😁 Why did the scarecrow become a marathon runner?
😁 Because he was outstanding in his field!

Right now, I’m half man and half cheese with no idea what day of the week it is. I’m sure many of us are feeling like this in what I also like to refer to as the Merrineum. Thankfully, courtesy of Craig Mitchell and his merry band, there are a couple of events to include in this festive edition of the race report.

😁 Why did the runner bring a ladder to the race?
😁 Because she heard the competition was on another level!

I’m sure many of you got out for the traditional Christmas Day parkrun. The one picture I did locate of a park runner to include in this report was Alexander Briggs. Alexander hit a PR of 38:06 at the demanding Highwoods course on 28/12/2024. Great work Alexander.

😁 What did the runner say to the treadmill?
😁I can’t take this relationship any further; it’s just going in circles!

Runners versus Riders

Craig’s events put on two events over two days with the first of these on Boxing Day. Runners vs Riders is a traditional festive event and sees runners race cyclists to compete for the Markham Cup. The first six runners or riders over the finish line win the cup. The event first started way back in the 1930s and has gathered pace every year. Many were up for the challenge of pitting themselves against both runners and cyclists on the off road and extremely muddy terrain of Friday Woods, a military training ground. The course is a challenging three laps, but the smiles on everyone’s faces showed how much fun was had. It’s a mass start event and although safety is paramount, occasionally there can be collisions between the runners and cyclists over this muddy and uneven route which features ditches and water crossings.

Results for this event and the Layer Twixmas Trail can be found in posts on Craig’s Events Page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057220878942 . I would normally list these here, but with no club names in the results I didn’t want to miss anyone out.

😁 Why do runners make terrible secret agents?
😁 Because they always leave a trail!

Layer Twixmas Trail  

The challenge of putting on one event obviously wasn’t enough for Craig and his team, so the 27^th December saw the annual Layer Twixmas Trail.

This is a six-mile self-navigation run where you can start any time between 9am and 10am and come in fancy dress if you choose and a lot of entrants chose just that.

It’s a self-navigation trail run using a written route description, with no markings or marshals and the pictures from the events show everyone having a great time.

😁 What’s a runner’s favourite kind of novel?
😁 A pace-turner!

Upcoming event: GBRC vs. Harwich RC 10 Mile Race

GBRC is hosting the Interclub GBRC vs Harwich RC 10-mile Race on 5th January 2025 in Great Bromley. Following the success of the previous event, the 2025 edition will again utilise the same two-lap setup. It’s a nice flat course and ideal way to start your training, get a 10-mile PB or a place in the club champs. Every runner can make a difference in this event.

Details can be found here https://gbrc.org.uk/our-races/10-mile-inter-club-road-race/

Registration is open from 0845 to 0915 with start at 0930.

Registration on the day will be held at Great Bromley Village Hall (Parsons Hill, Great Bromley, Colchester CO7 7JA). A few more marshals are still needed for the event to go ahead. If you are able to volunteer, please email tomaszko81@gmail.com

And that’s a wrap for this race report. Short and sweet like a Cadbury Hero. Have a great new year and put your best foot forward.