Barrie Roberts Reports: On last Friday Morning my wife Katie and I made an early start from Harborne, and headed for the M42/M40/A40 towards London. We arrived at our destination, Lammas Park, an hour and a half before the Race Start. It gave me the opportunity to have a good look at the Course and have a decent warm-up run.
The Course was advertised as being officially measured by UKA and fully licensed. When we walked around the Park we noticed that a stretch of the tarmac surface was being dug up and refurbished by council workers – yes,that very day!
The Ealing Mile is held on the first Friday of each month in Lammas Park. Aiming to help promote running in general in Ealing, offering a fast, friendly and fun lunchtime race. The Course is based on distance markers in Lammas Park, which is one mile over one lap,and has been measured precisely.
The Meeting Point for would be participants in the Ealing Mile Race was just inside the main entrance/gate of the Park — and a very pleasant Park it is. Race numbers were due to be handed out at 12 Noon. We waited for the arrival of the Race Director and his Team (local people mainly members of Ealing Eagles Running Club). A new/modified Race Course was decided upon, part of which was 100m of uneven pavement outside the Park itself, with entry from the Park and to the Park via two narrow gates.
In his Race Briefing the Race Director said that the Course would be slightly longer than a mile ie.possibly 10m longer! One of the regular runners, post-Race, told me that the alteration had added about another 20 seconds to his time! The Race Start took place promptly at 12:30pm. 19 men and 5 women participated and ages ranged between 35 and 70. First home was Peter Mannian (M55) from Windle Valley Runners in a
time of 05:32. Last to finish was 09:04 .I crossed the Finishing Line in a time of 07:26; winning my age cat.
We were made very welcome, and the Race Director and his Team, under the circumstances, seemed to be very competent. I possibly will give it another go in the New Year i.e.when the council workers have left!