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Over 15 Windle Valley Runners turned out for
this year's Wokingham Half Marathon at Cantley Park, Wokingham. Our thanks to Michael and Mary MacClancy for their Open House after the event. Miles Cudmore reports The rain poured down over breakfast, and one step outside the front door revealed it was also cold, sending me scurrying back for leggings and something waterproof. It did not look a lot better at the start as I shivered in a bin bag behind the line. Over 1700 others clearly felt the same, with huge queues for the kit marquee and single set of loos with 5 min to go. But the starter put the tannoy to great use, exhorting everyone to get a move on, and unbelievably we started on time. The course began with a one mile lap around Calshot Park, and went back through the start before heading out into the countryside. The first quarter mile was tricky, with the road narrowing into a muddy path creating a bottleneck. Geoff Williams and I had lined up near the front and so were not held up, but many others like Pete lost over a minute on the first lap. One benefit of going back through the start was enabling Mike McClancy to use the loos …. the queues having beaten him earlier. Out in open ground, the pace settled and the rain stopped leaving excellent running conditions. The flat route went over the M4 and weaved through a series of attractive lanes with good marshalling. The high number of runners meant everyone had a group to run with, and around mile 11 we had our very own Windle Valley supporters yelling encouragement. Thanks Ginni & Karen !! Despite the weather and hiccups at the start, it was a super race. The results reveal some great times – I believe that Geoff Williams, Mary & Mike McClancy, Dave Pierce and I achieved PBs … and am sure some of the other Windle Valley folk did too. Well done.
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