March 27th 2022 – Pendock Spring Chicken Run
Some musings on this popular local race by David Bannister…
Another race postponed due to Covid (although they did put on a virtual race last year) this is one that we’ve been meaning to do since we moved to the area. It’s a popular local race offering 1k and 5k races for some of the younger runners (and some of the older ones too!) and a tricky 10k for those who want a bit more of a challenge. This year it was well attended by the Harriers with 8 of us lining up to take on the 10k.
The 5k is a single loop and the 10k pretty much 2 loops, but interestingly they both start back to back and head off in opposite directions! The 10k this year (with a slight course change) has a lovely fast downhill start to lull you into a false sense of security. Then the tricky mid-loop section starts, heading onto farm tracks and up hill. It’s quite a hill (especially the second time around), heading through an Orchard (I think, I was pretty knackered by then!) and a wood before re-joining the road. Then you do it all again, hanging a last minute right and left into the school field for a final sprint (if you have anything left!) round to the finish line.
It’s a lovely route. Challenging, but lovely. Well worth entering to see how you get on. It was a particularly good display of running from the Harriers. Chris Grubb made light work of the rest of the field, winning with over a minute to spare between him and second place and almost 4 minutes ahead of 3rd place! There were age category wins for Rob Kerr (MV60) and Kate Green (LV55) too. Great running by everyone. On finishing we were met with a medal, an edible medal (as well!) and various other goodies including muscle rub, drinks bottles and drinks, snacks and fruit, and plenty of cakes to buy to further support the school. Oh, and my wife’s favourite post race goody in years, a reusable straw!
The most amusing thing for me was seeing Chris rewarded with his 1st place prize. A box of eggs and a raw chicken! Yup, you heard me right! It is the Pendock Spring Chicken Run afterall! Just to top it off we watched as Chris cycled off back to Ledbury carrying a chicken in a bag! You couldn’t make it up!
Cracking little race this. I would recommend you give it a go if you can. It also happened to be on the Ledbury Harriers “Champions League” list for this year, so a point scoring race! They all count!! :o)
Big thanks to Helen for cycling over to take a few photos. Always very much appreciated. There appeared to be another photographer on the course too, but I’ve not seen these yet! But who wants to see pictures of us all looking knackered at the top of a hill…
Full results from this years race can be found by clicking here.