By Rob | December 26, 2013
Mitch Timms, Andy McIntosh and Paul Bergin represented Sphinx AC in this 6.1-mile handicap race.
Official results are here but will suffer from link-rot:
http://www.barrowrunners.co.uk/boxing-day-handicap.aspx
POS TIME No. NAME CHIP TIME
66 1:08:40 65 Paul Bergin 54:33
148 1:11:42 234 Mitch Timms 42:37
150 1:11:42 253 Andrew McIntosh 42:37
Mitch said:
Interesting event this one, no on-the-day entries, on-line in advance only and you had to give your predicted time for the 6.1 mile course. On arrival, you received your chip and started in accordance with your anticipated finishing time, at one to five minute intervals. Slowest started at 10.45, fastest around 11.25.
The aim of this exercise was to get as many runners as possible to finish as close to midday as possible, so the prizes could be done shortly afterwards with all runners home. Andy McIntosh and I went for 45 minutes, the leg-end that is Paul Bergin, 50 minutes. As it was chip-to-chip, the actual finishing times were obviously measured accurately and the prizes went to fastest on the day, not necessarily first over the line. An undulating circular course out into the Leicestershire countryside, but all on road, with a tough climb at 5 miles. Weather perfect, cool, with no breeze nor rain.
Andy dragged me up the hills and I raced him down them and we finished in circa 42 and a half minutes. Bergoff finished around 53 minutes. On a personal note, it was great to be with Bergs on his comeback race after almost two and a half years in the wilderness (his last race was the Massey Corporate 5 in August 2011!). Typical Bergs, when asked afterwards if he was pleased with how it had gone, he retorted, “you’re not here to enjoy yourself!”. Now, where have I heard that before…..? Got stuck in traffic on the M69 on the way back/went for a sneaky pint in The Biggin Hall Hotel