Votwo Christmas Pudding Catcher – Sunday 16 December – Fairthorne Manor
HE’s won a few titles over the past couple of years - but now Mark Le Gassick has perhaps captured his most illustrious title to date – the 2007 Christmas Pudding Catcher Extraordinaire!
On a freezing cold, but bright and sunny, mid-December morning, Mark was among a group of hardy runners who lined up for the inaugural Pudding Catcher 12k cross-country run, that was held in the grounds of Fairthorne Manor, near Southampton.
However, this was to be a cross-country race with a festive twist, as it involved chasing an elite Christmas pudding (yes, you did read that correctly) over hill and dale, in an attempt to catch it and be crowned as the ‘Pudding Catcher’. As well as claiming this prestigious title, the first person to catch the pudding would also win a cash prize and, as the race director clearly pointed out during the briefing, in the case of a close call, the pudding’s decision would be final!
Bring us some muddy pudding!
Just before the off, at 10.30am, as the field assembled at the start, the identity of the up-until-then secret elite Christmas pudding was revealed. To everyone’s surprise, the not so portly pud was none other than Southampton Running Club’s Andy Morgan-Lee who, dressed in full Christmas pudding regalia, was whisked to the line in ‘no expense spared style’, on the back of a dilapidated old golf buggy.
After a couple of star jumps, and a bit of jeering from the hungry, brandy sauce baying pack, the cheeky pudding had it away on his toes for the first of the three-lap race. And, to the delight of the crowd, one minute later, the claxon sounded and the race was on to catch the fruity, fleet-footed rascal.
The course consisted of a field section that involved a series of long, energy-sapping switchbacks over molehill strewn, ground that was heavily rutted in places. So, as the main group set out, they were able to get an early tantalising glimpse of the jeering, gesticulating pudding as he ran past in the opposite direction.
Running the gauntlet
At the end of each lap, the race passed through a marquee that had been erected at the top of the field and doubled as race HQ, and from which the race commentary and numerous Christmas songs blared out to help keep both shivering runners and spectators in a festive mood.
After passing out the back door of the tent and down to the far end of the field, a tricky narrow woodland section followed for both pudding and would-be catchers to negotiate, that included a treacherous high-speed descent through prickly ‘holly bush alley’, and the ‘Yule-log hurdle’ that had been cunningly placed just around the corner of a sharp downhill bend!
Crafty Christmas critter!
On the first lap, Mark and James Buis broke away from the pack to lead the race. And, by the start of the second lap, it was Mark who began to open up a gap over the Lordshill Runner, as he set off in pursuit of the pudding, who had by this time, unbeknownst to him, been sneakily whisked further down the course on the back of the golf buggy.
It wasn’t until the beginning of the third lap, that Mark finally began to hone in on the pudding, who was now less than 30 tantalising seconds further along the course. With about 1k to go, the writing was on the wall for the plump plum pud, and as the pursuer honed in on his quarry, it made one last desperate bid for freedom before his number was finally up. And, after going in for the kill, Mark went on to win the race and claim the title of the Pudding Catcher.
Pudding-slayers unite
Finally, to wrap up this festive tale, it would be nice to say that no puddings were actually harmed during the staging of this event but, unfortunately, that would be bending the truth somewhat because about 200 of the sticky little blighters were mercilessly devoured afterwards, in the marquee, by a hoard of ravishing runners!
Photo courtesy of Votwo. More photos here.