Ash Excellent Eight

Sunday 7th September saw the Westgates at the Ash excellent Eight. This was the fourth time at Ash for me and at 1:05:47 a personal worst. However having only trained three times in the last three weeks due to injury and continuing DIY jobs I was very happy with the run. There is a reasonable mix of terrain in this 8-miler, some road, fields, stiles, a golf course and a drovers track. There are some undulations but none long enough to warrant walking. This year has been a tad wet and the drovers track was suitably wet and muddy for those of us who like getting dirty. I remember one year when the track was so dry there were clouds of dust! Running a bit slower meant I could enjoy the terrain and countryside, although my time was probably about a minute quicker as I tried to stay in touch with an Axe Valley Runner. Last year’s race clashed with the postponed Grizzly so it was good to see 148 finishers this year. Many thanks to all the marshals and other helpers at the school – good facilities.

Saw Dave C resplendent in his Crewkerne colours and running tights before the start. He said he had recently run a personal worst 5K and then nonchalantly informed us he had got a 10K PB at Langport finally breaking 40 minutes. So well done Dave. (Dave doesn’t run with a watch, he always sets off very fast and was really happy when he approached the timing clock showing 39 minutes something).

Lesley also did a personal worst at 1:16:22 but on a positive, she managed to keep her vest spotless. She also managed to finish above me in the provisional results – obviously a temporary mistake soon to be rectified – and says she should get double points for appearing twice in the results. She says Dave C’s legs are so hairy that the weight of congealed mud would slow him down hence his non-stick running tights.

PS I came close to finding a new way to get injured. As I crawled through the gap at the side of a stile the bloke going over it dislodged the three-foot landing plank causing it to fly up in the air narrowly missing my head.