If you decided to forego this race in favour of Christmas shopping you missed a treat. Wimbledon Common had never looked so beautiful: all clad in winter frosting, spread out under a rosy, low December sun hanging in a clear blue sky. It was hard to concentrate on the running, the surrounding were so lovely. The ground, of course, was rutted and frosted in the wide open spaces, so it paid to watch your feet rather than the views. Four of us braved the cold. Ted Hadlow sporting what looked like gardening gloves; Adrian cool in shades. Annabelle and I waited until the very last minute before shedding winter woolies.

Our 7.5 miles took as three times round the common. From the start you take a flat path in the direction of the windmill, whose sails are visible above the trees, before plunging into peaty woodland and a wonderful downhill section. The next turn takes you past the lake (my third time along this path was to the sound of hysterical shouts from a yummy mummy whose toddler had pushed his baby sibling, in pushchair, into the icy pond. Fortunately the ice withstood the weight of the buggy). That easy section done, you have a hill to climb before crossing open common land again, down a rough track to the start point.

With Saturday walkers full of Christmas spirit waving you on, and mince pies to look forward to in the Belgrave Harriers club house at the end, this was a cheery, enjoyable run. My sprint finish was rather longer than was comfortable, but it didn’t get me in under the hour I’d hoped for. Ted struggled with his injured calf to come in the second of our little group, followed by Adrian, who’d decided to treat it as a relaxed tempo run (must have been the shades). Annabelle enjoyed her first attempt at this distance, jogging conservatively for fear of running out of steam – she finished in smiling, stately fashion. We both looked on with undisguised admiration as winner Clare Elms picked up her many gongs.

Results:
W23. Ronnie Haydon 63:06
146. Ted Hadlow 65:37
147. Adrian Musson 66:39
W37. Annabelle Hadlow 87:03

Ronnie H (Ladies Secretary)