The Masham Run still has some unfinished stories... I love the surroundings of that ford in Colsterdale, far away from civilisation, sort of, it has both icons of Brittain that we know so well: the phone booth (no coins accepted though, what if you don’t have a credit card on you? You are doomed, just when you thought that you were get your way out of this lost valley), and a Royal Mail box. The red runner is a dynamic element, normally not there...
Once a year, the phonebooth is passed by 200 runners, wishing and hoping that someone will need help... NOT
We leave the ford behind and leave Colsterdale, waving at Joan, another one of Masham’s Photography club. She is the lady with the beige pants. A very keen amateur photographer. Quite a few of us out here today.
We pass Rob again, this time he’s snapping me, instead of the other way around, a wave and on we go. Following the runners.
Cross roads, with a water point, welcomed by everyone, the sun is hot, and so are the runners.
Another part of the splendid organisation are the clean up volunteers. The water cups are tossed along the road, as the runners do not have time to put their cups in a bin.
It seems to be general practice to drink the water and just drop the cup. A well organised run will have cleaners on the spot. Just like here...
Another essential part of a successful run are the onlookers. I saw that little princess last year too, she has grown a lot. But still wearing a princess dress. Neat...
We should see more princesses in daily life.
The pub in Healy is a good spot for supporters, and since it is tourist season in the North Yorkshire Dales, enough people to cheer on our runners.
We are cruising itty bitty tiny roads, just enough for one car, gridlock almost when two cars have to pass, a truly wonderful setting for a run.
Trees shading parts of the parcours, good to have on a sunny day.
The next point is Swinton, a huge stately home, famous hotel-wedding venue, from here it will go past the Masham Golf Course again and then straight onto the Market Square where the finish will be clocked.
A red headed Marshal guiding the runners into the right direction, a network of good instructed volunteers, it has been set up well, it all goes without a single problem.
And cheering on the runners can be hard work at times... Life can be rough on a hot summer’s day in the Dales...
I admire the gents and ladies running the run, I would be declared clinically dead after five minutes. Not so for the participants, coming from all over England, they are standing their ground, lots of training do pay off. The first ones are entering Masham, we have a winner, don’t know who it is though, for the runners at Swinton, only ten minutes more to go and they too will finish.
A true fighting spirit. A hard half marathon to finish, but they do it. And the rewards will be plenty. City hall is filled with food and drinks for the finishers, the Market Square will soon be filled with done runners.
Water, water... and Mr Wonderful is stocking up on more ice cream. He needs some extra energy as he came of night shift, and only slept 3 hours before getting up to get me to the run. His choice though, I did not MAKE him come, he wanted to. But I can imagine that he must feel very tired.
The race has been run, the winner is known and proclaimed, an exiting sunday has flown by. Mr Wonderful can drive us home and catch more sleep, I have pics to process. Hoping that i will have some good ones.
Count on me for next year’s run too! And lets hope that the weather is as it was today... Warm and sunny!
Talk later...
Lovely pictures and comments Catherine, I enjoyed the day too, hope to be able to be there next year! Joan B.
Posted by: Joan Birch | 08 July 2009 at 11:12 AM
oh, I miss the UK!!!
Posted by: mollie | 09 July 2009 at 10:29 PM