14th December The Reindeer run

 

On Monday night in postively arctic temperatures I ventured over to Alfreton to take part in the annual Reindeer run. And no before you ask, disappointed in not being able to jangle by jingle bells I have not upgraded by atheltic challenges so that I am now racing against members of the Rangifer genus. No this was something a little more fun and festive rather than frightfull and foolhardy.

Every year members of the Alfreton Jog club, and the fact that it is a 'jog' rather than a 'running very fast' club appealed to me,  organise a little saunter around the streets of their town which when viewed from above resembles the outline of a reindeer. Or as it appears to me a Terrier.

So alongside 100 or so sartorially seasonal runners and several dogs who seemed to have wrapped themselves in Christmas lights, I ambled around the streets and industrial estates of Alfreton. And it is not an exaggeration to say it was an amble, stopped as we did at various intervals to cross roads (Elf and Safety was maintained) and allow the stragglers to catch up. 

Amazingly I often found myself at the front of the festive frolicks, an occurance so rare in my running history that I felt quite light headed by the experience. And at the end of the jaunt it wasn't only Rudolph who had a red shiney nose.


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