...Party

The next party Bill and I attended together, the running club party, at a local pub which I will call The Five 'Turkeys' - you know, the one across from the Civic Centre?  There were about 50 of us all together and there was, as usual, a lot going on.  I took photos, but the lighting wasn't good and people weren't posing, so not many turned out at all.  I have obviously missed out on the photography genes in spite of having five professional photographers in my family.

We had food, but we weren't best pleased with the amount served.   Three plates of ham or tuna  sandwiches, a couple of plates of fish fingers or chicken wings with dips, two bowls of fruit salad.  Definitely not good value for money, but the city centre pubs pretty much have you over a barrel.  After we complained, they did bring out two or three more dishes, but by then the hungry crowd had already plowed through all the desserts and it was a case of 'too little, way too late'.  We need to do some creative thinking in future.  What there was was nice enough, though, and they did let us bring our own sweets.  Bill made an American fruit crisp (that is the crisp recipe from here with double the 'crispy' part; Brits don't expect the oatmeal & brown sugar) and everyone loved it, which he enjoyed.

Never mind the stuff at the very back
that we brought; the nine plates
in the foreground are 'worth'
£230 / $355, apparently.

One thing that happens every year is the giving out of various awards.  Bob sets us all a challenge - which Bill nearly always meets - that we run at least 10 races in our club vests.  Those who do get a small plaque for their efforts. 



Our house is becoming littered with the things, only one of which is mine.

Jamie gives out Personality Awards, which are generally pretty funny even though they are sometimes 'inside jokes'.  Some of the prizes this year went to Navigator of the Year (David got lost and couldn't find the finish of a race), Comeback Kid of the Year (Graham competed in the cross country championships 40 years after his first cross country experience), Standards in Public Life Award (Jeremy came straight from work to fulfill his job as a race marshal - in his business suit).

We have a lovely glass memorial trophy that goes alternatively to the first man or first lady in the Coastal Race.  This year the weather was dire and our club's just-about-slowest lady (except me) won this gorgeous trophy, for being the only lady runner determined enough to stick it out. 


Well done, Lorna.

We generally have a drawing for the London marathon race numbers (highly prized, very difficult to get).  In previous years we've had as many as 15-20 applicants in the hat, having shown they went through the regular draw and were rejected by the race organisers, and it's been pretty exciting to see who would win.  This year we actually have a spare number going, so will have to figure out the best way to deal with it.

Paul says his lovely shirt came from the
Retro shop on High Bridge for all of £6!

Finally, we have a raffle.  Bill and I between us managed to bring home an expresso coffee maker, a wind-up cyclist's lamp and a box of Ceylon tea.  All in all, not a bad night.  The running club made £11 off our raffle and admission tickets, the pub a bit more than that on drinks.