A hot and hilly day for a sea of blue to wave their way around the countryside just outside of Alton.
If ever we needed a sign that summer was well and truly on the way we were granted one on the day of Alton 10, no not the glorious sunshine but Jo and Tricia both wearing shorts and a vest!
The next instalment of the Hampshire Road Race League was organised by Alton runners, and was a more than undulating course along country roads around the town of Alton on open roads which did make for some challenging conditions at the time.
On arrival numbers were collected and sunshine was absorbed and enjoyed before the team photo and warm ups ensued. Behind the school on the field of daisies circuits were run, high knee and kicks laughed at and a few strides were thrown into the mix ready for the off! Totton Ted was eventually prized from Jos' hands and left in baggage to await our return, not until Jo had seriously weighed up the idea of running the race with him.
Runners were collected together in the school grounds before being led onto the road to start the race. This is where Emily performed the most amazing catch in history when Jo threw her top at her to hold and Emily caught it and continued to take photos without missing a beat! I think it deserved a medal category all on its own!
We were off running away from race HQ for a big loop before heading back in. I had been warned before hand the course was somewhere in between Ryde and Salisbury in terms on hills. I can confirm there were hills and some of the hills turned corners and led onto hills. Some of the hills brought friends, and some felt like they would never end. However this did bring some lovely views at the top ...... if you weren't at this point almost blind with sweat in your eyes and too busy plotting the many many ways you could convincingly DNF without looking like you were just bad at hills. But were are Totton, we eat hills for breakfast! OK we moan around them after dinner but its almost the same thing. And we get to the top, then go down them ..... weeeeeeeee!
With the roads open on all of the route, and some of those roads being small single file roads it did make for some interesting choices when cars or bikes were in the vicinity. Some of those choices could have definitely helped people drop out the race .... and possibly existence if they timed it wrong. Still the marshals did a great job keeping everyone alive and heading in the right direction and the St Johns Ambulance man assured us he was having a quiet day sunbathing. So rule number one of any race was adhered to .... don't kill anyone.. check. The water stations on course were greatly appreciated with the blistering heat hammering runners and were well spaced to ensure once more rule number one was followed.
There were photographers on course with one stationed at the top of a hill ready to catch some really happy smiling faces. On point during this race was the TRC waving, all started by the resident team waver Dean Lucas, great too see all waves! Although someone needs to tell Rob Kendall this is a thing now...
OK, I did find Rob waving in the back of one photo so we can let him off! The entrants for the best wave of Alton are below.
After all the frolicking in the countryside the runners made it back to the village where it all started running past quaint thatched cottages and a rather attractive looking pub with people drinking nice cold beer outside. There was one final incline that felt like Everest before plunging down the lane and turning into the school for the finish line.
I think we can all agree the real hero of the day was Totton Ted who was taken all the way through the finish line by our illustrious chair and given his very own medal!
Well done Ted and well done TRC for all your amazing efforts on a hot and hilly course. Although we can't let Ted overshadow that Tricia and Captain Andy both knocked out a PB on that course! and Kelly K and Rachel M ran their first 10 mile races! And Andy Walker for his fist race in a TRC top. ACE!
Results Below.
