Epsom Oddballs Perch 6.25

[Deleted User]

This race is always a great laugh, even if more often than not the weather is really bad!

This year the Oddballs are definitly going to take the 1st Male Team prize too, we're sick of being beat by the Harriers!

RunPaulRun

We're right behind you Richard... probably by a number of miles though.

[Deleted User]

Just sent off the application. Did this last year - great fun. Plenty of mud in a couple of places but mainly just fresh 'n' frosty!

[Deleted User]

I got told off one year for sploshing through the mud, rather than tip toeing round the sides .........by a bunch of male runners!! Honestly if you don't want to get muddy or wet, then pick a road race in the Canaries!
Might have a crack at this again!

McGoohan

What is the terrain like? Is it essentially running round the racecourse?

[Deleted User]

No, it's sort of around the outskirts from memory, some parts very narrow, so almost single file, and with very deep mud. Does start and finish on race-course fields if memory serves me correctly.

McGoohan

Thanks Tequila. Is it just one lap (cos that doesn't look like 6.25 miles)?

May have to enter this anyway (though everything hangs on whether my knee is judged fit enough...)

[Deleted User]

sorry can't remember now - all i remember was loads of mud, and very cold and windy running the last bit across a field!! There are sandy bits too, so you get a good mix if it's wet!!

[Deleted User]

Its one loop and it goes out nearly as far as Headley Church and then turns back across the Downs.

Start and finish are in the same place so when it reaches the Downs it zig-zags quite a lot to get up to 6.25miles.

Great race though, well worth doing!

annajo

this race is great fun (and come on, the harriers!)

[Deleted User]

I'll be there! Expect to get gloriously muddy :-)

McGoohan

Some more questions, peeps:
I note that it starts at the Rubbing House. The one time went in here, it seemed a bit posh and they seemed distinctly unimpressed that all I wanted was an orange juice and lemonade. (They seem to cater for people having huge meals etc.) Will they be OK about a load of runners in their establishment or will they tell us to clear off? And if they are of a friendly disposition, would they let my kids (aged 9 and 6) in? (My wife would be with them and it would be nice to meet up with my cheerleaders for a wee drinkie afterwards!)

[Deleted User]

McGoohan, the answer to your questions is: no, yes and no.
You could go to the pub at Tattenham Corner which is quite close by - I've forgotten the name briefly because of an excess of wine at the office Christmas lunch

McGoohan

Ah!

Tiger, thanks for the quick reply. The pub over the road from the Grandstand is the Derby Arms. The one near Tattenham Corner train station is called, I think, The Tattenham Corner!

I may have to coat myself in mud and try going in them and seeing how long it takes before I'm thrown out. Come the 23rd Jan, I'll go in the one that has tolerated me the longest.

Unknown

I am thinking of running this as my first race, do you think this would be suitable? I am only a moderate runner and would only want to do this for fun...... Would I be frowned upon? Is this for serious runners only?

[Deleted User]

McGoohan, purely in the interests of research please understand ;-) I managed to fall headlong into mud on the Tadworth 10 today and was accepted into the Tattenham Corner for a drink afterwards, so I reckon you'll be OK in there!

[Deleted User]

Have entered :-)

Vidal

I am a very moderate runner so we'll be OK at the back :-)

McGoohan

Cheers, Tiger. Thanks for conducting the research there.

Hmmm, just bought nice new techy gear today. I may have to tiptoe round: don't wanna get anything muddy do I...

McGoohan

Ack-chew-lee, got the run number & other stuff in the post today. I see the route goes DOWN Ebbisham Lane. Excellent: should be able to build up some nice momentum on the way down to jump the inevitable 'Beechers Brook' at the bottom!

[Deleted User]

Spoke to the Allsorts results lady yesterday and she laughed when I told her I was doing the Perch. Is there something I should know?

McGoohan

Maybe it's the mud, Josie.

McGoohan

Sorry. I do seem to be obsessing about this mud a bit don't I?

[Deleted User]

Please note website states that entries for this race have now closed as race limit has been reached.

[Deleted User]

Boing! This Sunday folks, looking forward to mud wallowing?

[Deleted User]

Just how muddy is this run???

McGoohan

The last few Sundays have been GAW-jus. Let's hope it holds out. Looking at the route details, I don't think it will be TOO muddy so long as the weather holds out.

(But I bet the lowest point of Ebbisham Lane will be a quagmire whatever the weather, especially after a coupla hundred runners have squelched through it.)

[Deleted User]

Morning all

Lovely day for it.
See you all soon

JJ
Allsorts vest no 399 :-)

[Deleted User]

What a fantastic event this was...a bright, clear (albeit cold) morning. A good field of runners and a challenging but extremely satisfying course.

I found mud to be firmish and wasn't too bad to get a grip in...a nice finish to run down (and then up) to. Really enjoyable.

At a price of £6 for affiliated runners with a nice good quality long sleeve t-shirt must make it one of the best value races around. I took 30 seconds off last years time (although was up by aover a minute at the 4 mile mark) so am pleased with that...will definitely be back again next year.

Thanks go to the organisers and all the Marshalls who must have been so cold out on the course.

Thanks

Pegs
26.2 RRC

[Deleted User]

A big thank you to the Oddballs for a fantastic race. The weather could not have been much better for this time of year, cold but clear. I was a Perch Virgin but will be back. That last hill will not defeat me next year :-)

I did 63 which I was very pleased with as I didn't know the course and it was a little 'undulating' :-)

[Deleted User]

I loved this too and what a gorgeous day. 61.01 for me which is much better than I hoped for. Killer hill between miles 2 and 3 - 574 ft altitude indeed! Loved the 'humorous' signs except the last two - "All downhill from here" then " Well almost".

Thanks to Oddballs for a great race.

PS - Hope the lady who was unwell/injured about half way round is OK.

Trogs

My thanks too to the Oddballs for a good day made all the better by ideal weather and the course being practically mud free - by Perch standards. And to top it all I just scraped in under the hour despite last night's Burn's night haggis weighing very heavily still this morning!