the world it just tasted dread full. We made our escape as quick as possible and then made our way back to the part of town where they had shops. Whilst walking there Meredith decided she wanted to have a go on one of those claw things where you lower it away and win a prize, after three attempts and being 60p out of pocket she gave up and we moved on. However the next arcade had a similar machine where you played fro unlimited time and were guaranteed a prize, her eyes lit up and she went for it. The evil was positioned and went down and managed to grab not one but two little cuddly tigers and they both clung on and went down the exit shoot, into Meredith's grateful hands.
Flush with success we decided to move on quite quickly and wandered up to the move civilised shopping area of town. Well I say civilised, it was slightly better than the pubs down at the other end and we did manage to find somewhere that sold ice cream and coffee in which we indulged before heading back towards the car. We did manage to spot a pub which looked a lot more civilised and next time when we come back with Meredith's mother we may try there.
After walking back to the car we drove back home and this time it was my turn to bat in pub cricket, and I made a dismal reply being 0/7 as we got back home. I claimed the game had not finished as I still had two batsmen left, but Meredith was claiming victory.
Ok this was going to be a blog about Marshalling in a race, but I have got side tracked so will continue with the Marshalling in the next blog.
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