Hare & Hounds, July.

With only two club Hare & Hounds to go for the end of the season (July and August) it had begun to look that I might be in with a chance of actually winning the 4 mile event. The club scores each contestant’s best six results, Ten for being first home, nine for second and so on down to tenth and beyond 1 point.  Last year I came in second with only having completed five of the twelve monthly events. By the end of May, with nine of the twelve events over I had a total score of 

31 points from the four that I’d taken part in. So, with a couple of good results and a particularly good looking handicap, I seemed to be in with a bit of a chance.

However, June’s event fell on the same day as an anniversary do that we couldn’t miss, which left only two events to get the scores in. By the time of the July event I was more than six weeks into the twice weekly intervals sessions that I had been co-opted into by the club’s racing coach. The sessions certainly seemed to be making some sort of difference as I was now finding an increasing ability to keep going without stopping paddling for innumerable rests. 

On the Thursday before the H&H I decided to have my own time trial over my 5 mile course on the Wey. Starting out from NewHaw I completed the return trip to Pyrford in a very pleasing 57:41. This is the first time I’ve ever completed that course in under the hour. I may have managed a sub-hour five miles somewhere in one of the races I’ve completed but not that particular course. It’s always been a bit of a bug-bear getting below that time and I’ve come tantalisingly close on a few occasions but I’ve rarely dreamed of beating it by a couple of minutes. So, looking good for the H&H two days later. 

The H&H course is all of 4.6 miles. Based on Thursday’s performance my arithmetic told me that a sub fifty minutes was on the cards. I had a good handicap with two others starting off before me. The one immediately ahead of me, by about a minute and a half, was out of sight around the first bends of the course as I pulled away. On the longer straights I could see her ahead and it gave my something of a spur on as I gradually closed the gap down. I passed her less than a half mile from the turn-around and almost immediately passed the leading paddlers, a pair in a C2 canoe who are not renowned for their speed. Such was their handicap that they had already made the turn and were on their way back. Counting off my time to the turn and doubling it gave me the time I had to catch up. Just over five minutes. 

Ploughing my own little furrow I could eventually see them taking it quite easily across the large lake about two miles from home. I passed them somewhere after the exit from the lake to take the lead. All I had to do now was stay ahead of the faster paddlers behind. I was tiring now but the interval sessions were paying off insofar as I was still able to keep going. At last I finished ahead of the field to take the ten points for first home. My time of 50:27 was my best ever for the course but a tinge disappointing not to get in under 50 minutes. 

This time last year with two of the events to be completed, the club issued the current points status for the leaderboard. Then, I was able to work out that even if I scored maximum points I was at best only going to come second, which proved to be the case. This year no such information has been forthcoming so I’ve got absolutely no hint if I ever in the frame for this year’s prize or not. A lot will depend on the last event coming up this month especially the handicap I get  after this last result. Whatever the outcome I’ll be really pleased with myself if I can break the 50 minute barrier.