Blaydon Races
THE Blaydon Races and the Afford Rent-a-car Potters 'Arf figured on Dave King's radar at the weekend.
Two races in less than 17 hours and a 190-mile drive between events took their toll on the Stubbington runner.
First up was the historic Blaydon Races which takes place every year on June 9th to commemorate the famous Geordie anthem. Dave joined 4,000 runners in Newcastle City Centre for the 5.8 mile run to the town of Blaydon on the other side of the River Tyne.
"Conditions were pretty hot and muggy, even though the race began at 6pm," said Dave. "It was really hard to get running at all because there were plenty of slow runners to contend with in the first mile. The fashion in the north-east is the jog slowly three abreast!"
Dave finished in a time 41min 20sec and celebrated with a ham and tripe sandwich and a quick photo call with the 19-year-old Blaydon Belle.
It was then a swift drive to Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire for the half marathon with attracted 1,000 runners starting and finishing in Hanley Town Centre.
"I've never seen so many hills in a half marathon," said Dave. "It was unbelieveable. There was long one hill which stretched for nearly a mile at three miles, and then at 11 miles there was another killer climb at a fearsome gradient. You needed crampons.
"I was tired, especially after Blaydon, and had to nurse my way round."
Dave finished in a time of 1hr 41min. Next up is the Freckleton Half Marathon near Preston in Lancashire this Sunday.