• Doh!

  • To the victors, the spoils!!!

  • Anna finishes

  • The Hudsons: post race.... pre chips

  • Anna in high siprits at the start

  • Martha

  • Charlie storms through the finish

  • Sarah and Anna get stuck into some fruit

  • Ice!!

2009 Great Langdale Pudding Race

The curse was finally lifted (just!!) as Anna claimed her pudding on a cold morning in Langdale. For 3 years, Anna had been thwarted by injury and illness. It was freezing at the Stickle Barn, with fantastic ice crystal growths on the tables:

Ice!!
Ice!!

Throughout the preceding week or so, Anna’s training had been interupted by sciatica, a fall down the stairs and finally a bad cold. Things weren’t looking good with an hour to go, but the girls fed up on some huge bananas and were nearly ready. (despite this, there was no appearance, as promised, from bananaman)

Sarah and Anna get stuck into some fruit
Sarah and Anna get stuck into some fruit

First though was the junior race, (U16), and with the traffic in Langdale still up the creek, it looked like Martha and Charlie would miss the start. In fact they did, and as the field set off, Sean kicked them out of the car in the queue, and they set offa good 300yards behind the rest. Well done Charlie who set off like a demon and came in 12th and Martha who didn’t have time to change into her trainers and did the 3kms in her school shoes!!

Charlie storms through the finish
Charlie storms through the finish
Martha
Martha

At last the clock ticked around to high noon and the runners gathered at the start. Apprehension was soon overtaken by adreneline and as the field swept away Anna looked like she might even enjoy herself!!

Anna in high siprits at the start
Anna in high siprits at the start

There was nothing left for the spectators to do except hope………. (oh, and go to the bar for chips, hot toddys and free mince pies)

The Hudsons:  post race.... pre chips
The Hudsons: post race.... pre chips

After barely time for a drink, thefield were back (33 minutes), first zac, closely followed by Sarah and then Anna. Despite all the ailments Anna posted a respctable time (easily sub 55 mins) and later that evening was heard to say that her legs didn’t hurt at all… (as she finished her first bottle of wine!)

Anna finishes
Anna finishes

To the victors, the spoils!!!
To the victors, the spoils!!!

That evening Sarah held her usual post race party…. Thanks Sarah, great as usual!! it was also good to see loads of people, even though the roads were really icy and getting there was a problem. One of the locals managed to roll their car not 50yds from Sarah’s house…. a bit worrying as our cars were parked on the road.

Doh!
Doh!

And, after a heavy night the night before, that stopped him running, even Bananaman showed up!!!

pudding Race 09 025

10 thoughts on “2009 Great Langdale Pudding Race”

  1. Thanks Richard!

    it was freezing and I ran 5 kms before my hands and feet had thawed out so I wasn’t as overheated as you might think.

    When he heard me coughing beforehand, Dr Sean suggested that running might not be such a good idea, but I said I was going to finish even if I crossed the line in the ambulance.. .. With Dr Sean, Dr Sarah and Dr Caroline in attendance I was confident I was going to get that pudding.

    And I did 🙂

    Annoyingly for Sarah, she was missed off the list of finishers completely, although she was well up the list, so this blunder may have cost her running club the ladies team trophy???

  2. Apologies for the no show from Bananaman, but I guarantee he wasn’t grining like that Saturday morning 😡 Not to worry though, he’s booked in for next year!

    Well done to the runners and their all important support crews 😆

  3. No Tish, I didn’t run this year, as it was important for an experienced runner to head up Anna’s support team 🙄 , and of course nab all the mince pies! :yum: :yum:
    The driver of the car was ok, but I felt a bit surplus to requirements with all the emergency medics flooding out of the party…. so I took photos 😀

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