The wine run
Despite my having vowed not to run another half marathon, my son persuaded me.
It wasn't so much that I couldn't, as that I didn't want to run another. The distance is a bit far for me to enjoy now, and I have taken to throwing away run medals and t-shirts (not because I am a great runner but because after a lot of years you accrue a lot of technical t's just for taking part).
But James has more recently taken up running, and has built up to that distance through dogged hard work and persistence while I sort of idled a bit.
This one was the Denbies Bacchus Half Marathon. At first it sounded mad to me - Denbies is a vineyard, and at each water station they also offer a wine tasting. Now I have proved through experiment that I can drink and run: a few ill-judged long training runs in summer heat drove me to call it at the pub, and more recently my small run group tried a gentile jog along the canal to a pub and back. But even so, the idea of a half marathon fueled by wine sounded - well, intemperate.
On the other hand, mad has always appealed to me. Not mad like most runners, as in running vast distances or at amazing speeds - more, mad as in silly, laughable. So I was in for it.
Denbies is in the Surrey Hills - which are not mountains, but nevertheless very definitely hills. We had run Denbies before, James and I, and Sarah and I have walked that area many many times, so we know very well what those hills are like. I once ran what was called the Denbies 10 - and found out on the day that the lack of the 'k' meant it was miles, not km - and that had been a hilly experience. So we worked out that we would take our time - a sociable run - and aim for some relaxed time like three hours.
Well, the Denbies Half turned out to be one of the nicest runs I have ever done. The Surrey Hills, despite being hills, are beautiful. I am told, despite being a small county and close to London, has more varied geography than any other English county: but hills rather than mountains, woods rather than forests, meadows rather than expanses of fields - the 'soft underbelly of the South', some call it, and although they intend to be disparaging they get it about right - soft, nice, pleasant. So the Hills put on a good show - lovely, sweeping vistas, nice trails, a few stunning run-stopping views.
What I had not expected, though, was how nice it is to have a wine station.
You knew the wine stations were coming up because you could hear the music - really good bands, live at many of the stops. And runners, instead of grabbing that water and running on in that determined way, were stopped, hanging around, tasting the wine, chatting, laughing, some dancing to the music. Hundreds of runners, literally, at each stop. I have never known a run where so many runners stop at the stops - so very sociable. Fancy dress was much in evidence, as it often is, but never have I had the chance for a chat and witty repartee with a team of policemen or with the robbers they were chasing. The Baywatch runners were quite something too.
The wine was ideal - a small dainty glass, chosen for the location. Denbies Juniper White, tasted at the top of Juniper Hill; a rose at the bottom of Rose Hill.
At the end, instead of that thing where you get your medal, mill about a bit then drift off, was a party. Under the marquee - a free drink (beer instead of wine, if you were all wined out) - hog roast, tables, more live music, hundreds of us runners just chilling, enjoying the music, the socializing, the occasion. And, for our supporters, that atmosphere and activity had been there throughout our run - like a real family and friends occasion - something for everyone to go to and enjoy, and chill.
I have never been a fast runner, and I always think that I run for fun rather than for a time - but this took me back to my Slow Running roots. On our Surrey roads, in an effort to stop car speeding, you see signs saying: "What's the hurry in Surrey?". Well exactly - what is the hurry in the Surrey Hills? Why rush when you can stop, literally, to smell the rose?
Definitely something to do again next year.
Oh, and if you are interested, we more or less made our three hour goal: but next year we are aiming for four, so we don't have to rush the wine tastings.
http://www.denbies.co.uk/events/denbiesbacchus/
It wasn't so much that I couldn't, as that I didn't want to run another. The distance is a bit far for me to enjoy now, and I have taken to throwing away run medals and t-shirts (not because I am a great runner but because after a lot of years you accrue a lot of technical t's just for taking part).
But James has more recently taken up running, and has built up to that distance through dogged hard work and persistence while I sort of idled a bit.
This one was the Denbies Bacchus Half Marathon. At first it sounded mad to me - Denbies is a vineyard, and at each water station they also offer a wine tasting. Now I have proved through experiment that I can drink and run: a few ill-judged long training runs in summer heat drove me to call it at the pub, and more recently my small run group tried a gentile jog along the canal to a pub and back. But even so, the idea of a half marathon fueled by wine sounded - well, intemperate.
On the other hand, mad has always appealed to me. Not mad like most runners, as in running vast distances or at amazing speeds - more, mad as in silly, laughable. So I was in for it.
Denbies is in the Surrey Hills - which are not mountains, but nevertheless very definitely hills. We had run Denbies before, James and I, and Sarah and I have walked that area many many times, so we know very well what those hills are like. I once ran what was called the Denbies 10 - and found out on the day that the lack of the 'k' meant it was miles, not km - and that had been a hilly experience. So we worked out that we would take our time - a sociable run - and aim for some relaxed time like three hours.
Well, the Denbies Half turned out to be one of the nicest runs I have ever done. The Surrey Hills, despite being hills, are beautiful. I am told, despite being a small county and close to London, has more varied geography than any other English county: but hills rather than mountains, woods rather than forests, meadows rather than expanses of fields - the 'soft underbelly of the South', some call it, and although they intend to be disparaging they get it about right - soft, nice, pleasant. So the Hills put on a good show - lovely, sweeping vistas, nice trails, a few stunning run-stopping views.
What I had not expected, though, was how nice it is to have a wine station.
You knew the wine stations were coming up because you could hear the music - really good bands, live at many of the stops. And runners, instead of grabbing that water and running on in that determined way, were stopped, hanging around, tasting the wine, chatting, laughing, some dancing to the music. Hundreds of runners, literally, at each stop. I have never known a run where so many runners stop at the stops - so very sociable. Fancy dress was much in evidence, as it often is, but never have I had the chance for a chat and witty repartee with a team of policemen or with the robbers they were chasing. The Baywatch runners were quite something too.
The wine was ideal - a small dainty glass, chosen for the location. Denbies Juniper White, tasted at the top of Juniper Hill; a rose at the bottom of Rose Hill.
At the end, instead of that thing where you get your medal, mill about a bit then drift off, was a party. Under the marquee - a free drink (beer instead of wine, if you were all wined out) - hog roast, tables, more live music, hundreds of us runners just chilling, enjoying the music, the socializing, the occasion. And, for our supporters, that atmosphere and activity had been there throughout our run - like a real family and friends occasion - something for everyone to go to and enjoy, and chill.
I have never been a fast runner, and I always think that I run for fun rather than for a time - but this took me back to my Slow Running roots. On our Surrey roads, in an effort to stop car speeding, you see signs saying: "What's the hurry in Surrey?". Well exactly - what is the hurry in the Surrey Hills? Why rush when you can stop, literally, to smell the rose?
Definitely something to do again next year.
Oh, and if you are interested, we more or less made our three hour goal: but next year we are aiming for four, so we don't have to rush the wine tastings.
http://www.denbies.co.uk/events/denbiesbacchus/
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