More fun, running and socialising at the latest Forumite gathering
For a change the M25 is a pleasure, with little traffic, and we arrive in Reading just before 10am, and heave to in a car park next to Reading Rowing Club on the Thames. As we walk into a very sunny but chilly car park there's an explosion of greetings from all these strange people with even stranger names: Ratbag, Spans, BK, Dr Nic, Fraggle, Gavo, MM (and his dog, XT) Shambler, richk, Two Dogs (and his two dogs, Megan and Phoebe), Jon, Smitch, Lamby, Multi, Phoenix, Fat Buddha, Petal, Angelis, DD, George , Blond Dog (Mr Blond Bird), Debster, Chaos, Snail, Mr Snail, Muttley, Evil Pixie.
After much pfaffing around and getting cold, the runners head off for a gentle 10-miler near the Thames on tracks, footpaths and bridleways. A few brave souls decide on shorts and bare legs - most are in tights. Ratbag nearly doesn't start after attempting to fondle Spans' rear when she is bending over and coming close to having his lights punched out by a female rugby player (retired).
Richk is wandering back and forth with his camera and keeps missing shots, so has to keep sprinting forward again to have another go - he must have covered twice the distance of everyone else.
Eventually we stop (absolutely no idea where), turn around, and head back to Reading. What a really pleasant day for a run! Fat Buddha decides to go 'a over t' on a very muddy bit - and about five minutes later (no sense, no feeling says Petal) wonders what’s running down his leg. It's blood! EEK!! MM and Multi add water to wash away the mud to discover a mere flesh wound - amputation can wait till Monday.
We all get back to the car park after a very pleasant 9.3-miler (according to MM's bike computer), get changed and head off to Pipers Island pub for some rehydration/food/beer/beer/beer and... beer. The non-runners join and more names and faces are put together. Barkles storms in wowing the girlies with his purple fleece and weird jeans; Jinglin’ Juliejoo is there looking nothing like a l'il leopard; and the forumite engagees - TiredLegs and Suffolk Punch - turn up.
Mingle mingle, chat chat, natter natter... nosh nosh and slurp slurp... the pleasing sounds of a bunch of like-minded people who have met through the RW forum as they while away a Sunday having a jolly decent time making new friends and renewing old acquaintances.
Eventually, tired (and no doubt a few emotional) forumites head off back home after a great day out.
Thanks to BK for organising it, richk for the pictures (www.richk.co.uk - for those interested), and Fraggle for the labels so we knew who we were talking to.
P.S:
Can anyone explain why TwoDogs, Jon and Shambler were singing "Grandma" on the way home? Answers on a postcard please!
