Peter, Holly, Jessica, David
Who is going to run the 3rd leg?
All Winchester Parkrunners
Humdingers Relay Team
Its the big question for any team aspiring to run the Clarendon Marathon as a relay team.
Our team, the Humdingers, are highly experienced at the shorter distance of a 5k parkrun. And while we indulge in the occasional 10k, or even a 10-miler, the prospect of that 12 and a bit km leg up to Farley Mount is proved to be the least popular choice of leg.
We are all part of the wider Winchester parkrun volunteer team and have been helping organise the event in various guises for several years. https://www.parkrun.org.uk/winchester/ So if you've ever done a Winchester parkrun then the chances are that you'd recognise at least one of us.
Holly played rugby on the wing for Halifax and Eastleigh and had resolved that "running further than the length of a rugby pitch was not for me". Nonetheless, after "accidentally" running 10k she turned up to her first parkrun in 2021 and has hardly missed a week since. She has run at 127 events and regularly helps out as Run Director. She ran the last leg of the Clarendon relay last year but specifically requested leg 1 or 2 this year because she has "never done them before".
Peter originally played tennis and took up running to destress from work and the commute to London. He got into parkrun in 2020 after his child, Charley, volunteered at Winchester as part of their Duke of Edinburgh award. Charley enjoyed it so much that Peter was inspired to give it a go. He has now volunteered over 100 times. At last year's Clarendon, Peter did the notorious leg 3 so it seems fair that he get's a less demanding leg this year.
Jessica was a gymnast when she was younger, competing at state level when she lived in the US. She is a yoga teacher, an occasional 5k runner and regular Run Director at parkrun . This year's Clarendon is going to be a big step up for her, both in terms of distance and terrain. While she is used to the hills of Winchester, she prefers running on nice smooth surfaces, and she hasn't gone further than 6k for quite a while. So we felt that asking her to take on leg 3 would be a step too far (quite literally).
And that leaves me. My name is David and I have been going to parkrun for over 10 years. I was Event Director for a while and now volunteer occasionally and am trying to complete the challenge of doing 50 parkruns in 2024. I have run the full Clarendon marathon, done the half a couple of times and this will be my 4th relay. I've never done the 3rd leg.
So, through a process of elimination, it will be me running the Broughton to Farley Mount leg. I'm training on footpaths and hills around Winchester and praying for good weather on the day. And I know, whatever happens, that the Clarendon will be a great day in the Wiltshire and Hampshire countryside with fantastic support from all the volunteers and charities cheering along the way.
Looking forward to Sunday 6 October.
Regards David.
