Worksop Halloween Half, A Spooky Tale

Following contemplating an extra hour in my sleeping place with British summertime coming to an end, I prepared for a good nights sleep. I didn’t expect waking late because my phone alarm had also auto dated, so instead of 2 hrs extra my instinct raised me from my sleeping place.
Arrangements had been made to collect Steve Worthy from his castle Skellbrooke at Dawn and to park next to a feeding hostelry serving pigs head on a platter (bacon butties) well we did have an hr to kill.

We met up with an x member Vaughn, when we suggested that the demons had been at work with his timing chip he was convinced it was upside down and would not work!
Weather was near perfect an eerie calm morning overcast no wind except from the pigs head! this was causing last min nerves so Steve using cloak and dagger tactics snook into the council offices, I used the shadow of a plumbers van for last minute relief ‘Only to be greeted with a full moon shining back at me from the undergrowth’. This unfortunate lady was totally unaware of my ‘shock and horror.
Nigel Hunter arrives on his Trusty Trek broomstick to haunt our every move!
To the start dodging the Vampires, ghoulies, and ghosties or was that just Team Manvers?
Somehow we had lost Steve he had taken a shining to a quick get away, we crouched behind the 1hr 40 tombstone in fear of what was to come.
Of goes the starting screech and after a dead slow start which in our case didn’t get much faster! 8min/mls target and the 1st mile 8:30 Vaughn was panicked its not that frightening I said.
No sign of Steve he had set off like a bat out of hell and no sign of Iain Taylor either?
The pain in the 1st 6 miles was bearable seeing Zombies dropping out along the route, and with the support of several squirrels who must have found laying on their backs to the tarmac difficult to hold!
Continuing through Clumber park with the company of a lady with a tan which she said was from Spain not U.K. as I suggested, and the lady in green from ‘Totley’ who said we crept up on her, no we were stalking for the kill !! 
To haunt us came a blood curdling voice at 7mls Nigel on his broomstick ‘your 5mins down on Steve’ thanks for that as it encouraged all around to suggest we try harder.
The doctor who struck up a conversation suggested Nigel was a doctor he went to med school with? I suggested no doctor but with that top lip would make many gynaecologist proud.
It now started to get tough as we entered deeper into the undergrowth with many a wolf lurking around every corner, approaching the sponge station with placards
* 50p sponges
* £5 bottled water
* Last water for 10 miles
Made the short cut maps at £2:50 a good idea but to many eyes from the woods on us!!!
As we approached the last feed station at 9.5miles the darkness came over me time for the elixir of life High 5 gel, not far for the finish through the college grounds the leaves rustling like scene from Hammer Horror film.
Last mile downhill Vaughn in some pain from a hip problem do I stay with him or leave him for the wolves HA HO he is an x member and if he passed me the pain of being in his wake would be horrendous, so on I pushed and he clung to me right to the finish line 1hr 44.43 no harm done good session.
All I had to do now was find Steve, Nigel and Iain. Steve had finished in commendable 1:37 not bad for the coffin dodger!
Iain think the wolves got him or he will have to finish before dusk or he is a goner will check the results.
Now for a large piece of pumpkin pie washed down with goat’s blood High 5 recovery drink.
Another one under the belt
* Race for Steve
* Training session for me!!!!
Hope the Clowne Half 28th Nov 2010 don’t get me


Andy Pidduck