Race Date: Wednesday 13^th February 2019

Thanks Loz for the report!

Cash-strapped, time-stretched folks – I’ve found the midweek event for you. For yonks, a bunch of folks have been gathering in the lofty auspices of Tim’s Garage (like a cut-price Zappa album) to combine three great activities at once – orienteering, running and drinking. (the present Mrs Harvey is currently looking at ways to incorporate hoovering, drinking and ironing into a similarly fun midweek package).

An intrepid group of Striders led by designated driver/torch-bearer/good egg David Maloney and joined by natural beer athletes Phil Dooley, Richard Pegg and Matt Gibson, the brewer’s kneed John Armitage and urban nights novice Loz Harvey (who is okay with drinking and running but not at the same time, much like rubbing his head and tummy) to take part in this epic.

Setting off from the afore-mentioned and legendary garage, athletes plotted a route that took in one of two Sportsmens and then a number of pubs around the city, which seemed to have been hand-picked for their incredulous locals (it’s hard enough to explain an Urban Nights event to other runners, let alone seasoned drinkers in the Malin Bridge Inn of a Wednesday), comic late-night turns and friendly bar staff. The Striders team managed to make their faces as green the green on their famous running shirts as they downed craft ales in the Malin Bridge Inn, Hillsborough Hotel, The Forest, Bottom Wellie and Three Tuns before making their way on to the next one and back to Tim’s before the 140-minute cut-off. Any hopes that these brave collective endeavours might have led to scooping a victory of sorts were dashed on the rocks when it was discovered that the winner had managed 12 pubs and eight full-blown ales, as opposed to our rather less impressive six pints in six establishments. Even so, sport was the winner in this amazingly epic and fun-filled night. Whether it was the best prep for the Leicestershire Half remains to be seen.

26 people took part, with the winner being Paul Faucet who clocked up 494 points. Just two ladies took part scoring 118 points each.

Editor’s note: Strava clocked up 12.5km total running for the group.