March 2015

[marathondan]

Well you've brought this on yourself Charlie by mentioning the music. I also passed the time on the last lap by playing the word association game. Here is the resulting quiz. Remember it's 80s pop.

1,2. Appropriately, the word association took on a Moyleman Marathon theme. I found myself signed up as a volunteer marshal and had been put in charge of ordering the marshals' bibs. But there was a shortage. I texted the race director himself: I just can't get enough. Call me.

3. Suddenly I was in the race itself, plummeting down a hill. At the bottom was a low stile. There was no way I could stop in time. Well, I thought to myself, might as well jump it.

4. Stile cleared, I encountered none other than the lead marshal himself. He spun me right round. I hadn't realised it was an out-and-back course.

5. At least I knew that we were half way there.

6. Cresting the next hill, there it was, my eventual destination laid out before me: a town called Lewes.

7. But suddenly we veered away and into another steep incline. Whoever designed this course was taking the mickey.

8. But soon I found myself smiling as we turned into another lovely descent. It was like I was walking on... something uplifting. In the far distance was the Channel, I could see the waves.

9. I turned to my Garmin and flicked through my recent mile times. I was making good progress; those were some times.

10. I'd run most of the race on my own, but now I found myself back in a small pack. I was pleased that at last, I found someone to run with.

11. We were entering the closing stages now, and I reflected on what had motivated all of the volunteers to put on such a fantastic event. Much more than mere affection for the great man remembered in this event, behind it all was the power of... a more powerful emotion.

12. One thing for sure, the organisation was a labour of love.

13. So, into the final descent, I crossed the line, and I was handed my medal. Every finisher was a winner, so there was only one appropriate colour for this memento.

Nothing too obscure there, so I'm hoping for a good collective score.