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\par }{\f15 
What a lovely day for a race I mused, unfortunately these thoughts were on Saturday whilst blinking into the balmy Spring sunshine that cascaded down on another afternoon of frustration at Franklins Gardens. Now Sunday was a wee bit different. We tried ev
e
ry conceivable trick not to get to the race, faking car breakdowns and accidents, trying to turn ankles on the stairs, but alas, we managed to get to the wind battered circuit. We spotted Warden's and Buswell's cowering in their cars, when Ironman Steve s
a
ys this is not a good idea, you know it's going to be tough. Anyway Di, Karen and I made our way to the start. It was Ok in the throng at the start, but we were soon out onto the exposed track. The plan was to get Karen to a 1.50 half as part of her train
i
ng for the Edinburgh Marathon. Mile one on 8.24, but still behind the virtual pest on the Garmin. We had a brief spatter of hail, obviously just warming up for the real thing in about an hour's time. It was difficult to judge pace with the wind across you
 
then in your face then behind you. Saw Kirsty ahead on one of the loops, she was going great. Anyway, we were going well, then at mile 8 the announcer broadcasts that Ramaala is in the finishing straight (thanks). We get to mile 9 still sunny still but th
e
 announcer says Hendrik's waiting helicopter can't take off due to the weather, what weather I thought. I glanced over to that part of the course the sky looked like a scene out of The Day After Tomorrow, except there was no library to shelter in. Then it
 
hit us. I have never seen hail like it. It was like being hit by buckshot, ping went the hail, cries from all the runners as it lanced into your face. I put my head down and decided that the best way forward was to plough through this, until a guy in fron
t
 of me decided to stop dead in his tracks and turn his back on the onslaught, I shimmied and side stepped him, thinking if only the Saints or England's backs could do that we wouldn't be in this mess. The announcer says" my look at this weather", yeh yeh 
w
e all retort (or words to that effect), alright for you in your warm booth supping coffee and munching Danish Pastries. It went as quick as it came, we were of course comforted by the fact that Hendrik was able to take off and was by now in his suite at t
h
e Holiday Inn. The finish was in sight, peskey Garmin man had given up shy of the line, the last 500 metres into the teeth of the gale, we crossed the line together (honest we did not run hand in hand all the way round it was merely a pose for the camera)
, 1.49.03. Job done with a minute to spare. Am so pleased for Karen she ran so strongly a massive PB by 8 minutes.
\par We eventually got home and retired to the pub for a hard earned beer.
\par Apart from the wind, the cold, the hail and Silverstone's cheesy choice of music it had been a good day.
\par P.S. it is 400 yards to the pub and it hailed on the walk there and sleeted on the way back. Ah well.}{
\par }}