I've always had a bit of a love-hate relationship with Sarum's Hamptworth Estate. Whilst there is undoubtedly some lovely runnable woodland in the SE of the area, the mapping was often a bit variable, the courses I've run there over the years usually didn't get as far as the nicest bits and I've often struggled through a mixture of tussock grass, brashings, hock deep marsh and done hand-to hand combat with the rhododendrons, together with having to cross the terrifyingly rickety bridges over the deepest wettest ditches, some with obviously rotten slippery boarding with the odd scary hole in them. To say nothing of the bumpy parking area under those power lines.
So the prospect of two events over a weekend in Hamptworth in February didn't fill me with much excitement, even though the publicity flyer promised a new parking area (thank heavens) and access to a new part of the estate.
However, its not every year we get the chance to run in a British Championships on our doorstep, and recent advances in LED technology mean that it is now possible to buy a head-torch which is actually bright enough to show you where you are putting your feet without it costing an arm and a leg (well the same amount as the cost of a new pair of O-shoes) and with a battery life which means that the torch doesn't go out on you at the point of your course furthest away from the start.
So I went to most of the Night League events over the winter (including the very entertaining WSX event on Brownsea Island – how many other O-events start with a boat trip?). I was properly prepared, and almost (well by my standards) fit.
And then disaster. A fellow member of the recent BOF Safety Course which Chris Branford led for WIM,WSX and SOC turned up for the final session with what appeared a streaming cold & hacking cough and shared his germs around the classroom. Exactly forty eight hours later, several course members were felled by a virulent 'flu bug. Mine turned into bronchitis. I had to miss the WSX event and the CompassSport Cup at Haytor the week afterwards, And, still perpetually tired, even then I wasn't right.
So when I set off for the Hamptworth on Saturday afternoon it was the first time I'd left the house (other than a visit to the supermarket for food) or taken any exercise for a fortnight. I would go to the start, I told myself, pick up my map and walk gently to the finish. A bit of gentle exercise.
Parking was indeed in a different place,on nice flat fields which led straight onto the best bit of Hamptworth, the sloping, trackless runnable woodland. The assembly area had a nice relaxed feel to it and the weather was perfect – a mild starlit night. And when I picked up the map, my course led straight off into all that lovely runnable woodland before passing through the rhododendron area and an uphill sting in the tail to finish. Hardly a path or line feature in sight for the first half of the course. A real navigational challenge.
So off I went: and for a while at least, everything went well. I managed the first five legs without a problem,slowly & carefully but in reasonable time. I set off on the long leg to control six, missed it, relocated. And instantly the legs turned to jelly: and the brain! Suddenly I was exhausted:it was time to call it a day and stagger slowly back up the hill to the finish.
There were eight WIM's competing in the Night Champs, and fortunately everyone else completed. As ever, it was the ladies who shone. Nikki Crawford won W70, Kirsty Staunton and Mel Rayner each came third in their class. Of the men, Steve Mallison and Kevin Pickering both got detained by controls amongst the rhododenrons, with Chris Branford's 7th place in M65L being the best placed runner.
Sarum had done an excellent job with the event and were rewarded with a good turnout. Andy Thornton's courses were well received and Mary Nixon's organisation was immaculate.
The following day we were all back in the same place for the Sarum Saunter. Although this event was billed as the SCOA Championships with just over 400 entries, the South West provided clubs provided half of the field. WIM with 50 runners had the second biggest number of runners overall (BOK had nearly 70). Everyone I spoke to seemed to have enjoyed their day in the sunshine.
This time we went round the forest clockwise, starting with the rhododendrons and finishing with the pathless runnable woodland as a nice sting in the tail, with plenty of traps for the unwary. The planner this time was Martin Goddard, who had spent a considerable time updating the map and Pat Hart organised. Sarum are to be congratulated on producing two high class events over the weekend.
As for me, this time I got round my course. Slowly, its true, but I was delighted to be able to complete. To add to the pleasure of the day, I got back home in time to watch Liverpool win the League Cup. At least, I'm told they did – I was so knackered I slept through most of it!.
Dick Keighley
BNOC Results Sarum Saunter Results Routegadget