Alumni Race at Roehampton on 11th December

It was a great team effort ....

The 69th ALUMNI RACE held on Saturday 11th December 2021 at Roehampton.

As the train approached Euston, that Saturday morning, thoughts came to mind about how many of The OSH Team would actually arrive in time for The Alumni Race. Injury, Flu and positive Covid tests had depleted the original Team List of 17. After a wary, masked ride to Putney Bridge Tube Station, and a coffee and bacon butty in the Café opposite, it was a 35 minute trip on the top deck of the No.85 Bus onwards. It felt good to be back, in person, at Roehampton, after last year’s “Virtual Race”, where all travel was restricted. However, we won that event last year, which was a landmark “first time” for our Club. In recognition of that achievement and also the fact that Salopians Nigel Miller (S. 1947-52 & Senior Whip) and Ian Fraser (Ch. 44-49) founded The Old Boys Race (now Alumni Race) back in 1953, The Old Salopian Hunt and Michael Johnson (S. 55-60) donated a new trophy to this Thames Hare & Hounds organised Race, which was named The Shrewsbury Cup. In that first race, 68 years ago, Nigel came 10th and Ian came 24th out of a field of 36. All three became members of TH&H. It was such a pleasure to see Nigel arrive to support The Team, and also Michael, who is still an excellent GB Veteran Runner.

Walking around the front of the Pavilion facing the vast Richardson Evans Memorial Playing Fields, at about 1.30pm , the team was assembling. After alighting the bus, Fergus David (Ch. 2012-17) had walked with me to the Pavilion to greet injured Seb Blake (S. 11-13 & S.Whip), along with his parents, David & Diane, to support his brother Kris (S.09-11) and The Team. Their brother Alex was meant to be here as well, but, sadly, got a positive Covid test, the night before. George (S. 07-12 & Huntsman) and Ed Mallett (S. 08-13 & H’) are in fine running condition and arrived to join the talented group, including Oscar Dickins (R. 11-16 & H’), Liv Papaioannou (EDH. 14-16 & Huntswoman), James Humpish (SH. 08-13 & 2nd VIII Captain), and Ben Hebblethwaite (R. 86-91) who has clocked up many years as a valuable member of The Team. Two new competitors in this race are Pete Schutzer-Weissmann (PH 05-10) and Paddy Barlow (R. 15-20 & S. Whip from last season) and all of these names made a talented team of eleven. After attaching numbers to the “Green & Gold” vests and a warm-up, it was time for some team photos, before we all went through to the next field to get ready for the start at 2.30 pm. The start-line had reverted back to the 2018 position in an adjacent field, which is west of the TH&H Clubhouse.

The start saw a mass of runners all try to get a front position before squeezing through the first gate into the next field and eventually turning left into the narrowing path and undergrowth of South-West Wimbledon Common. Those who have run this 5 mile course before, know that there has to be a certain amount of tactics used, so that you are not stuck behind someone on the narrow uphill paths. Care has to be taken when going through the soft muddy sections and going over obstacles.

Observing from the pavilion, after some 20 minutes, the first runner was seen to come into view in the far east side of the playing fields. Just like 2019, it was Joe Morwood of Royal Grammar School Guildford who was a long way ahead of the field and eventually came into the finish funnel at 26 minutes 23 seconds. Soon, we were able to cheer George and Ed come in at 5th and 6th (27:48 & 28:01), then Oscar at 15th (29:59), and our fourth counter, Fergus at 25th (31:09), which are all good positions in this big race. Ben came in next at 30th (31:48), with a blooded Paddy right behind at 31st (31:54) who had been “attacked by a bush” ! Chasing Paddy was the First Girl Home, our very own Liv at 32nd (31:59), who won the Coventrian Cup and then, 23 seconds later, was Kris at 34th (32:22). First timer, Pete, was 55th (34:15) and James came in at 93rd (37:13). Michael was a respectable 194th in 46:52 and was 1st in the V75 category.

When considering that 281 entered the competition and 222 finished it, with Alumni teams from 37 Schools, our Team performed excellently. It was actually a week before the results were confirmed, but Shrewsbury was listed as 2nd , behind RGS Guildford, but it was pleasing that we were well ahead of Sherborne and Sedbergh. Do go to the website page for full results at https://data.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2021/GBR/thhar-21 where you will see the team and individual positions and scores. Also see the TH&H Trophy Results here * .As in the past, you can see that if there had been three more girls, there would not have been 60 penalty points and we may have won that cup. The same situation occurred with all of the Veterans Categories. The new “Shrewsbury Cup” is awarded to the “Age-Related Category” and unfortunately went to RGS Guildford, beating us by the smallest of margins, being 0.1% !

As the dusk and the damp began to envelope us all, it was realised that there were six Severn Hill men present, so George, Kris, Ed, Nigel, Michael & Seb lined up for a photo. Then it was time for some to depart, and the rest of us went to The Kings Head, in Roehampton, to discuss the day and next year’s tactics, helped by a few glasses of liquid refreshment, which seemed to be gratefully received !

Before Nigel left on his long drive back to Monmouth, he showed me the old stables building, outside, that used to be the headquarters of Thames Hare & Hounds Running Club. He jolted a lost memory in me, that, back in 1971, having just become the new Captain of The OSH, I had run my first “Old Boys Race” and afterwards, upstairs in this stable block, had “savoured” the use of the old enamelled hip baths, which, despite the re-use of warm muddy water, were surprisingly comfortable … “Different Times” as they say !

I am so grateful to all of our runners and supporters that came to this event and hope they and many more will come to next year’s 70th Alumni Race to experience this traditional cross-country race and make memories that will stick, like Wimbledon Mud !

As well as the pictures shown here, do go to the OSH Facebook page to see all of the photos.

Peter Birch. (Dayboys 1966-71, Huntsman, OSH Chairman.)

TH&H Trophy Results List