Jane, Nicole, Michelle, Mark, Chris, Guy, Kate, Margaret, Donna, Voirey, Tracey and Lorraine made up the Musketeer racing squad for the January Jaunt ten km.
Fresh from festive excesses the elite team were off the starting line like whippets to scorch round the course, from Plympton, along the River Plym and through Saltram and return on the same route.
The mild winter meant most of us were far fitter than last year, give or take a few extra pounds from too much foraging.
As a result most of us were pleased with our times. Some target times were reached, some only closely missed and some exceeded which is very good for morale and amounts to a sprint into the New Year and promises some good race results ahead.
The race began in the speedway circuit and ran over the wobbly railway bridge down along the riverside through the woods and up the long steepish hill past Saltram House and then return along the same route.
Very little of it is level or even of the same gradient for very long and two thirds is a trail run – for some that might have been their first trail run – a less rugged version of cross-country.
It was hard therefore, to get into any sort of breathing and leg and arm rhythm which makes it more of a testing race than most of that distance. But all very good to test your pace and determination.
We all got a finishers medal, although a rather underwhelming design for all that effort. But a fantastic run was had by every Musketeer (possibly the biggest club entry) and all should be proud of themselves.
By Guy